17 replies to this topic

[alternativista]

I searched for a good existing thread to add this info to, but couldn't find one.
Anyway, the deal with cinnamon helping with blood sugar is that they say it has to be, or is more beneficial if it is, true cinnamon, not the relative properly called Cassia that is what is sold in the United States as cinnamon. -- I've since learned this is not exactly true. Check out later posts.

True cinnamon is also often called Ceylon cinnamon. It is a lighter color than what we Americans get and has a more delicate flavor. I bought some once when I was staying in Spain and was surprised by the color. I thought it looked more like ginger.

And the info I've just come across that I wanted to tell you about is that 'Mexican cinnamon' is true cinnamon. If your supermarkets have Hispanic products, you might be able to get true cinnamon cheaply there. And the sticks of true cinnamon have thin, flaky fragile layers all rolled up. So if you see sticks that are nice, pretty, strong coils, that's not cinnamon. That's the cousin. I think there are pictures on wikipedia.

But buying Hispanic brands won't be a guarantee. I have some sticks that were a Hispanic brand that match the description of true cinnamon, but I looked yesterday in my Hispanic supermarket and they had, with a Hispanic brand, sticks that looked like Cassia. In fact, Mexicans use and know both types. They call true cinnamon Canela dulce or sweet cinnamon and Cassia, canela caliente or hot cinnamon.

This is what the search results found. There are a couple that might have some useful discussion on cinnamon.

Edited by alternativista, 01 January 2012 - 04:07 PM.

[ʀio]

So when I buy ground cinnamon from my Hispanic supermarket is this the beneficial type I am purchasing or should I look to the sticks like you said?

[alternativista]

So when I buy ground cinnamon from my Hispanic supermarket is this the beneficial type I am purchasing or should I look to the sticks like you said?

It may or not be. Like I said above, I've found both with Hispanic branding. I think the sticks are a sure fire way to tell and you can grind them up. As far as the ground spice, you just have to look at the color. If I remember right, the true cinnamon is more like an orangey brown rather than the reddish brown we are used to. It's looks more like ginger, except more orange.

[AutonomousOne1980]

you are better off taking more vitamins, as every organ depends on them, magnesium and potassium calcium and b vitamins probably has a bigger impact on blood sugar control then cinnamon does. dont take my word though, research it.

[alternativista]

you are better off taking more vitamins, as every organ depends on them, magnesium and potassium calcium and b vitamins probably has a bigger impact on blood sugar control then cinnamon does. dont take my word though, research it.

I do take vitamins and I did the research. Thank you.

But I also love cinnamon and eat a lot of it. Might as well get the most beneficial kind.

[calla lily]

you are better off taking more vitamins, as every organ depends on them, magnesium and potassium calcium and b vitamins probably has a bigger impact on blood sugar control then cinnamon does. dont take my word though, research it.

I think it's generally better to get the real thing than popping more pills.

[Believe]

i did a search thinking the supplementation w/ cinnamon must have been discussed at length, but apparently not. Here in Germany cinnamon supplements are booming. You can buy extracts that are perfectly healthy and type 2 diabetics get off their medicine. I used to get acne from sugars, now i eat 2gr of cinnamon daily... also more energy....

[bryan]

I have it on pretty good authority (a friend of mine who is a middle-aged woman with diabetes who checks her blood sugar several times a day) that the effect of cinnamon on blood sugar wears-off after a while. She's tried several of these "natural" supplements for her diabetes, including cinnamon. She told me that it worked well for a period of time, but then ceased working altogether after a while.

If you want to try something else that I think is more likely to work consistently than cinnanmon, is much cheaper and much more easily available, I suggest using vinegar prior to high-carb meals. Use the Search function to find the numerous threads about it, and how to use it.

[jksl]

I've read that cinnamon has a high styrene content

[ʀio]

i have Cassia from Mountain Herbs

[Believe]

if you take the extracts you get around the styren.

The studies that I saw, said if you take 1-2gr daily for a month, the supp would keep working even a month after getting off of it. I mean you don't have to take it non stop.

[alternativista]

Benefits of cinnamon: Both true or Ceylon cinnamon and cassia are beneficial. In fact most of the benefits are due to a substance that's more abundant in Cassia.

http://www.marksdail.../#axzz1iFQCgFub Check out other smart spice articles while you are at it. Or just consume a lot of spices.

Edited by alternativista, 02 January 2012 - 10:12 AM.

[Chocobot]

I have cinnamon all the time. I add lots of it in my whey protein mix. It does nothing for acne really.

[corgisoulpower]

Chocobot, on 02 January 2012 - 10:30 PM, said:

I have cinnamon all the time. I add lots of it in my whey protein mix. It does nothing for acne really.

Your whey protein mix is likely not helping your digestive issues, since it's a dairy product.

[Chocobot]

Nah I have been taking it for a while, it's fine. I was clear for a while recently and was still drinking it.

[alternativista]

Chocobot, on 02 January 2012 - 10:30 PM, said:

I have cinnamon all the time. I add lots of it in my whey protein mix. It does nothing for acne really.

It isn't a magic pill that will make your acne go away. And if you are looking for one, you should stop. It doesn't work that way.

[Chocobot]

Just saying it hasn't done anything for me.

[alternativista]

I doubt that it could have a noticeable affect on anyone anymore than adding any other single antioxidant or substance that aids blood sugar, etc. It's just one of many good things to do for your health and acne.