Salvation for some, poison for others: a nutritionist told who should not eat cinnamon

In traditional Chinese medicine, cinnamon is considered one of the fifty main medicinal plants. However, there is a category of people for whom it is not recommended.

Nutritionist Serhii Antoniuk wrote about this on his Facebook page.

"Scientists have proven that consuming one teaspoon of cinnamon daily allows you to more efficiently process blood glucose into glycogen, thereby lowering its level in the blood and preventing it from being transformed into fat reserves. Lowering blood sugar is most important in type 2 diabetes. It also reduces insulin resistance," the doctor noted, adding that such patients experience a decrease in triglyceride levels, normalization of cholesterol metabolism, and stabilization of blood pressure.

Stabilization of blood sugar is important because if the sugar level is high, sugar is attached to protein molecules - protein glycation. The complexes formed in this process trigger autoimmune reactions, which leads to inflammation and damage to the vascular wall, and the development of atherosclerosis. Cinnamon, according to the doctor, stabilizes blood sugar levels and prevents these harmful processes.

Cinnamon contains a lot of manganese, with one tablespoon containing 70% of the daily value of its consumption.

"Manganese is a very important element because, without it, calcium is not absorbed into bone and cartilage tissue. Given that bone mass can increase only up to the age of 30, and then there is a tendency to lose it (especially in menopause), cinnamon in the daily diet is always useful, including for strengthening tooth enamel," Antoniuk said.

What can be bad?

The doctor noted that cinnamon contains a substance called coumarin, which damages liver cells – a hepatotoxic property. There is very little of it in Ceylon cinnamon, so there are no problems with normal doses of cinnamon consumption. Cassia cinnamon contains 100 times more coumarin than Ceylon cinnamon.

"So, of course, you need to buy Ceylon cinnamon. People who have liver problems should be careful about eating cinnamon," the doctor emphasized.

Store cinnamon in a tightly closed container. Heat treatment, according to the doctor, does not significantly affect the nutritional value of cinnamon, while improving the release of aromatic substances, which is why it is attractive for use in cooking. At the same time, its trace element composition is preserved.

According to the nutritionist, cinnamon improves the taste of desserts but does not provoke overeating, which is why its inclusion in the daily diet is also possible for those who control their body weight.