Enjoy a Slice of Apple Pie: Lower Your Blood Sugar

By Dr. Laurie Teitelman, N.D.

Let’s play a game! Can you think of the one critical ingredient that would make eating a slice of apple pie actually lower your blood sugar? Hint: This special ingredient has been used traditionally for a variety of conditions, including bloating, nausea and GI upset; however, many of its benefits have been shown useful for treating and preventing type 2 diabetes (which is caused by your body becoming resistant to the effects of insulin). It is one of the world’s most celebrated spices and is something that you have likely used numerous times in the kitchen. Any guesses yet?

I won’t leave you hanging – the answer is cinnamon! A researcher at the U.S. Department of Agriculture discovered that eating dessert, such as delicious, baked apple pie, can actually lower your blood sugar levels. But how on earth does this make sense!?

 

Cinnamon Improves Insulin Sensitivity

As it turns out, cinnamon contains a polyphenol called methylhydroxy chalcone polymer (MHCP) that can improve the metabolism of glucose in fat cells twentyfold. It does this by reducing the insulin resistance of fat cells, making their insulin receptors more responsive to insulin.

To get a more clear understanding of this phenomenon, imagine trying to talk to your spouse while the kids are screaming, the television is blaring, and the dog is barking to go outside. Pretty unlikely your spouse can pay attention, right? But now, let the dog out, turn off the television, and settle the kids down with a snack and a game and your spouse will finally be able to hear you!

That’s how insulin resistance/insulin responsiveness works. When there is too much insulin or “noise” in your bloodstream, your cells cannot hear the message. But as you turn down the noise (i.e. improve glucose metabolism), your cells can finally hear the message and allow the insulin receptors to be more responsive to the glucose around them. When cells are better able to hear insulin’s message (and can better absorb and use glucose needed to feed the cells), the result is lower blood glucose levels -- this is exactly what cinnamon appears to help with!

Diabetes Studies

A few studies come to mind: In one double-blind, placebo-controlled study, researchers gave 60 volunteers with type 2 diabetes either 1, 3, or 6 grams of cinnamon powder (or placebo) in capsules after meals each day for 40 days. At the end of the study period, those taking the cinnamon (in any amount) enjoyed a decrease in blood sugar levels ranging from 18 to 29 percent (and averaged around 20 percent lower levels). Some members of the cinnamon groups even achieved normal blood sugar levels!

Interestingly, researchers also found that participants taking the cinnamon also showed a decrease in triglycerides by as much as 30 percent, and a decrease in total cholesterol ranging from 12 to 26 percent—and without any toxicity problems.

In other words, less than a tablespoon of cinnamon lowered blood sugar levels, decreased triglycerides, and reduced total cholesterol in just over one month without any negative side effects.

 

In a longer version of this study, German researchers tested the effects of cinnamon on patients with type-2 diabetes who were taking oral diabetes medication. They divided the participants into two groups. The first group received an aqueous extract of cinnamon (the equivalent of 3 g of cinnamon powder) while the second group was given a placebo. After four months, the group taking cinnamon experienced a 10.3 percent reduction in blood sugar, compared to the placebo group’s drop of only 3.4 percent.

Once again, less than a tablespoon of cinnamon seems to reduce blood sugar levels.  That’s about the amount you would sprinkle on your oatmeal in the morning.  Not a bad way to start the day!

Researchers also tested the use of cinnamon versus insulin to encourage glucose metabolism in vitro (think test tube) cell culture and discovered that this tasty spice worked as well as the medication (at least it did so in the lab)! The bioactive polymer in cinnamon stimulated glucose uptake and glycogen synthesis to a level comparable to that achieved by insulin...

Which form of cinnamon is safe and effective to use?

The main issue has to do with numerous oil-based compounds—as well as water-soluble ones like MHCP, found in cinnamon bark. The key terms here are “oil” and “bark”. The oil compounds from the bark are known to be toxic when taken at high doses for long periods of time, however, oils extracted from the cinnamon leaf are non-toxic.

Cinnamon powder has been shown to be safe, even when used often and regularly, with no shown toxicity or negative side effects.  This is because cinnamon powder has much of its essential oils removed during processing.

Tips on Using More Cinnamon Every Day

• Add cinnamon to a hot liquid that you drink every day such as coffee, or preferably green tea
• Pour hot water over fresh cinnamon sticks to create a delicious warming tea
• Add cinnamon powder to coffee beans before grinding to give your morning java a blood sugar reducing boost
• Sprinkle ½ to 1 teaspoon to your oatmeal or any hot or cold cereal
• Add ½ to 1 teaspoon to your favorite smoothie
• Try sweet potato cinnamon “fries.” Cut a sweet potato into thin disks. Spray a cookie sheet with olive oil and place potato disks in single layer on the cookie sheet. Spray the potatoes with the olive oil. Sprinkle potatoes with cinnamon and bake at 425°F for 20–25 minutes, turning halfway through the cooking time
• Core an apple, then stuff it with prunes (optional but delicious!) and sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake at 375°F for 20 minutes or until the apple is soft and juicy

 

No matter how you use cinnamon, it is one spice you should get to know, as it makes a super tasty addition to your diabetes program (the most powerful method for reversing your type 2 diabetes requires substantial changes to your lifestyle including eating a diet rich in nutrient-dense, low glycemic-load whole foods and to engage in moderate daily exercise).