Cinnamon Lowers Blood Sugar

With the holidays, comes the fragrance and delight of cinnamon. From sweet potatoes to pumpkin pie, cinnamon shows up throughout the holiday season. But did you know that it has remarkable health advantages? It helps to balance blood sugar by stimulating insulin receptors, giving them a stronger affinity for the blood-sugar lowering hormone. In response, the body needs to produce less insulin in order to achieve blood sugar balance. This creates less pancreatic stress, improved metabolic rate, and decreased inflammation. Cinnamon has three major oils that contain active components —cinnamaldehyde, cinnamyl acetate and cinnamyl alcohol. Cinnamaldehyde has been shown to block the release of inflammatory agents on the cell membrane. And the scent has even been shown to improve attention span and memory. If you have diabetes, Ceylon cinnamon may offer the best results.

Recipe for Today

Cinnamon Water

This holiday season, try an earthy and sophisticated Cinnamon Infused Water that offers delicate sweetness and spice. It’s delicious alone or with dinner, and as a festive alternative to plain water at holiday gatherings.

Making cinnamon water requires just cinnamon and water. One method is to simply drop a cinnamon stick in a pitcher of water and chill overnight. The water will become infused with subtle flavor. But if you want the blush of color, simmer the cinnamon in a pot of water on the stove with a ratio of 1 cinnamon stick to 1 cup of water. (And your kitchen will smell amazing!) Cool the liquid and use it as a concentrate to mix with cold water and ice or with sparkling water.