Herbal Profile on Cinnamon
The Spice of Life is Also the Spice of (Blood Sugar) Health
by Lorin Shields-Michel, Healthy Living Article
 Just
half a teaspoon of cinnamon a day significantly reduces blood sugar
levels in diabetics, a new study has found. The effect, which can be
produced even by soaking a cinnamon stick your tea, could also benefit
millions of non-diabetics who have blood sugar problems but are unaware
of it. Cinnamon, known as the great harmonizer, can assist in making the
body healthier, lowering cholesterol, fighting cancer, reducing the risk
of obesity and even changing a diabetes prognosis. But you don’t need to
eat a sweet bun to get your daily cinnamon infusion. Now, New Chapter’s
Cinnamonforce makes taking cinnamon healthy and fun.
An Introduction to Cinnamon:
With all of the spices available to humans, it may
come as no surprise that one of the most pleasantly fragranced is also
one with the most health benefits. Cinnamon, a lovely reddish brown
powder for sprinkling on toast or a small, tightly wrapped piece of bark
for stirring tea, has the power to do more than spice up our lives—it
also has the power to assist in a variety of health issues like high
cholesterol, diabetes and even cancer.
So what is it about cinnamon that makes it special,
aside from its near universal use in baking? Let’s take a look at where
it all began for some clues.
History of the ‘Sweet’ Spice:
The first mention of cinnamon, also known as cassia,
sweet wood and Gui Zhi, is in Chinese texts dating some 4,000 years ago.
It is also interesting to note that during that time, it was used
primarily as a medicine, rather than for flavor. The ancient Egyptians
used the oil from the spice’s distilled bark and leaves for embalming,
and were the first to add it to food—again, not for flavor, but to
discourage spoiling. Its first uses in medicine can actually be traced
to the middle-ages when the bubonic plague raged through Europe. Sponges
were soaked in cinnamon and cloves, and placed in the rooms of the sick.
The hope was that the strong aroma would kill the bacteria. It may have
had the opposite effect, however, in actually attracting more of the
rodents that were responsible for the outbreak. Keep in mind that
leeches were also used during this time. Modern medicine still had a
long way to go!
During the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, cinnamon
inspired the journeys of Vasco de Gama to India and Christopher Columbus
to the New World, and was burned as an incense because its rich aroma
was found to stimulate the senses while also calming nerves. Its
historical uses vary from culture to culture, with many ancient texts,
including those of Native American Indians, citing its use in the
treatment of diarrhea, chills, the flu, rheumatism and even certain
menstrual disorders. Cinnamon bark was rubbed on the torso to eliminate
rashes, and twigs from the cinnamon tree were used to treat ailments of
the fingers and toes, including arthritis and athlete’s foot. Success
was so sweet that herbalists have long used the crushed bark to make a
‘fortnight’ brandy, again for medicinal purposes.
Amazingly, cinnamon, which comes primarily from the
bark of a small evergreen tree indigenous to Southeast Asia, also
functions as a purifying rinse for dark hair, as a toothpaste flavoring
to help freshen breath, in massage oils and to help beautify the skin,
promoting a healthy-looking complexion. All this, and cookies, too. It’s
hard to believe that one spice can be responsible for so much internal
and external good health, but research shows that it’s true.
Today, cinnamon has become a common name for an
uncommon spice. Recent studies by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s
Human Nutrition Research Center have found that cinnamon also
significantly reduces blood sugar levels in diabetics. Not bad for a
spice as old as time itself.
The Cinnamon-Diabetes Link:
When you eat, the sugars and starches you consume are
broken down by the body into a substance called glucose, which
circulates through the bloodstream to be used for energy, or if not
used, turned into fat. Insulin, a hormone manufactured by the body, is
what allows blood cells to absorb the glucose. If your body doesn’t
produce enough insulin, you may have type 1 diabetes. If your body
produces insulin but doesn’t use it properly, you have type 2 diabetes.
That may seem like an overly simplified description of diabetes. It is,
however, useful when it comes to understanding how a lack of insulin can
lead to serious long-term health issues and how diabetes can cause
irreversible damage to the eyes, kidneys, nerves, and other organs.
There is also a condition known as pre-diabetes or
syndrome X, in which a person’s blood glucose levels are higher than
normal but not high enough for a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes.
Some Statistics:
There are approximately 41 million Americans who have
pre-diabetes.
Currently, 18.2 million Americans suffer with
diabetes, of which only 13 million have been diagnosed. Some 5.2 million
people remain unaware that they have the disease.
Most diagnosed cases are for type 2 diabetes. Those
diagnosed with type 2 also suffer from a condition known as insulin
resistance.
In short, insulin resistance increases your risk for
diabetes because of something known as metabolic syndrome.
According to the National Library of Medicine,
metabolic syndrome is a “compilation of factors characterized by insulin
resistance and the identification of three of the five criteria of
abdominal obesity, elevated triglycerides, decreased high-density
lipoprotein (HDL) levels, elevated blood pressure, and elevated fasting
plasma glucose.”
In fact, approximately 47 million Americans live with
metabolic syndrome, a condition that is directly related to a 61 percent
increase in obesity. This also appears to correlate to an emerging
health epidemic for women.
What to do?
How about a little cinnamon?
Are you suffering from diabetes? Here are some
symptoms to watch for:
- Frequent urination
- Excessive thirst and hunger
- Unusual and unexpected weight loss
- Unexplained fatigue
- Irritability
- Blurry vision
Even if you find that any or all of these symptoms
seem to fit you, there’s nothing like a trip to the doctor to find out
for sure.
The Facts about Insulin Resistance:
Insulin is a hormone that helps the body and its cells
convert glucose into energy. When cells ignore insulin, the body may be
experiencing insulin resistance. Insulin resistance contributes to the
following:
- Diabetes
- Heart disease
- Joint inflammation
- Excessive weight gain leading to obesity
- Accelerated skin aging
- Cancer
Insulin resistance can come from a number of places.
Ask yourself these questions:
- Do you consume excessive carbohydrates?
- Do you eat too much processed food?
- Do you visit fast food restaurants frequently?
- Do you suffer from stress?
The signs to watch for (Source: American Diabetes
Foundation):
- Being overweight and physically inactive
- Having a waist measurement at your belly button of
over 35 inches (women) or 40 inches (men)
- Family members already diagnosed with type 2
diabetes
- Suffering from polycystic ovary syndrome
- Blood pressure levels over 140/90
- Low good cholesterol (HDL) levels (35 mg/dl or
lower)
- High triglycerides (250 mg/dl or higher)
If you answered yes, you may be on your way to a
problem. Check with your doctor.
Diabetes and Cinnamon:
A study from the Human Research Center of the USDA and
the University of California, Santa Barbara, suggests “this remarkable
spice can improve insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism and
potentially counter or reverse the course of obesity” and other health
issues like diabetes.
Cinnamon, it seems, has an active ingredient that is a
water-soluble polyphenol compound known as MHCP. This compound appears
remarkably similar to insulin, working alongside and in conjunction with
real insulin inside of blood cells. Think of it as a nurse assisting a
doctor. Together, the cinnamon compound and the body’s own insulin
combine to lower blood sugar levels.
In fact, when volunteers were given three to six grams
of cinnamon powder a day, blood sugar levels were an average of 20
percent lower. Some actually achieved normal blood sugar levels.
Metabolism also seemed to increase, thus helping the body to convert
sugar into immediate cellular energy rather than ending up as “stored”
potential energy in the form of fat deposits.
The discovery was initially made by accident, by
Richard Anderson of the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center in
Beltsville, Maryland. “We were looking at the effects of common foods on
blood sugar,” he told New Scientist’s online news service in an online
report published November 24, 2003. “One was the American favorite,
apple pie, which is usually spiced with cinnamon. We expected it to be
bad. But it helped.”
According to New Scientist, in test tube experiments,
MHCP mimics insulin, activates its receptor, and works synergistically
with insulin in cells.
To see if it would work in people, Alam Khan, who was
a postdoctoral fellow in Anderson’s lab, organized a study in Pakistan.
Volunteers with type 2 diabetes were given one, three or six grams of
cinnamon powder a day, in capsules after meals.
All responded within weeks, with blood sugar levels
that were on average 20 percent lower than a control group. Some even
achieved normal blood sugar levels. Tellingly, blood sugar started
creeping up again after the diabetics stopped taking cinnamon.
The cinnamon has additional benefits, according to the
online report. “In the volunteers, it lowered blood levels of fats and
‘bad’ cholesterol, which are also partly controlled by insulin. And in
test tube experiments it neutralized free radicals, damaging chemicals
which are elevated in diabetics.”
A clinical study published in Diabetes Care, a journal
of the American Diabetes Association, suggests taking the equivalent of
a half teaspoon of cinnamon daily—split into two parts (a quarter
teaspoon per serving) right after eating lunch and dinner in order to
assist in lowering blood sugar levels. In their study, people with type
2 diabetes also had significant reductions in cholesterol, triglycerides
and serum glucose.
Cinnamon, it appears, also helps to neutralize free
radicals. It provides antifungal and antimicrobial properties, which
support the immune system, and contains anti-inflammatory effects so
that superficial wounds may heal faster. And it smells good too!
Cinnamon Quality:
Going to the store and browsing through the spice
aisle will show that there are a number of different types of cinnamon
available. There are also a number of variations in quality. Of the two
species of cinnamon readily available (verum or cassia), there are many
beneficial phyto (plant) nutrients in each. So don’t choose one over the
other. Indeed, an important shopping tip is that when choosing a
cinnamon supplement, you should look for one that contains both species
in order to ensure that you receive all of cinnamon’s antioxidant
phenols and an immune-supportive compound called cinnamaldehyde.
