Cinnamomum verum: also known as “true” cinnamon, Cinnamomum zeylanicum, or Ceylon cinnamon. This type of cinnamon is commonly used in sweet pastries. Cinnamomum cassia: also known as cassia, Chinese cinnamon, or “bastard” cinnamon. This type of cinnamon is a stronger spice that is used in a variety of foods. In fact, it is cassia-based cinnamon that is often seen on the grocery shelves and is typically cheaper than true cinnamon.
There’s been a lot of talk about the health benefits of cinnamon, but can it lower cholesterol levels? Some scientists studying cinnamon say that it might have potential. Much of the information publicized about cinnamon mostly concerns its role in lowering blood sugar in diabetes. During some of these studies, scientists also found evidence that, along with lowering glucose levels, cinnamon may also lower lipid levels.
What Have the Studies Proven?
Several studies have examined the effectiveness of cinnamon in lowering cholesterol and triglyceride levels in individuals with type 2 diabetes. A 2017 review of 13 studies was conducted to determine if cinnamon supplementation has a beneficial impact on lipid levels. The researchers concluded that, in these studies, cinnamon significantly lowered total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglyceride levels. HDL cholesterol levels, however, did not appear to be significantly lowered in any of these studies.
How Does Cinnamon Lower Cholesterol Levels?
It is not yet known how cinnamon can affect cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Cinnamaldyhyde has also been identified as a potential component found in cinnamon that can help lower cholesterol levels, although how it lowers cholesterol has not been established.
The Bottom Line
The research conducted on cinnamon so far has not conclusively proven that it can lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Therefore, more studies are needed to determine how effective cinnamon would be in reducing your lipids. You should speak to your healthcare provider first before adding cinnamon to your lipid-lowering regimen since it is not known if it can worsen certain medical conditions or interact with other medications you are taking.
