Type 2 Diabetes: This Simple Kitchen Ingredient Can Help Lower Your Blood Sugar Levels

The number of people with diabetes has risen from over 100 million in 1980 to approximately 400 million in 2014. Though the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) 2017 National Diabetes Report revealed that the number of cases declined between 2008 and 2015, the number of adults living with this chronic disease keeps increasing every day.

According to the World Health Organization, 90% of diabetic patients have type 2 diabetes. Since several factors, including genetics and lifestyle choices, play an important role in type 2 diabetes, making certain dietary changes such as including certain herbal products can help lower blood sugar levels and combat insulin sensitivity, improving glucose and lipid metabolism, antioxidant status, and capillary function.

Numerous studies found that cinnamon can help lower blood sugar levels. The commonly available kitchen spice, which is known for its sweet but pungent flavor, is obtained from the branches of the wild cinnamon trees that grow in tropical areas across certain regions of the world. Since ancient times, cinnamon has been widely sought after among several civilizations for its medicinal properties.

In recent times, the spice, which is used extensively in cooking and baking, has been associated with improvements in treating health conditions like diabetes mellitus.

A 2013 study demonstrated that Cinnamomum zeylanicum -- a variety of cinnamon -- has beneficial effects including a reduction in diabetes-related weight loss, reduction of fasting blood glucose, reducing HbA1C, increase circulating insulin levels.

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder that is linked to a high risk of heart diseases, neurological disorders, kidney diseases, eye problems, sexual dysfunction and gum diseases. Improvements in blood sugar levels might help reduce the risk of these health complications. In another study conducted in mice models, cinnamon extracts helped lower the total cholesterol as well as LDL cholesterol levels in diabetic animals.

Diabetes.co.uk shared that several other studies have also demonstrated that cinnamon slowed down stomach emptying and reduced hyperglycemia after meals. Moreover, consuming just 1g of cinnamon daily is sufficient to combat insulin resistance and manage or reverse type 2 diabetes.

Cinnamon consumption can boost immunity, relieve indigestion, reduce the proliferation of cancer cells, alleviate arthritis pain, prevent yeast infections and inhibit bacterial growth and prevents food spoilage. It is also a great source of nutrients like calcium, manganese, iron, and fiber.