Spices And Blood Sugar

You may or may not have heard about the research being done on a variety of spices that claim that they can actually be able to regulate blood sugar.

One commonly known and talked about spice that is showing the benefits that are necessary in lowering blood sugar is that of cinnamon.

Cinnamon that is taken as a part of your daily diet has shown, in various studies, to help lower blood sugar levels. In one particular study, those that took cinnamon in the form of a capsule one time per day over the course of 30 to 40 days where able to see a reduction in their blood sugar levels by some 20 to 30 percent.

How does this happen? Researchers believe that cinnamon works with the body’s sensitivity to insulin. By lowering your reaction to insulin, your body allows blood sugars to enter into cells easier, therefore lowering the amount that remains in your bloodstream.

You can take advantage of this benefit right away, especially if you like the taste of cinnamon. Researchers believe that adding just a ½ teaspoon to your diet daily, perhaps sprinkled over breakfast can begin to lower blood sugar levels. It may take some time to see results, but it’s a tasty way to lower your blood sugar.

Herbs in general can be beneficial to your health. While most people reach for salt to improve the taste of their food, you can improve your health if you reach for a few more tasty choices.
For those that haven’t really added many different spices to their diet, it can be an easy way to add a lot of flavor to foods that are new to you on your diabetes diet.

To get started, consider these tips for adding more spice into your diet:

• Great choices include parsley, garlic, thyme, oregano and rosemary. Try them on meats, vegetables and even fruits.
• Instead of flavoring a food with a large amount of salt, reduce the salt by 50 percent and add a mixture of one teaspoon of basil and one teaspoon of oregano (in the same amount as the missing salt) to your food.
• Fresh garlic is one of the best tools for improving health. It can lower blood pressure and improve your cholesterol significantly. You should try to consume as much as possible, but three clovers per day is recommended for maximum results.
• Rosemary is an excellent antioxidant which can help to prevent heart disease and cancers. Other antioxidant powerful herbs include thyme, basil and oregano. (That’s a great combination for fighting off a cold, too.)

One of the largest drawbacks for many on a diet to reduce blood sugar levels is the missing sugar. Replace some of the sugar that you wish you could have with cinnamon or nutmeg. You can mix this into virtually any recipe and get enhanced flavor without the sugar.