Cinnamon Health Benefits
There is nothing like the warm smell of holiday spices to put me in the spirit of the season. But those spices have a lot more to offer than a pleasing taste and nostalgic aroma. They also offer a wealth of health benefits.
Take cinnamon, for example. Dr. Richard Anderson, Ph.D., with the USDA, has studied the effects of cinnamon for 20 years. He has shown that cinnamon not only imitates insulin in the body, it can also enhance the hormone's effect. In a USDA study, 60 Type-II diabetics were given either one, three, or six grams of cinnamon per day, and were then compared to control subjects who received a placebo. The placebo group's blood sugar levels didn't change. But the researchers found that the cinnamon group's blood sugar dropped 18 to 29 percent, their triglycerides fell 23 to 30 percent, their LDL cholesterol decreased 7 to 27 percent, and their total cholesterol fell by 12 to 26 percent. Even the lowest amount of cinnamon (less than half a teaspoon) was shown to reduce blood sugar by 20 percent. This is a great reason to keep some cinnamon around. Sprinkle it in your tea or coffee, over oatmeal or a sweet potato. Not only will it add a flavorful kick, it will improve your health. By Jon Herring
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