Cinnamon in Indian cuisine
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Health benefits
Fortis Foundation-IHE study
Sushmi Dey, `Cinnamon can help reduce obesity', June 28, 2017: The Times of India
Study Finds Daily Consumption Of 3g Can Help Tackle Metabolic Disorders
Cinnamon, a commonly used spice in Indian recipes, may have some unexpected health benefits. Consumption of around 3 grams of cinnamon powder every day can help reduce obesity and tackle metabolic disorders, says a first-of-its-kind study on Indians published in the international journal `Lipids in Health and Disease'.
In a clinical trial conducted at New Delhi's Fortis Diabetes Obesity and Cholesterol Foundation, the Institute of Home Economics (University of Delhi) and Fortis CDOC Hospital for Diabetes and Allied Sciences investigated the effect of simple dietary intervention, i.e. cinnamon, among Indians, who have a much greater propen sity to develop multiple metabolic problems leading to diabetes at an early age.
“Purported `beneficial properties' of traditional Indian herbs and spices need to be proven on the anvil of hard scientific methods. Looking at the results of our robust scientific study, now I can say with confidence that cinnamon should be included in meals by all adult Indians, and particularly those who have multiple metabolic risk factors or diabetes,“ Fortis CDOC hospital chairman Dr Anoop Misra, one of the researchers in the study , said.
The trial involved 116 men and women suffering from conditions such as abdominal obesity , impaired glucose tolerance, high triglycerides and hypertension.
After consuming 3 grams of cinnamon powder daily for 16 weeks, the average weight reduced was 4kg, from 89 to 85kg, in the cinnamon group, and 1kg, from 82 to 81kg, in the control group that was not given cinnamon. Along with dietary intervention, people in the trial were also prescribed brisk walking for 45 minutes every day .
Researchers said consum ing cinnamon along with dietary changes and physical exercise decreased fasting blood glucose, glycosylated haemoglobin, waist circumference, and body mass index. It also improved the waist-hip ratio, blood pressure, serum total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, serum triglycerides, and beneficial high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.
“The promising results of this research reveal that simple functional foods can have tremendous health benefits.Cinnamon is a spice that is commonly used in Indian cooking and hence can be easily incorporated in our daily diet, which will balance out metabolism better,“ said Dr Seema Puri, associate professor at the Institute of Home Economics.
