Does Cinnamon Help Weight Loss?

It is a well-established fact that a person cannot achieve weight loss overnight, Weight Loss plans requires a steady and more conscientious approach that combines activity and sensible eating. However, there are certain natural herbs and spices that have been used over the centuries to help in lowering overall body weight. One of these is cinnamon. As a matter of fact, cinnamon and weight loss is again making a buzz in weight loss circles. But the question remains whether it is effective or not. Can cinnamon really aid in losing weight? Here’s how.

Helps Lower Body Fat by Increasing Lean Muscle Mass

Most of us have this notion that weight loss is equivalent to shedding excess fat in our bodies. While this is true, losing too much fat without increasing your lean muscle mass will only lead to an emaciated appearance; generally similar to an anorexic individual or even a malnourished kid from an impoverished country.

According to a particular study published in the Journal of International Society of Sports Nutrition, cinnamon has the uncanny ability to increase lean muscle mass and decrease total body fat percentage. You might ask how this translates to weight loss. By increasing lean muscle, you are essentially increasing your body’s ability to use stored energy. Compared to fatty tissues which are, by nature, stored energy in highly concentrated forms, muscle tissues are in constant contraction; hence, they require more energy. The greater amount of muscle tissues you have the greater is the body’s tendency to contract and use energy. In simple words, fat is stored energy while muscle uses all of this stored energy.

So, the more lean muscles you develop, the more efficient is your body in using up energy and less of this is stored as fat. Moreover, cinnamon weight loss experts say that the spice can reduce the amount of body fat, leading to a lower but more sensible body weight.

 Cinnamon Contains Powerful Antioxidants

How are antioxidants beneficial in weight loss, you ask? Cinnamon and weight loss proponents suggest that weight gain is a multi-factorial phenomenon that can also be attributed to ill functioning of the organs of metabolism. These dysfunctions can be brought about by the effects of oxidative stress or the abnormal accumulation of free radicals in the body. Because of these substances, body organs are not able to function normally, leading to a variety of inflammatory conditions that can significantly affect carbohydrate and fat metabolism.

Cinnamon has been shown to contain a good number of powerful antioxidants to help fight oxidative stress and its effects on weight. As a matter of fact, cinnamon is known to have more antioxidants than oregano and garlic, two spices that are also used in weight loss programs. Does cinnamon help weight loss? It is safe to say that it does, as far as its antioxidant properties are concerned.

Cinnamon Improves the Sensitivity of Insulin

The relationship between insulin sensitivity and weight gain is a well-studied phenomenon. The mechanism is quite simple. Insulin is the driver of glucose into the cells. Without it, glucose will not be able to enter cells and be used for a variety of functions. As such, they remain in the blood where other substances will act on them to be converted into glycogen and fat. The fat converted from excess glucose is then stored in depots where, if it continues to be unmitigated, it can lead to weight gain and obesity. That is why a lot of people who have faulty insulin sensitivity are more prone to obesity than those that have normal insulin functioning.

Thankfully, according to a study that was published in the Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology, cinnamon can be an effective spice in preventing insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. In other words, the study suggests that the spice can improve insulin sensitivity, something that cinnamon weight loss proponents have known for so long. Because more glucose is moved to the cells where they are used up, less is present in the blood leading to lesser incidence of glucose being converted into fat. This, in turn, can lead to weight loss.

Cinnamon Lowers the Glycemic Index of Other Foods

Closely related to what was already discussed, aside from the fact that cinnamon can increase the sensitivity of insulin, it has also been shown to lower the glycemic index of other foods. Cinnamon and weight loss experts say that the spice can alter the rate of carbohydrate digestion in the gastrointestinal tract.

This means that it allows for the slower breakdown of carbohydrates so that fewer glucose molecules are produced within a given time frame. This makes it more efficient for insulin to move glucose molecules from the blood and into the cells for the simple fact that the amount of glucose is not that overwhelming. Cells, for their part, become also more efficient in using glucose. Overall, this translates to less glucose in the blood and lesser chances of it being stored as fat.

Cinnamon Speeds Up Metabolism

Because of the cumulative effects of improved insulin sensitivity and enhanced movement of glucose across the cell membrane, the body becomes more adept at utilizing this energy, boosting metabolic processes. An increase in metabolic rate also hastens the rate of utilization of stored energy. As we already know, stored energy almost exclusively comes from stored fat. This may not lead to significant weight loss; however, over time, it can lead to a reduction in total body fat and the initiation of more sensible weight loss.

So, Does Cinnamon Help Weight Loss?

The relationship between cinnamon and weight loss is grounded in the ability of the spice to improve the way the body utilizes glucose, improve the sensitivity of insulin, increase the development of lean muscle mass, reduce the percentage of body fat, reduce the ill effects of inflammatory substances and free radicals, and promote a more efficient body metabolism. It should be understood that there are other mechanisms upon which cinnamon can help in losing weight. While the scientific community continues to find better uses for the spice, you can rest assured cinnamon can aid in your weight loss efforts.

Are you ready to get started on your weight loss journey?  Schedule an appointment with Mediplan Diet today!

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