Can Cinnamon Help You Lose Weight?

That’s what some experts are now saying. When you think of fat-burning foods, cinnamon probably doesn’t come to mind. After all, this spice is commonly used in desserts. However, there’s strong evidence suggesting that cinnamon can, in fact, help you lose weight.

Dr. Jun Wu from the Lice Sciences Institute conducted a study to investigate the potential health benefits of cinnamon. Previously, cinnamon has been shown to protect mice against hyperglycemia, which is characterized by abnormally high blood glucose levels. Research shows that a particular compound in cinnamon, known as cinnamaldehyde, essentially regulates the blood sugar in mice and protects against hyperglycemia.

Dr. Wu, however, wanted to see if cinnamaldehyde offered these same benefits in humans. Dr. Wu discovered that cinnamaldehyde improves metabolic function by targeting the adipocytes directly, causing them to burn energy. Basically, cells exposed to the cinnamon-based compound experienced enhanced metabolic function; thus, allowing them to burn more fat in less time.

“Adipocytes normally store energy in the form of lipids. This long-term storage was beneficial to our distant ancestors, who had much less access to high-fat foods and thus a much greater need to store fat. That fat could then be used by the body in times of scarcity or in cold temperatures, which induce adipocytes to convert stored energy into heat,” wrote the study’s researchers.

Does this mean that adding more cinnamon to your diet will allow you to instantly shed those unwanted pounds from your waistline? Not necessarily. Unfortunately, there’s no shortcut to losing weight. If you want to lose weight, you need to focus on dieting and exercise.

Far too many people eat highly processed meals on a daily basis. Instead of preparing and cooking their meals, for instance, they’ll pick up fast food. Granted, a single fast food burger isn’t going to cause any noticeable difference in your weight. If you consume them several times a week, however, it can certainly take a toll on your health.

Nonetheless, adding cinnamon can help you achieve your weight loss goals more quickly when combined with a proper dieting and exercise regimen. The bottom line is that you shouldn’t rely on cinnamon or any other food or product to achieve your weight loss goals. Instead, focus your efforts on dieting and exercise. If you do this, you’ll have an easier time achieving your goals.

This study was published in the medical journal Metabolism.