Common spices such as Ceylon Cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) are readily available, costeffective ways to prevent disease and in some cases provide treatment. They can be used on a daily basis in preparing healthy meals.

Cinnamon is effective in the treatment of diabetes. Cinnamomum reduces serum glucose, triglycerides, LDL, and total cholesterol in patients with type 2 diabetes.[8]
In patients with poor glycemic control of type 2 diabetes, aqueous cinnamon extract reduced the fasting plasma glucose concentration.[1] In healthy subjects, cinnamon taken with rice pudding reduced the postprandial blood glucose concentration.[2] Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume contains cinnamaldehyde,which lowers plasma glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin,total cholesterol and triglycerides, and increases plasma insulin and HDL.[3] Cinnamon is also antioxidant,[4,5] antimicrobial,[6] and enhances wound healing.[7]. Click here to buy . There are several types of Cinnamon available in market. Most of the grocery stores are selling Cassia. Buying a wrong product might damage your health. Learn here about different types of Cinnamon. Learn here about history, usage, medicinal benefits and production of Ceylon Cinnamon from Sri Lanka.
Scientifc References
1. Mang B, Wolters M, Schmitt B, et al. Effects of a cinnamon extract on plasma glucose, HbA1c, and serum lipids in diabetes mellitus type 2. Eur J Clin Invest 2006;36:340–344.
2. Hlebowicz J, Darwiche G, Björgell O, Almér L. Effect of cinnamon on postprandial blood glucose, gastric emptying, and satiety in healthy subjects. Am J Clin Nutr 2007;85:1552–1556.
3. Babu PS, Prabuseenivasan S, Ignacimuthu S. Cinnamaldehyde:A potential antidiabetic agent. Phytomedicine 2007;14:15–22.
4. Mancini-Filho J, Van-Koiij A, Mancini DA, et al. Antioxidant activity of cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Breyne) extracts. Boll Chim Farm 1998;137:443–447.
5. Shan B, Cai YZ, Sun M, Corke H. Antioxidant capacity of 26 spice extracts and characterization of their phenolic constituents. J Agric Food Chem 2005;53:7749–7759.
6. López P, Sánchez C, Batlle R, Nerín C. Solid- and vaporphase antimicrobial activities of six essential oils: Susceptibility of selected foodborne bacterial and fungal strains. J
Agric Food Chem 2005;53:6939–6946.
7. Kamath JV, Rana AC, Chowdhury AR. Pro-healing effect of Cinnamomum zeylanicum bark. Phytother Res 2003;17:970–972.
8.Effectiveness of Cinnamon for Lowering Hemoglobin A1C in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Randomized, Controlled Trial, The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine 22 (5): 507-512 (2009) DOI: 10.3122/jabfm.2009.05.080093
© 2009 American Board of Family Medicine. http://www.jabfm.org/cgi/content/full/22/5/507/

Author wish to thank Prof. Hari Sharma, MD, DABP, FCAP, FRCPC, DABHM
The Ohio State University Center for Integrative Medicine; College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH. for providing the article THE JOURNAL OF ALTERNATIVE AND COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE Volume 13, Number 9, 2007, pp. 1011–1019 © Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. DOI: 10.1089/acm.2007.7017-A that forms the basis of this blog.