The Health Benefits of... Food (Source Author Unknown)
Many of us have heard the adage “Let food be your medicine and medicine be your
food” attributed to Hippocrates (ca. 400 BC). In the past century however, what
is deemed “food” and “medicine” has changed dramatically. Reading food labels
now requires at least one advanced degree just to pronounce the added
ingredients. This month, we highlight the health-improving properties of two
food ingredients that are known mostly for their flavor- cinnamon and chocolate.
Clinical Trial completed with Cinnamon extract used in Fenunol
Researchers at the USDA have been looking into the glucose regulatory properties
of a number of common spices, including cinnamon, for many years. Previous
evidence suggests that cinnamon improves glucose regulation in patients with
Type 2 diabetes. New and promising data suggests that Cinnulin PF, a
proprietary aqueous cinnamon extract standardized for doubly-linked type-A
polymers, decreases fasting blood sugar levels and small but statistically
significant changes in body fat and lean mass in otherwise healthy pre-diabetic
men and women. This suggests that cinnamon may be an excellent candidate for
improving insulin sensitivity and glucose utilization for nearly 25% of the US
population (those with metabolic syndrome) For complete details on this trial,
please see the poster presented at Supply Side West. [Link]
• Anti-diabetic effect of cinnamon extract on blood glucose in db/db mice. J
Ethnopharmacol. 2005 Oct 3
• Antidiabetic effect of Cinnamomum cassia and Cinnamomum zeylanicum in vivo and
in vitro. Phytother Res. 2005 Mar;19(3):203-6.
• Cinnamon extract prevents the insulin resistance induced by a high-fructose
diet. Horm Metab Res. 2004 Feb;36(2):119-25.
• The hypoglycaemic activity of fenugreek seed extract is mediated through the
stimulation of an insulin signaling pathway. Br J Pharmacol. 2005
Sep;146(1):41-8.
• Biochemical study of the anti-diabetic action of the Egyptian plants Fenugreek
and Balanites. Mol Cell Biochem. 2006 Jan;281(1-2):173-83.