Ah, the smell of cinnamon on your coffee! This spice is commonly associated with sweet desserts. It is good for your health. And you will love it even more. In a study from the University of Michigan, researchers found that the cinnamaldehyde in cinnamon could attack fat cells, thereby, effective in fighting obesity.
What is cinnamaldehyde?
It is an essential oil in cinnamon. The study showed that the oil could boost metabolic health by stimulating fat cells to burn energy, which is a process known as thermogenesis.
The good thing is that cinnamon has been around for thousands of years and some of us use it every day. Thus, if it could protect us against obesity, then it would be easier for us to adhere to a diet that involves cinnamon.
By the way, it’s the cinnamaldehyde that gives cinnamon the flavor that we genuinely love.
The study
The research developed cinnamaldehyde in mice, and it found that the oil did protect the mice against obesity.
Another study was conducted to test its effect on humans. Using the fat cells from volunteers, researchers treated the adipocytes with cinnamaldehyde.
The results were promising. The researchers found “an increased expression” of enzymes that could boost metabolism. Not only that, but they also increase the proteins that could help in thermogenesis.
The study concluded that cinnamaldehyde could be beneficial in fighting obesity by activating thermogenesis. However, researchers would not endorse this spice as a form of weight loss treatment unless a further study is conducted.
More studies are needed to find out its real benefits and the side effects.
Ways to enjoy cinnamon
Now that studies have backed the use of cinnamon in fighting against obesity, here are some ways to enjoy cinnamon every day.
Add it to lemon and honey water
You may already be practicing drinking lemon and honey water in the morning. Now, you can add another ingredient to it to boost your morning beverage.
Sprinkle it on your coffee
Instead of adding sugar to your black coffee, try adding a dash of cinnamon to sweeten this beverage without worrying about your calories. It doesn’t just boost the flavor, but it also helps speed up your metabolism.
Now, if you’re not fond of drinking coffee, but you love eating oats or cereals, then opt to sprinkle cinnamon onto this morning meal.
Drink cinnamon water
You can make cinnamon water by boiling cinnamon sticks. Drink it hot or cold. Make sure to drink it 30 minutes before or after meals and not during meals. It’s especially true if you are suffering from GERD.
Mix it to your protein shakes
A protein shake is already useful in helping you lose weight. And if you add cinnamon powder to this healthy drink, then you’re giving your body an excellent drink for shedding some pounds.
Or you can add cinnamon to your cooking. Don’t just add it to a recipe that calls for this spice but you can also opt to add it to recipes that won’t call for it. You can sprinkle it into rice dishes or roasted veggies.
TLDR
Cinnamaldehyde is the essential oil extracted from cinnamon. It showed to be effective in fighting obesity. But researchers don’t recommend it as part of a weight loss method, just yet. More studies are needed to know its benefits and side effects.
