Featured photo by Osha Key
For healthy weight loss, we try to include as many natural substances in our diet that have potential weight loss properties. The spice cinnamon is one such natural weight loss food that can increase insulin performance and reduce blood glucose levels. The amount of fat stored in your body is majorly related to how your body processes sugar. It also controls your sugar cravings and carbohydrate cravings. The spice cinnamon is obtained from the bark of this tree and has always been recognized for its medicinal value and culinary uses.
[Tweet “This spice has high content of minerals like iron, calcium & manganese as well as fibers”]Cinnamon is used in the form of sticks or as powder which can be sprinkled on foods. The spice has high content of minerals like iron, calcium and manganese as well as fibers. It has also been used for treating diarrhea, bloating or indigestion. It is also found to be effective in helping you lose weight besides lowering levels of LDL and preventing ulcers in the stomach.
How does Cinnamon help you lose weight?
Since cinnamon helps to control the blood glucose levels and improves insulin performance, it can prevent fat storage. It basically works like insulin to increase the glucose metabolism. When you have very high glucose levels in the blood, it can result in fat storage. However, cinnamon in the diet helps to metabolize sugar better and stops it from getting converted into fat. This automatically helps you lose weight.
Moreover, cinnamon also delays the passage of foods into the intestine from your stomach. This makes your stomach feel full for longer hours and you are less tempted to reach out for foods. When you can control your food cravings, you can automatically reduce your daily calorie intake. Finally, cinnamon assists in carbohydrate processing and this allows you to lose extra pounds. Incidentally, there have been studies that show that your belly fat is more sensitive to cinnamon effects as compared to fat in other body parts.
How to include cinnamon in your diet to lose weight
Cinnamon can be added to your herbal tea or to your breakfast cereal and oatmeal. Cinnamon powder is often used for sprinkling on your breakfast toast or in your morning coffee. You can also add cinnamon to apple pies and foods like cheese and butter. Knowing its fat burning quality, acclaimed weight loss programs avidly use cinnamon as a chief ingredient to prepare diet dishes. For instance, Nutrisystem offers Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal as one of their breakfast meals, which has a community rating of 4 stars from its dieters. Likewise, other dishes of Nutrisystem such as Cinnamon Bun, Cinnamon Bun Bar, Cinnamon Raisin Bar and Cinnamon Streusel Muffin are keenly ordered by its dieters.
Keep off the weight
Cinnamon capsules are also taken by some people to enjoy the health benefits of this kitchen ingredient. An important thing to remember is that cinnamon should always be used fresh. While it has many weight-loss properties, it cannot help you keep off the weight for good. To ensure permanent and effective weight loss, you must follow a good diet and work out regularly. When you can include even a small teaspoon of this amazing kitchen spice in your meals, you can significantly reduce your cravings and layers of abdominal fat.
[Tweet “Which form of Cinnamon is highly beneficial?”]Which form of Cinnamon is highly beneficial?
It is also important to know that unlike freshly ground cinnamon, the cinnamon oil has hardly any weight loss properties. The ground cinnamon retains its medicinal properties even when it has been heated. For people suffering from Type 2 diabetes, it may be useful to add a little cinnamon to their meals. You do not need to add a whole lot of cinnamon to your meals to accelerate your weight loss; because it has many medicinal properties, it is always better to add it in moderate amounts. Besides including kitchen spices like cinnamon to your diet to lose weight, you should never underestimate the value of a well balanced diet and regular exercises for losing weight.
Identity Magazine is all about empowering women to get all A’s in the game of life — Accept. Appreciate. Achieve.TM Every contributor and expert answer the Identity 5 questions in keeping with our theme. Their answers can be random and in the moment or they can be aligned with the above article. As a team, we hope to inspire and motivate ourselves and inspire you to get all A’s.
1. What have you accepted within your life, physically and/or mentally? What are you still working on accepting?
I’ve accepted that I might not achieve everything that I want in life, and that’s ok. I do the best that I can to achieve the goals I’ve set for myself, but some things may just be out of my control. All I can do is my best, and let the chips fall where they may. I’ve become pretty accepting of a lot of things in my old age (haha), so it’s hard to say what I’m still working on accepting.
2. What have you learn to appreciate about yourself and/or within your life, physically and mentally? What are you still working on to appreciate?
I appreciate my sense of self. Not many people can say they are 100% comfortable with themselves, or that they truly know who they are. I know who I am at this moment, but I also recognize that my sense of self is always evolving, and I just kind of go with the flow and try to be my true self as often as possible.
3. What is one of your most rewarding achievements in life? Tell us not only what makes YOU most proud but also share the goals and dreams that you still have.
At the moment, I’m most proud of completing my 200-hour yoga teacher training and becoming an RYT-200 certified yoga instructor. I’m also extremely proud of myself for making a career move that was a bit risky. I left my job in advertising to go work for the local county library system, and it turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. It was intimidating to leave the comfort of a job I had for 9 years, but the difference in my quality of life…it’s immeasurable.
4. We all have imperfections, so we think. The truth–we are all perfectly imperfect. What are your not-so-perfect ways? What imperfections and quirks create who you are–your Identity?
I might be the most forgetful person you’ve ever met and I know this about myself, and I also know the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree, because my mom is the most forgetful person I know (next to myself). I chalk it up to genes, but really there are things I can do to improve my memory, I just get too lazy to put the effort in.
5. “I Love My…” is an outlet for you to express and appreciate all the positive traits that make you…well… YOU! Sharing what you love about yourself will make you smile, feel empowered, and uplift your spirit and soul. (we assure you!) Identity challenges you to complete the phrase “I Love My…?”
I love my sense of gratitude. I wasn’t always a grateful person, but certain life experiences will really put things into perspective for you. Not a day goes by that I don’t count my blessings and realize that all I have in life is enough for me to feel fulfilled. After all, it’s not a happy person who is thankful, but rather a thankful person that is happy.
