Diet
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Diet
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Sprinkle a dash of cinnamon into your coffee
Here's a little insight into my typical morning:7 a.m.: Fill up my to-go mug with coffee and sip on my drive to work.
9 a.m.: Hit the office coffee maker for a re-fill (and a frozen burrito, or a bagel, or a leftover pastry from the morning board meeting).
11 a.m.: Walk to the local coffee shop with some co-workers for a double-shot latte (and, on most days, some sort of sweet treat).
You're probably starting to get the picture. I'm hungry almost all day, every day. But to keep my appetite in check -- and help me avoid noshing on some sugar-filled treat every time I need a caffeine fix -- James M. Andry, MD, co-founder of MDWeightWorx in Bloomington, Ind., tells me to add some cinnamon to my diet. And sprinkling a little bit into my morning java is a great way to start.
Not only does cinnamon help curb appetite, research also shows that this sweet spice also helps control the insulin spike that often comes after meals. Cinnamon causes your body to absorb carbohydrates much more slowly, and lowers your blood sugar levels -- both which contribute to a lower insulin level, says Andry. And remember, insulin is a hormone that converts excess sugar into fat, which ultimately contributes to weight gain.
Andry says even as little as 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon a day can improve your blood sugar content by 24 percent and cholesterol levels by 18 percent. To get the benefits, start sprinkling the sweet spice into your coffee, oatmeal, or cereal.
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