Can cinnamon have benefits for diabetics and dieters?

Can eating cinnamon help the diabetic control their blood sugar levels or the obese lose weight?

The straight answer: one study suggests eating cinnamon can reduce blood sugar levels but there is no evidence it can help with weight loss.

The facts: advocates make some powerful claims for the healing powers of the spice cinnamon. It is said to increase sensitivity to insulin and decrease blood sugar levels. Cinnamon is supposed to take more energy to process than other foods, thus boosting the metabolism, and is full of fibre, which helps give a feeling of satiety, signalling to the body that one has eaten enough.

The claims seem counter-intuitive – the spice is a component of five-spice powder, which is a common ingredient in Chinese cooking. The International Diabetes Federation says 10 per cent of Hong Kong adults have the condition. According to government statistics, 20.8 per cent of the population are obese.

Cinnamon is grown in large quantities across south India and used liberally by chefs in that region, earning it the label of “diabetes capital of the world”. One survey suggests that more than 40 per cent of urban south Indians are obese.

Cinnamon is no magic bullet then against diabetes and obesity.

Accredited dietitian Samson Lee Kit-yue says a recent systematic review collected from clinical trials has found that eating one to six grams of cinnamon a day can have a beneficial effect in controlling blood sugar for type 2 diabetics. “Research suggests cinnamon increases the uptake of glucose from adipose tissues and skeletal muscles,” she says.