How to Stabilize Your Blood Sugar

How to Control Your Blood Sugar 

I love the aroma of cinnamon, and its health benefits make it one of my favorite spices. Cinnamon has been used since ancient times to aid digestion, and a teaspoon has more antioxidants than half a cup of blueberries. Plus, studies show that cinnamon helps blunt the rise in blood sugar that can occur when you eat a carbohydrate-rich meal—good news, since a spike in blood sugar raises levels of insulin and insulin-like growth factors, which may increase the risks of diabetes, heart disease, and even some cancers.

[sidebar]Take 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon infused in hot water 3 times a day to ease indigestion, or 2 to 4 teaspoons daily to see an impact on blood sugar levels. Both true cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum or C. verum) and cassia (C. cassia) are sold as "cinnamon." If you take more than 1 to 2 teaspoons, get true cinnamon, such as Frontier Organic Fair Trade Cinnamon ($6.50; frontiercoop.com); cassia contains coumarin, a compound that in large amounts can adversely affect the liver.

1. Sprinkle a teaspoon over ground coffee before brewing. Research shows that hot-water extraction (the process that occurs when you brew coffee or make cinnamon tea) is one of the best ways to get the good stuff out of the spice.

2. Dust 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon on apple slices and place in a container for an after-lunch treat; the spice prevents fruit from browning.