Cinnamon – the sweet and aromatic spice that can elevate your cookies, oatmeal, and buns with its woody flavor is a common ingredient in your kitchen. This fragrant stick roll is derived from the Cinnamomum tree’s bark. Its medicinal properties have made cinnamon a key ingredient in Ayurvedic preparations for several centuries. This holiday spice has now gained recognition for its fat-burning abilities, which is why we decided to probe further to know the truth behind it. People are now eager to incorporate cinnamon-infused water into their diet to help achieve their weight loss objectives. Keep reading if you want to know whether cinnamon water can help with weight loss and how science supports it.
Cinnamon and Its Fat-Burning Properties
Several researches have revealed that cinnamon might be helpful in helping you burn fat and lose extra pounds.
- The University of Michigan Life Sciences Institute study performed research on how cinnamaldehyde works on the fat cells in the human body. They were able to identify that this compound in cinnamon caused a decline in adipocytes by triggering thermogenesis.
- A 2015 study also confirmed that when the body undergoes through thermogenesis process where it consumes energy, it helps in fighting against obesity [2].
- Another study checked the effect of cinnamaldehyde on obese mice and revealed that it helps in avoiding risks like hyperglycemia and reduced obesity [3].
- Another research revealed that when cinnamaldehyde interacted with adipocytes, specific enzymes and genes helped in promoting lipid metabolism [4].
- A 2019 study also stated that using cinnamon as a daily supplement helped people aged above 50 in managing obesity and reduce body fat [5].
- The research held in 2020 revealed that cinnamon had a positive effect on reducing body fat, weight, and BMI in 1480 people, making it an effective choice as a regular supplement [6].
How Cinnamon Water Aids Weight Loss: Scientific Breakdown
Here’s a comprehensive scientific breakdown of how cinnamon water might help achieve weight loss goals.
- Improved Metabolism: Based on the study result featured in the Nutrition Research journal, the group that took cinnamon every day experienced better weight loss along with enhanced metabolic markers when compared to their counterparts who didn’t [7].
- Enhances Insulin Sensitivity: The presence of bioactive compounds such as cinnamaldehyde in cinnamon helps in improving insulin sensitivity. So, your body would be able to utilize glucose effectively while cutting down the storage of fat. With better insulin sensitivity, you will not feel sudden cravings. A Diabetes Care study held in 2003 revealed that taking cinnamon every day helped in promoting lipid and glucose levels among type 2 diabetes participants [8].
- Appetite Control: Taking cinnamon water might be beneficial for suppressing appetite, which is essential for managing body weight. It has a positive influence on hormones and offers you a fuller feeling. The clinical trial held with 363 obese participants including kids revealed the appetite suppressing ability of cinnamon [9].
- Promotes Burning of Fat Cells: A study held by the University of Michigan Life Sciences Institute showed that the presence of essential oils like cinnamaldehyde helped in the activation of fat-burning genes and increased metabolic activity in adipocytes [10].
- Anti-inflammatory Properties: Cinnamon is loaded with polyphenols, which gives it potent anti-inflammatory properties. If you are obese or suffer from some metabolic-related conditions, you might be prone to chronic inflammation. A study featured in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition showed that cinnamon helps in cutting down C-reactive protein or CRP markers [11].
- Prevent Sudden Spike in Sugar Levels: A study showed that cinnamon can prevent your body from releasing digestive enzymes like alpha-glucosidase and alpha-amylase to lower the rate of carbohydrate digestion [12]. So, it causes a decline in the level of sugar entering your bloodstream by delaying carbohydrate breakdown.
Best Time to Drink Cinnamon Water for Maximum Fat Burn
To derive optimum benefits, it’s essential to begin your day with cinnamon water on an empty stomach. Here’s why morning time is best to take cinnamon water for fat burn.
- Boosts Metabolism: Consuming cinnamon water every day after you wake up will help kickstart your metabolism for burning fat efficiently.
- Supports Digestion: Taking cinnamon water on an empty stomach will avoid the accumulation of undigested food and help absorb nutrients. It also helps in detoxification and keeps bloating at bay.
- Maintains Ideal Sugar Levels: You can take cinnamon-infused water in the morning to regulate sugar levels, improve energy levels, and cut down cravings.
