It’s easy to overindulge over the holidays with all the parties, family get-togethers and the treats that accompany those events, but a single spice might help you to burn off the extra holiday weight without having to spend extra time on the treadmill.

Cinnamon has been used medicinally for thousands of years due to its extremely high antioxidant levels. It is also anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anti-microbial, immunity-boosting and even has potential to reduce cancer tumors and protect the heart. Among all these phenomenal uses – cinnamon also helps us to lose weight.

Cinnamon is amazing when it comes to boosting the metabolism, keeping blood sugar levels stable, and helping to curb unhealthy food cravings. It is rich in manganese, iron, and calcium which all help to balance blood sugar levels while it increases insulin, safely, in the body. Why is this so important when you are trying to lose weight?

High blood sugar levels not only contribute to diseases like hypoglycemia, and diabetes, but they cause the body to store fat.

Cinnamon prevents the transformation of the metabolized sugar into fat, while delaying the passing of the food from the stomach into the intestine. Thanks to this effect, you feel satisfied longer, and you eat less.

What’s even more amazing is that cinnamon works in really small doses. Just a ½ teaspoon daily can help to balance blood sugar levels, but if you want to take higher doses, you can benefit from its important minerals and antioxidant activity to protect yourself from cardiovascular disease and even neurodegenerative disease while you drop those holiday pounds or kilos.

Cinnamon also contains important amino acids we need. 100 grams of cinnamon contain all these essential amino acids:

Essential Amino AcidsTryptophan

(%RDI)

49mg

(18%)

49mg

(18%)

0mg

(0%)

98mg

(35%)

Histidine

(%RDI)

117mg

(17%)

117mg

(17%)

0mg

(0%)

234mg

(33%)

Threonine

(%RDI)

136mg

(13%)

136mg

(13%)

0mg

(0%)

272mg

(26%)

Isoleucine

(%RDI)

146mg

(10%)

146mg

(10%)

0mg

(0%)

292mg

(21%)

Leucine

(%RDI)

253mg

(9%)

253mg

(9%)

0mg

(0%)

506mg

(19%)

Lysine

(%RDI)

243mg

(12%)

243mg

(12%)

0mg

(0%)

486mg

(23%)

Methionine

(%RDI)

78mg

(11%)

78mg

(11%)

0mg

(0%)

156mg

(21%)

Cystine

(%RDI)

58mg

(20%)

58mg

(20%)

0mg

(0%)

116mg

(40%)

Phenylalanine

(%RDI)

146mg

(17%)

146mg

(17%)

0mg

(0%)

292mg

(33%)

Tyrosine

(%RDI)

136mg

(16%)

~mg

(16%)

0mg

(0%)

272mg

(31%)

Valine

(%RDI)

224mg

(12%)

224mg

(12%)

0mg

(0%)

448mg

(25%)

More Amino AcidsArginine166mg166mg0mg332mgAlanine166mg166mg0mg332mgAspartic Acid438mg438mg0mg876mgGlutamic Acid370mg370mg0mg740mgGlycine195mg195mg0mg390mgProline419mg419mg0mg838mgSerine195mg195mg0mg390mgHydroxyproline0mg0mg0mg~mg

 

The amino acids in cinnamon are key to weight loss. They stimulate the body to produce enough fat-burning hormones – in a natural manner and in harmony with the body’s needs.

Some of these amino acids also start the body’s “metabolic furnace.” This means that while you sit and do nothing at all, your body burns more fat.

Finally, amino acids also help us to build more lean muscle, which translates to even more fat-burning ability.

Such a humble spice can take our fat-burning efforts into high-gear. Try adding the spice to your coffee in the morning, on healthy desserts like fruit or nuts, or even take a cinnamon supplement. You’ll find that staying full, eating less, and putting on lean muscle all become much easier. And all those treats you ate over the holidays? No worries. You’ll be on your way to burning off the extra weight in no time. Just remember that adding a healthy dose of exercise will only speed up the process.