Diabetes type 2: Dr Zoe Williams discusses high blood sugar risks

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As diabetes causes high blood sugar (glucose), one of the most crucial aspects of the condition management is controlling your levels. Having too much sugar in your blood can lead to various problems, such as damage to your heart. However, certain foods and drinks can help lower your glucose, including a certain Christmas spice.

The cheap spice which may help lower your blood glucose levels is cinnamon.

There are various studies proving the positive effects of this pungent spice for diabetes patients.

One of them, published in the journal Diabetes Care, found that cassia cinnamon – cinnamon bark – can improve blood sugar as well as cholesterol in those suffering from type 2 diabetes.

This study also saw a reduction in fasting blood glucose by 18 to 29 percent.

Fasting blood sugar describes not having foods or drinks other than water for eight hours, Diabetes.co.uk explains.

This is used as a test for the efficacy of dietary changes or medication for diabetic people.

The findings of this study suggest that taking one, three or six grams of cinnamon per day could lower glucose and cholesterol.

Including this spice in your diet could also lower risk factors linked to heart disease and diabetes.

Another study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition discovered that cinnamon may lower blood glucose and fight the condition by imitating insulin in your body.

This study found that the spice could help boost the transport of glucose into your cells, which is one of the problems faced by diabetes patients.

When you have diabetes, glucose can’t get into your cells, which causes the build-up of it in your blood in the first place.

So, cinnamon could also help lower blood sugar by increasing insulin sensitivity, helping insulin to move glucose into your cells.

The link between insulin sensitivity and cinnamon was also investigated in a study published in the Agricultural Research Magazine.

The participants had only one gram of the Christmas spice daily which helped to boost their insulin sensitivity.

However, the time frame needed for the boost isn’t quite clear as various studies reported different times needed for inducing this effect.

For example, one study suggests the effects kick in immediately, while another study states it takes around two weeks.

The bottom line is that this Christmas spice may improve and lower your blood sugar by taking it to your cells.

But Diabetes.co.uk reports that many natural compounds in cinnamon are still to be medically approved for prevention or treatment of any condition.

Cinnamon also contains various minerals and vitamin A.

If cinnamon doesn’t sound like your type of spice, you can also manage diabetes by healthy diet, exercise and weight loss, the Mayo Clinic adds.

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