Other Times To Drink Cinnamon Water:
- As a Pre-Meal Drink: Having cinnamon water half an hour before your meal will help prevent excess eating and maintain portion control as it can curb appetite.
- Post-workout Drink: Take cinnamon-infused water after your workouts to keep your sugar levels under control.
- Bedtime Drink: Consuming cinnamon water before you sleep will help in improving digestion while resting, facilitate fat burn at night, and prevent spikes in blood sugar levels.
Recommended Dosage: How Much Cinnamon is Safe Daily?
The recommended dosage to consume cinnamon might vary based on your specific health conditions and the cinnamon type you are using.
- Safe Dosage: The safe dosage level for cinnamon powder can be between half to one teaspoon amounting to up to 4 gms per day [13].
- Dosage for Diabetics: Some studies showed that taking up to 6 gms of cinnamon every day will be beneficial for maintaining healthy glucose levels [14].
- Cinnamon Type: Based on the report by the European Food Safety Authority, the safe limit for consuming cinnamon every day is one teaspoon or 2 gm for cassia cinnamon as it has a high level of coumarin [15]. Ceylon cinnamon has the least coumarin traces, which is why you can use it up to 2.5 teaspoons or 5 gm per day.
Cinnamon Water Myths and Safety Precautions
Though cinnamon water is a natural drink that helps in fat burning, several claims surrounding it are not true. Some of the common myths and safety precautions surrounding cinnamon water are:
Myth#1: Cinnamon water can melt the stubborn fat instantly
Truth: Cinnamon will help in improving metabolic activities and keep your blood sugar levels within normal range. However, it is not a magical elixir that melts excess body fat. To achieve sustainable weight loss and fat loss, combine this drink with a calorie deficit diet and physical workouts.
Myth#2: The higher cinnamon you consume, the better
Truth: Consuming excess cinnamon, specifically Cassia cinnamon can be harmful to your liver owing to the high amount of coumarin in it.
Myth#3: Cinnamon water is everybody’s drink
Truth: Though the water infused with cinnamon might be helpful for controlling appetite and insulin sensitivity, it might not suit all body types. People having thyroid or hormonal issues must take it after consulting their doctor.
Myth#4: Cinnamon Water can be a replacement for your medications or meals
Truth: Cinnamon-infused water can be used as a supportive option for your workouts and diet, as it cannot be a meal or medication replacement. Ensure you take your thyroid or diabetes medications regularly even if consuming them.
Safety Precautions:
- Pregnant women must avoid drinking too much cinnamon water.
- Do not take cinnamon water along with your diabetes and blood thinning medications to avoid interactions.
- Too much cinnamon consumption might cause cancer or liver issues.
- Excess cinnamon water consumption might cause mouth sores, rashes, heartburn, etc.
Can Cinnamon Water Replace Exercise or Diet?
No, cinnamon-infused water can work as a supportive option to achieve weight loss goals but it cannot replace physical activity or a balanced diet. It cannot:
- Burn excess calories without diet and workout
- Melt stubborn fat without having a deficit diet
- Replace your cardio sessions or HIIT sessions to tone muscles and lose fat
- Make up for a diet with poor nutrition or a sedentary lifestyle
Combine Cinnamon Water with Kolors’ Treatments for Visible Results
You can achieve visible and sustainable fat loss results by combining cinnamon water with treatments from Kolors Healthcare to stay fit and healthy. While cinnamon water can help your body internally, the advanced treatments from Kolors can work on the external side to remove stubborn body fat. Whether it is inch loss treatments, or body contouring treatments at Kolors, sip on a cup of cinnamon water every morning to look and feel better. Schedule an appointment with the specialist at Kolors today to get a personalized diet and treatment plan to boost your metabolism, lose fat, and stay in shape.
