What is it about?
Cinnamon (Cinnamomum spp.) has been treasured in Indian kitchens and Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years, not just for its aroma, but for its healing properties. Our latest research review, now published in an international peer-reviewed journal, brings together the findings of over 150 scientific studies to answer a simple but important question: Can cinnamon, used wisely in everyday food, help control blood sugar?
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Why is it important?
The answer is encouraging. Cinnamon's active compounds, particularly cinnamaldehyde (the source of its characteristic warmth) and a class of polyphenols called Type-A procyanidins, work through multiple pathways in the body to slow down sugar digestion, improve how cells absorb glucose, reduce sugar production in the liver, and even support the beneficial bacteria in the gut. Clinical trials confirm modest but consistent improvements in fasting blood sugar and HbA1c, especially in people with diabetes or prediabetes.
Perspectives
But science also tells us something important about safety and choice: not all cinnamon is equal. Cinnamomum verum, true Ceylon cinnamon, the variety closer to what classical Ayurveda describes, is far safer for daily use than cassia-type cinnamon (the common market variety), which can contain levels of a compound called coumarin that may affect the liver if consumed frequently in large amounts.
Dr. Sumit Kumar Singh
Patanjali Research Foundation
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: A critical appraisal of anti-hyperglycemic mechanisms, matrix-dependent bioavailability, and species-stratified safety of Cinnamomum spp. as functional food ingredients, Food Research International, August 2026, Elsevier,
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2026.119322.
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