Cinnamon For Weight Loss
Fat is a clingy lover and is very tough to break up with! No matter how hard you try, you get seduced by the not-so-health-friendly comfort foods quite often. If this situation seems familiar, try cinnamon for weight loss. This spice is used in various cuisines to enhance the taste and flavor of a dish. It is also widely used in Ayurvedic medicine. By consuming cinnamon, you can lose up to 2 pounds a week! And no, you don’t have to hit the gym or count the calories you consume.
To know more about how cinnamon aids weight loss and how you can use it in daily recipes, scroll down.
1. How Cinnamon Aids Weight Loss ?
- The polyphenols in cinnamon help to improve insulin sensitivity. Insulin regulates the glucose levels in the blood. When your body doesn’t produce enough insulin or becomes insulin resistant, the blood glucose levels can rise, leading to fat accumulation, obesity, diabetes, and other obesity triggered diseases. Research has confirmed that cinnamon can aid weight loss by alleviating insulin resistance in women with polycystic ovarian disease (1).
- Cinnamon helps to lower the fasting blood glucose levels. A study conducted by scientists at the University of California-Davis showed that consuming whole cinnamon or cinnamon extract could lower the fasting blood glucose levels in patients with diabetes type II (2).
- Cinnamon also helps to reduce bad cholesterol in the blood (3).
- It helps to mobilize fat. According to a study, cinnamon extract lowers the levels of hepatic and serum lipids (4).
- Cinnamon has anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antihypertensive, immunomodulatory, and gastroprotective properties (5). Due to these properties, it has been used to cure many ailments since thousands of years.
Now that you know how cinnamon benefits weight loss, here are the ways you can consume it to burn fat.
2. How To Take Cinnamon For Weight Loss ?
a. Cinnamon & Honey Tea
Image: Shutterstock
Ingredients
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 cup water
How To Prepare
- Boil a cup of water and add cinnamon powder to it.
- Keep boiling till the quantity of water reduces to half.
- Strain it into a cup.
- Add honey and lime juice.
Benefits
- Lime is a rich source of vitamin C, and it boosts the immune system (1).
- Honey is a natural antioxidant and has antimicrobial properties (2).
b. Cinnamon And Apple Cider Vinegar
Image: Shutterstock
Ingredients
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup water
How To Prepare
- Bring a cup of water to a boil and add cinnamon powder.
- Turn off the burner immediately.
- Allow the water to cool to room temperature.
- Add apple cider vinegar and stir well.
Benefits
Apple cider vinegar aids weight loss, reduces the risk of diabetes, and cures sinusitis, skin, and throat problems (3).
c. Cinnamon Fat Burner Detox Water
Image: Shutterstock
Ingredients
- 1-inch cinnamon bark
- 4-5 lime wedges
- A handful of mint leaves
- 1 cup water
How To Prepare
- Soak the cinnamon bark overnight in a cup of water.
- In the morning, transfer the water to a mason jar.
- Add chopped mint leaves and lime wedges.
Benefits
- Lime is a rich source of vitamin C. It boosts your immunity and helps to mobilize fat (4).
- Mint has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Hence, it is used to treat gut problems, skin problems, allergies, cough, and cold, and to alleviate pain (5).
d. Cinnamon And Oats Breakfast
Image: Shutterstock
Ingredients
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder
- ½ cup banana slices
- ½ cup fat-free milk
- ¼ cup oats
- A pinch of salt
How To Prepare
1. Boil the fat-free milk and add oats to it.
2. Cook till the oats become soft enough to eat.
3. Transfer to a bowl.
4. Add banana slices and sprinkle the cinnamon powder and a little salt.
Note: Avoid adding sugar if you want to lose weight. Salt balances the flavors as banana renders enough sweetness to the oats.
Benefits
- Bananas are rich in potassium and are good energy boosters (6)
- Oats are rich in dietary fiber. They aid better nutrient absorption and reduce abdominal fat (7)
e. Cinnamon And Vegetable Brown Rice
Image: Shutterstock
Ingredients
- ¼ cup finely chopped carrots
- ¼ cup peas
- ½ cup brown rice
- 1 ½ cups water
- ¼ cup finely sliced onion
- 1-inch cinnamon bark
- 1 cardamom
- 2 cloves
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste
- 1 teaspoon garlic paste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon roasted cinnamon powder
- A handful of coriander leaves
- ½ teaspoon salt
How To Prepare
- Add oil to a heated pot.
