Cinnamon shown to lower...

blood sugar,fats and cholesterol!
Recent studies have shown that just 1/4 tsp of cinnamon
every day may help to lower blood sugar, fats and
cholesterol by up to 30 percent! Researchers suggest it
may also stave off the onset of type 2 diabetes in those at risk.

Watkins Purest Ground Cinnamon contains a high amount of
essential oils for optimum flavor, aroma and health benefits!
Try some every day on cereal, oatmeal, toast, apples and
savory dishes. Place in coffee grounds before brewing for rich
flavor and aroma.

The following is a summary of this ground-breaking study
published in the journal Diabetes Care, December 2003:

A Spoonful of Cinnamon Helps

Treat Diabetes

by Alison McCook, Dec 11, 2003.

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People with diabetes can help
keep their bodies healthy by simply adding a dash of spice to
their diet, new research reports.

In a study, diabetics who incorporated one gram -- equivalent
to less than one-quarter teaspoon -- of cinnamon per day for 40
days into their normal diets experienced a decrease in levels of
blood sugar, cholesterol and blood fats.

And for people with diabetes, the less of those substances in the
body, the better.

Type 2 diabetes arises when the body loses sensitivity to insulin,
a hormone that shuttles the sugars from food into body cells to be
used for energy. As a result, the amount of sugar, or glucose, in the
blood remains high, leading to fatigue and blurred vision. Over the
long term, excess blood glucose can increase the risk of heart disease,
kidney failure and blindness.

The current findings suggest that a small amount of cinnamon can help
protect diabetics from these and other potential complications of their
condition, study author Dr. Richard A. Anderson of the Beltsville Human
Nutrition Research Center in Maryland told Reuters Health.

Diabetics could add a dash of cinnamon to their morning servings of
coffee, orange juice or cereal, Anderson noted. "You can also make a
cinnamon tea by simply boiling water with stick cinnamon,
" he suggested.

Anderson noted that cinnamon may also help stave off the onset of
type 2 diabetes in people at risk of the condition.

During the study, Anderson and his colleagues asked 60 people with
type 2 diabetes to consume 1, 3, or 6 grams of cinnamon each day for
40 days, or the equivalent amount of wheat flour, as a placebo.

Reporting in the journal Diabetes Care, Anderson and his team
found that all cinnamon-takers experienced a drop in blood levels of
glucose, fats and cholesterol by up to 30 percent. No change was seen in
the people taking placebo.

Anderson explained that cinnamon contains compounds that help make
insulin more efficient, improving the hormone's ability to bring glucose
to the cells that need it.

As an added bonus, cinnamon contains virtually no calories, Anderson
said, allowing diabetics to add zest to their meals without adding to
their waistlines.

Previous research has shown that cinnamon appears to help fat cells
recognize and respond to insulin. In recent studies, the spice increased
glucose metabolism by about 20 times.