Cinnamaldehyde (cinnamic aldehyde) is the main
component in cassia oil as well as in cinnamon bark oil. It is used to
impart that recognizable cinnamon flavor. Cinnamon oils, which contain
70 percent to 90 percent cinnamaldehyde, are classified as “Generally
Recognized as Safe”, or GRAS, by the Food and Drug Administration. Now
back to cinnamon quality.
A good cinnamon will be distilled using a solvent-free
and low-temperature method of extraction. This is known as supercritical
extraction, and when employed, delivers the full health benefits
promised so long ago in ancient Chinese texts. Supercritical extraction
is a hallmark of New Chapter’s
Cinnamonforce.
A New Chapter for Your Health:
Perhaps in order to truly turn the page when it comes
to better health, we need to start a New Chapter. Literally. The
Vermont-based company produces a number of whole food vitamins and
vitamin supplements. They recently released a supercritical therapy
formula of cinnamon called
Cinnamon Force. It is one of the most potent cinnamon oils on the
market today and may be beneficial in treating pre-diabetes and type 2
diabetes, as well as lowering cholesterol, diminishing the possibility
of obesity, and more.
Master Herbalist Paul Schulick is constantly trying to
meet the demand of consumers looking for new and safer alternatives to
balance blood sugar levels and to lose weight. His intense scientific
research has led him to state this about Cinnamon Force: “It may very
well be the next holy basil of the natural foods industry.” (And as you
learned from Healthy Living first,
holy basil is one excellent stress buster and blood sugar modulator
itself.)
The Spice of Life, the Spice of Health:
The saying “variety is the spice of life” has always
meant to surround yourself with different things and different people
who will inject, yes, variety into your routine. Through that variety,
you will undoubtedly experience “spice,” or zest. Life will be an
adventure, full of flavor and fun. Cinnamon is no different. With its
many uses, its flavorful, warm aroma, and now its documented health
benefits, it may very well be exactly what you need to feel better all
over. Enjoy!
 A
Force of Nature: Cinnamon:
CinnamonForce by New Chapter can help you on your way to better
health. Cinnamon Force contains a proprietary blend of Cinnamon (bark)
extract. It includes an astounding 94 milligrams of post supercritical
hydroethanolic compound and 46 milligrams of supercritical extract. The
formula also includes extra virgin olive oil and yellow beeswax.
Cinnamon Force is part of New Chapter’s Supercritical Therapy line of
products. What does it mean?
Supercritical Extraction — In essence, there are two major groupings
of phytochemicals that are generally extracted during the process of
extraction. One type of plant constituent likes water and can therefore
be dissolved in water (similar to making tea). The other type of plant
constituent dislikes water and acts a bit like oil in water. So,
conventional extraction involves a water-loving constituent that can
either be dissolved in water, or, if it’s fatty, needs to be dissolved
in a different manner. The supercritical process uses compressed carbon
dioxide (a harmless, natural gas) that is heated to over 100 degrees F.
Carbon dioxide has the density of a liquid but is able to penetrate
deeply into the plant and dissolve the fatty constituents. The pressure
is carefully released, the gas harmlessly dissipates into the
atmosphere, and what is left is the pure, concentrated extract.
Supercritical Therapy—The
New Chapter line of products employing Supercritical Therapy, such
as Cinnamon Force, is patent-pending and often uses both supercritical
and other extraction processes of the same herb.
New Chapter’s Supercritical Extraction Therapy products represent
the finest formulas and ingredients, culled from extraction
methodologies based on the unsurpassed values of a supercritical
extract.
Cinnamon Force is a supercritical extraction formula encapsulated
into a gelatin, vegetable glycerin, purified water and carob supplement
for easy digestion and to assist in the absorption into the body.
New Chapter encourages the consumption of one capsule at the end of each
of your two largest meals of the day.
 The
Facts about Cinnamon:
Cinnamon is one of the world’s oldest spices. It was
first used in China, some 4000 years ago, for a number of ailments
including the flu and arthritis. It also has been shown to have the
following benefits:
- Anticancer
- Antifungal/antimicrobial
- Anti-inflammatory
- Antioxidant
Cinnamon is also an excellent spice for cooking and
for fragrance. A Cup of Tea a Day May Help Keep Bad Health Away. Feeling
a bit under the weather? Cinnamon may help. Simply add 1/2 to 3/4 of a
teaspoon of powdered cinnamon to a cup of boiling water. Allow to
“steep” for about 15 minutes. You can drink up to three cups per day to
keep stomach problems away!
Resources:
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The statements contained in this article have not been
evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The information contained
here is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Suggestions and ideas presented in this document are for information
only and should not be interpreted as medical advice, meant for
diagnosing illness, or for prescriptive purposes. Readers are encouraged
to consult their health care provider before beginning any cleanse,
diet, detoxification program, or any supplement regimen. The information
in this document is not to be used to replace the services or
instructions of a physician or qualified health care practitioner. |