Citation Links
- Dulloo AG, Schutz Y. Adaptive Thermogenesis in Resistance to Obesity Therapies: Issues in Quantifying Thrifty Energy Expenditure Phenotypes in Humans. Curr Obes Rep. 2015 Jun;4(2):230-40. doi: 10.1007/s13679-015-0156-9. PMID: 26627218. – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26627218/
- Camacho S, Michlig S, de Senarclens-Bezençon C, Meylan J, Meystre J, Pezzoli M, Markram H, le Coutre J. Anti-obesity and anti-hyperglycemic effects of cinnamaldehyde via altered ghrelin secretion and functional impact on food intake and gastric emptying. Sci Rep. 2015 Jan 21;5:7919. doi: 10.1038/srep07919. PMID: 25605129; PMCID: PMC4300502. – https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4300502/
- Jiang J, Emont MP, Jun H, Qiao X, Liao J, Kim DI, Wu J. Cinnamaldehyde induces fat cell-autonomous thermogenesis and metabolic reprogramming. Metabolism. 2017 Dec;77:58-64. doi: 10.1016/j.metabol.2017.08.006. Epub 2017 Sep 1. PMID: 29046261; PMCID: PMC5685898. – https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5685898/
- Dulloo AG, Schutz Y. Adaptive Thermogenesis in Resistance to Obesity Therapies: Issues in Quantifying Thrifty Energy Expenditure Phenotypes in Humans. Curr Obes Rep. 2015 Jun;4(2):230-40. doi: 10.1007/s13679-015-0156-9. PMID: 26627218. – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26627218/
- Yazdanpanah Z, Azadi-Yazdi M, Hooshmandi H, Ramezani-Jolfaie N, Salehi-Abargouei A. Effects of cinnamon supplementation on body weight and composition in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled clinical trials. Phytother Res. 2020 Mar;34(3):448-463. doi: 10.1002/ptr.6539. Epub 2019 Dec 4. PMID: 31800140. – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31800140/
- Fateh HL, Amin SM. Effects of Cinnamon Supplementation on Lipid Profile: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Clin Nutr Res. 2024 Jan 26;13(1):74-87. doi: 10.7762/cnr.2024.13.1.74. PMID: 38362130; PMCID: PMC10866674. – https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10866674/
- Khan A, Safdar M, Ali Khan MM, Khattak KN, Anderson RA. Cinnamon improves glucose and lipids of people with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2003 Dec;26(12):3215-8. doi: 10.2337/diacare.26.12.3215. PMID: 14633804. – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14633804/
- Gheflati A, Pahlavani N, Nattagh-Eshtivani E, Namkhah Z, Ghazvinikor M, Ranjbar G, Shahraki Jazinaki M, Norouzy A. The effects of cinnamon supplementation on adipokines and appetite-regulating hormones: A systematic review of randomized clinical trials. Avicenna J Phytomed. 2023 Sep-Oct;13(5):463-474. doi: 10.22038/AJP.2022.21538. PMID: 38089418; PMCID: PMC10711575. – https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10711575/
- Office of the Vice President for Communications: The Regents of the University of Michigan – https://news.umich.edu/cinnamon-turns-up-the-heat-on-fat-cells/
- Vallianou N, Tsang C, Taghizadeh M, Davoodvandi A, Jafarnejad S. Effect of cinnamon (Cinnamomum Zeylanicum) supplementation on serum C-reactive protein concentrations: A meta-analysis and systematic review. Complement Ther Med. 2019 Feb;42:271-278. doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2018.12.005. Epub 2018 Dec 7. PMID: 30670254. – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30670254/
- Mohamed Sham Shihabudeen H, Hansi Priscilla D, Thirumurugan K. Cinnamon extract inhibits α-glucosidase activity and dampens postprandial glucose excursion in diabetic rats. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2011 Jun 29;8(1):46. doi: 10.1186/1743-7075-8-46. PMID: 21711570; PMCID: PMC3155477. – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21711570/
- Shirzad F, Morovatdar N, Rezaee R, Tsarouhas K, Abdollahi Moghadam A. Cinnamon effects on blood pressure and metabolic profile: A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial in patients with stage 1 hypertension. Avicenna J Phytomed. 2021 Jan-Feb;11(1):91-100. PMID: 33628723; PMCID: PMC7885002. – https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7885002/
- Kizilaslan N, Erdem NZ. The Effect of Different Amounts of Cinnamon Consumption on Blood Glucose in Healthy Adult Individuals. Int J Food Sci. 2019 Mar 4;2019:4138534. doi: 10.1155/2019/4138534. PMID: 30949494; PMCID: PMC6425402. – https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6425402/
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