- Toss in the cinnamon bark, cardamom, and cloves. Let it fry for about 30 seconds.
- Add the onions and cook until they turn brown.
- Add the ginger and garlic paste. Cook for about a minute.
- Add the chopped carrot and peas. Cook for about 2 minutes.
- Add the brown rice and stir fry for about 15 seconds.
- Add water and salt. Let the rice cook.
- Once it is cooked, sprinkle the roasted cumin powder.
- Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
Benefits
- Brown rice is loaded with nutrients and dietary fiber, which binds to fat and prevents fat absorption. It also protects you from heart disease (8).
- Cardamom aids digestion and increases fat metabolism in the body. It reduces bloating and is useful in treating cough, cold, gut spasms, and sore throat (9).
- Clove is antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory in nature and protects you from cold and cough (10).
- Carrots are rich in antioxidants and phenolic compounds. They suppress appetite, promote weight loss, and help prevent cardiovascular diseases (11).
- Peas are loaded with vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients that lower bad cholesterol, help fight certain types of cancer and prevent neuronal damage (12).
- Ginger improves digestion, boosts immunity, and helps to fight against colorectal cancer (13).
- Garlic has antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and cardioprotective properties (14).
- Coriander leaves help treat toothache, stomach upset, joint pain, and nausea (15).
f. Bedtime Cinnamon & Turmeric Milk
Image: Shutterstock
Ingredients
- 1 cup warm fat-free milk
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
How To Prepare
- Add cinnamon and turmeric powder to a cup of warm fat-free milk.
- Stir well.
- Drink this before you go to bed.
Benefits
- Turmeric has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties. It also helps prevent cancer, obesity, and cardiovascular disease (16).
- Milk is rich in calcium, vitamin D, potassium, magnesium, riboflavin, and vitamin B12. It prevents osteoporosis, strengthens your teeth, and helps reduce blood pressure (17).
Apart from these recipes, you can also use cinnamon in smoothies, juices, and cakes to enhance the flavor and lose weight as well.
3. Cinnamon Dosage For Weight Loss
It is safe to take 1-2 teaspoons of cinnamon powder or 1-inch cinnamon bark per day. However, be careful not to go overboard with cinnamon. It tends to heat the body, and its overdose may cause diarrhea, nausea, and fever.
4. Other Benefits Of Cinnamon
Image: Shutterstock
Cinnamon has been used in various recipes for thousands of years. It not only gives a beautiful flavor and taste but also has many health benefits. Here is a list of the other health benefits of cinnamon.
- Cinnamon has antimicrobial properties, which protect your body from microbial infections
- It is loaded with antioxidants that scavenge the harmful free oxygen radicals
- It helps to lower bad cholesterol in the blood, hence protecting the heart
- Cinnamon is anti-inflammatory in nature and helps to alleviate joint pain, toothache, and gut inflammation
- It can also cure a host of skin-related issues, rashes, and infections
- Cinnamon can also help fight cancer as it prevents the proliferation of cancerous cells
- It is a natural preservative and sweetener
- Cinnamon has also been found to enhance cognition. It improves the brain’s insulin utilizing ability and also prevents Alzheimer’s induced changes in the brain
Though cinnamon has many health benefits, it does have its share of side effects as well. Take a look.
5. Side Effects Of Cinnamon
Consuming too much cinnamon may cause
- Gastrointestinal problems
- Liver disease
- Skin irritation
- Nausea
- Low blood sugar
- Increased heart rate
- Premature labor
- Heating of the body
6. Useful Tips
- Do not consume cinnamon if you are allergic to it
- Do not consume too much cinnamon per day
- To lose weight, eat every 2-3 hours
- Keep a check on your meal portion size
- If you do not like working out, play outdoor sports or dance to burn the extra calories
Obesity is a real problem today. Though we all want to lose weight, many of us don’t find the time to invest in ourselves. This is precisely why I recommend you to consume cinnamon daily. It will keep your metabolism kicking, help you lose weight, improve your heart health, and boost your immunity. Now that you know all about the benefits of cinnamon for weight loss, what are you waiting for? Enjoy your meal with a dash of cinnamon today!
If you have any questions, please leave a comment in the box below.
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