Cinnamon is a widely used aromatic spice that can be consumed in the form of tea, water, tincture or to season food.
When cinnamon is associated with a healthy diet and regular physical activity, it can promote weight loss, as well as being useful in preventing metabolic syndrome, as thanks to its active compounds (coumarins and phenolic compounds) it has antioxidant properties, anti-inflammatory and hypoglycemic.
Furthermore, this spice is an excellent option to replace sugar, as it has a slightly sweet flavor and can be used in coffee and in the preparation of pancakes, desserts and healthy smoothies.
This condiment, when associated with a balanced diet and regular physical activity, helps promote weight loss and can even help control diabetes.
To take advantage of the benefits of cinnamon and promote weight loss, you can use it in different ways:
1. Cinnamon tea
Ingredients
- 4 cinnamon sticks;
- A few drops of lemon;
- 1 liter of water.
Preparation mode
Put the cinnamon and water to boil in a pan for 10 minutes. Then, remove the cinnamon sticks, let it cool and squeeze a few drops of lemon before drinking. Consume 3 cups of this tea per day, before breakfast, lunch and dinner.
To vary the flavor, you can add ginger to tea, for example. If you are unable to drink tea without sugar, you can add natural sweeteners such as stevia or honey.
2. Cinnamon water
Cinnamon water can be prepared by placing 2 cinnamon sticks in 1 liter of water, letting it rest for a few minutes. You can add lemon, orange, ginger or apple slices and mint leaves, for example, to make it tastier. You can also prepare cinnamon tea and place it in the refrigerator or add some ice cubes.
3. Natural supplements
There are also cinnamon supplements that can be purchased in health food stores or online. In these cases, it is advisable to follow the manufacturer’s or herbalist’s instructions, however, the recommended doses usually vary between 1 and 6 grams daily.
4. Cinnamon tincture
Cinnamon tincture is a preparation made with cinnamon and alcohol, which can be purchased in health food stores or online, and is recommended to be used in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. The tincture can be used by those who do not like the taste of cinnamon, mixing a few drops in a glass of water and drinking it before main meals.
5. Include cinnamon in your diet
It is possible to adopt some strategies to include cinnamon more often in the diet and obtain all its benefits, such as adding 1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder to cereals, porridge, pancakes, cakes, yogurt, juices, vitamins, milk, coffee and teas .
Furthermore, it is also possible to include cinnamon in the preparation of some foods, such as fish, meat, chicken and tofu. To prepare this seasoning, simply grind 2 units of star anise, 1 teaspoon of pepper, 1 teaspoon of coarse salt and 2 teaspoons of cinnamon.
See how to prepare healthy recipes with cinnamon.
Recommended daily amount
To lose weight, it is recommended to consume between 1 and 6 grams of cinnamon daily. In practical measurements, 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon powder is equivalent to 2 g.
Why does cinnamon make you lose weight?
Cinnamon improves the effectiveness of insulin in the body, a hormone that makes cells use blood sugar efficiently to produce energy, and therefore helps control blood sugar levels.
Furthermore, it inhibits some pancreatic enzymes called amylases, causing the degradation of carbohydrates in the digestive tract to happen more slowly, as well as their absorption, avoiding insulin spikes after a meal. When blood glucose levels are maintained constant, hunger decreases, as the occurrence of insulin spikes causes the body to need more sugar, favoring food consumption and, consequently, weight gain.
Due to its slightly sweet flavor, cinnamon also helps to reduce calories ingested, as it can be used as a sugar substitute and in the preparation of some foods.
Some scientific studies also indicate that it is possible that cinemaldehyde, one of the active components of cinnamon, induces the process of thermogenesis and increases metabolism, causing the body to burn more calories using the fat accumulated at the abdominal level, favoring weight loss. . However, more studies are needed to prove this effect. Discover other health benefits of cinnamon.
Check out the benefits of cinnamon in the following video:
