Cinnamon for Weight Loss
A lot has been said and done on weight loss. Well, here is a particular one that really took me by surprise. Little did I guess that a common Indian spice frequently put to use in my kitchen can actually do more than just adding flavour? Well yes indeed. Cinnamon is the inner bark (core portion of the trunk) of the tree belonging to the cinnamonum family . It is globally used in the form of powder or as coarse chunks in several delicacies.
To stay in shape is a desire that haunts everyone irrespective of their age and gender. Well, cinnamon could end this search for a dietary fat buster. In this article, I have penned down all that this wonder spice can do to make those ugly folds under your skin disappear.
Usage of cinnamon can be dated back to the early civilisations . Cinnamon has been administered in various treatment techniques to cure diabetes, bad intestines, damaged skin and many other health disparities. However, the application of cinnamon for weight loss is quite distinct.How does cinnamon help in weight loss?
It is a general perception that anything that claims to support weight loss is supposed to melt the fat that has doubled up under the skin; the truth is – not necessarily. Burning the fat you have saved over time can be better achieved through physical exercise. While flushing out fat is the core activity, the ancillary part is to prevent fat from accumulating further – this is exactly where cinnamon fits in .
Cinnamon does not directly work on fat cells, but it can stop fat cell population from further increasing. Eventually your BMI or cholesterol levels due to weight gain retreat considerably in a number of ways, a few of which are given below.
Cinnamon for better satiety response
Satiety is the feeling of fullness attained once our stomach is filled. This creates the sense of having eaten enough. It is called a response because it is a signal received from the brain to stop eating more. Now when this response is delayed we tend to over eat .
Ghrelin and leptin are two major hormones in the body that decide the fate of the persistent war between food intake Vs fat load . To be precise, Leptin is produced by fat cells and reduces appetite while Ghrelin is produced by stomach to increase appetite. By now, you might have already guessed that these two are the chief players behind the invincible weight gain .
Cinnamon acts as a speed-breaker on the rate at which your stomach is being emptied. Subsequently, this postpones hunger and controls your food intake and energy demand – thus preventing more fat from gaining entry into the system . A dash of cinnamon during meal can effectively prevent over eating.
What it means?
Cinnamon in the diet enhances the tendency to feel full after eating. Thus, it controls the quantity of food consumed. When you don’t over eat, the fear of weight gain is lessened greatly.
Cinnamon for complete digestion
Another scenario where you tend to over eat props up when there is lack of proper nutrition. Several factors are responsible for malnutrition. However, incomplete digestion is a common cause. When the digestion is not complete, inspite of eating a nutritious food you may not benefit much from that. Semi-digested food apart from troubling your intestines may also be stored as fat .
Cinnamon being a spice improves the sensitivity of the digestive hormones and ensures that the food taken is completely broken down into simpler and easily absorbable units. In which case, the necessity to eat frequently to meet nutritional demand is minimized greatly . Ideally, including cinnamon during cooking promotes perfect digestion of the food the consumed.
What it means?
Cinnamon in the diet ensures better reception of food by the digestive hormones. This prevents accumulation of toxins due to improper digestion and associated weight gain.
Cinnamon for better glucose metabolism
Known for its extraordinary potency to bring down blood glucose levels, cinnamon also scales down fat cell formation and storage. Excess glucose is converted in to fat and stored by the liver.
Several studies have satisfactorily confirmed that cinnamon is indeed a boon for diabetes. Chemical compounds in cinnamon improve insulin (hormone that digests glucose) function , thus preventing unwanted fat conversion of glucose by liver. 1 to 6 grams of cinnamon per day should suffice to keep the blood glucose concentration under check.
What it means?
Research shows that cinnamon greatly improves insulin sensitivity and regulates blood sugar concentration. Proper sugar levels ensure proper energy utilization. This avoids unwanted weight gain and diabetes related obesity.
Cinnamon for inclination towards physical activity
If you blame diet for fat formation in the body then lack of physical activity is to be accused for its continued survival. A person’s tendency to remain physically active is controlled by various parameter of which genetic factor is very important. Genetically a person can be less inclined to remain active or fatigue induced due to improper diet and lifestyle can keep your energy levels always down.
Whatsoever may be the reason behind lethargy, with cinnamon you can be rest assured of continued alertness and improved inclination towards physical activity. Cinnamon can help you manage genetic variations when included in the diet to remain alert and proactive. This helps in better energy utilization and avoids unwanted fat accumulation.
What it means?
Cinnamon improves alertness and cuts down lethargy. This motivates you to remain physically active which impact the energy expenditure. This contributes greatly towards keeping a proper body mass.
Nutrilicious cinnamon recipes
Cinnamon blends well with almost any food. It adds a distinct flavour and colour to your favourite dish thus sprinkling taste and health into your system. Here are few easy-to-cook recipes you can consider:
- •Cinnamon seasoning - make your salad more interesting with a cinnamon seasoning. Put equal quantities of cinnamon chunks, cloves, dry mint leaves and lemon salt into a mixer and grind into a coarse powder. Store this in a suitable container. You can sundry the mixture before storing. This home-made seasoning goes well with fruit or vegetable salad. Salad adds more fibre into your system while cinnamon promotes proper digestion.
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• Cinnamon and honey drink –
This makes a perfect duo for an effective weight loss drink. The key ingredients include cinnamon, honey and lemon or mint for added flavour. Boil cinnamon in a bowl of water and allow it to cool down. Filter the cinnamon decoction. To this cooled liquid add two spoons of honey. Squeeze half-a-lemon or mix few raw mint leaves before drinking. Honey flushes out fat while cinnamon enhances intestinal health.
- • Cinnamon and honey drink -
This makes a perfect duo for an effective weight loss drink. The key ingredients include cinnamon, honey and lemon or mint for added flavour. Boil cinnamon in a bowl of water and allow it to cool down. Filter the cinnamon decoction. To this cooled liquid add two spoons of honey. Squeeze half-a-lemon or mix few raw mint leaves before drinking. Honey flushes out fat while cinnamon enhances intestinal health.
- • Cinnamon bread-spread -
Make you own bread-spread in a few simple steps with cinnamon. Blend three tomatoes to make a fine puree. Heat a spoon of olive oil in a pan and add this puree. Mix well. Add required amount of salt and a spoon of cinnamon powder. Keep stirring until thick consistency is attained. Refrigerate after it cools down. Make your breakfast healthier with this cinnamon bread spread.
- • Plain cinnamon tea -
substitute your regular tea with cinnamon tea and feel the difference. Boil two cups of water with one cup of cinnamon powder for fifteen minutes. Add milk or sugar for taste.
What it means?
Simple and interesting methods to consume cinnamon can help you gain more out of your diet and enjoy a long and healthy life.
Precautions while choosing cinnamon
Several varieties of cinnamon are available . Ceylon and cassia varieties are commercially used. The quality of cinnamon is decided based on the concentration of a particular chemical compound called coumarin. Ceylon cinnamon also known as true cinnamon has less percentage of coumarin and is known to be safe for consumption.
On the other hand, cassia cinnamon has around 5% - 8% coumarin which can interfere with your liver function. Cassia cinnamon is best suited for very occasional consumption while Ceylon cinnamon can be liberally used.
What it means?
The kind of cinnamon you consume matters. Ceylon cinnamon variety bestows maximum health benefits.
Conclusion
Food is the first medicine. Many times we fail to appreciate health friendly foods that we can be availed easily. It’s high time we turn to nature. I have made a start with cinnamon to cut down my body weight. Lose your weight gracefully with cinnamon.