New Delhi: Three grams of hand-powdered cinnamon a day may help reverse metabolic syndrome, a state of health that raises the risk of heart disease, diabetes and strokes, medical researchers said.
In a recent clinical trial, the National Diabetes, Obesity & Cholesterol Foundation (N-DOC), Institute of Home Economics (University of Delhi) and Fortis CDOC Hospital for Diabetes and Allied Sciences investigated the effect of simple dietary intervention i.e. cinnamon among Indians, who have much greater propensity to develop multiple metabolic problems leading to diabetes at an early age.

Metabolic syndrome is a group of medical conditions—increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist, and abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels—that occur together, increasing the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes in an individual.
The team of doctors and nutrition scientists offered the cinnamon option to patients with metabolic syndrome and people at risk of diabetes or heart disease - but not those already being treated for diabetes.
The team tested more than 100 people dividing them into two different groups, one with cinnamon in their diet and other with no cinnamon for about 16 weeks.
"Cinnamon is a commonly used spice in India and there have been suggestions in the past that it has medical benefits - but not with the rigorous scientific evidence needed to back claims," said AnoopMisra, a C-DOC director and lead investigator of the trial.
The research study published in international journal ‘Lipids in Health and Disease’ by National Diabetes Obesity and Cholesterol Foundation (NDOC) and Fortis-CDOC Hospital showcased some amazing benefits by cinnamon.  
The results showed considerable beneficial effect of cinnamon supplementation on patients with metabolic syndrome, with significant decrease in hyperglycemia, body weight, total adiposity, abdominal adiposity and serum lipid levels on using 3g/day of cinnamon.
With the consumption of cinnamon, the weight of the patients on trial decreased by 3.8%, body mass index reduced by 3.9% and body fat decreased by 4.3%, waist circumference reduced by 5.3%, blood pressure decreased by 9.7% and fasting blood glucose decreased by 7.1%.
Interestingly, there were no side effect noted in patients with the inclusion of cinnamon in their diet. The major components present in cinnamon include cinnamaldehyde, cinnamic acid, eugenol and coumarin. However, cinnamon should be avoided by pregnant women, lactating mothers, patients taking blood thinning medications (coumarins) and children below 18 years of age.
Cinnamon, the inner bark of the cinnamon tree, has been used as a spice for centuries in a dry form --- as sticks or as a powder. But with many researches happening on the spice, cinnamon is seen more than just a spice now with many health benefits. But on the other side it has raised a concern among health agencies about possible side-effects of its long-term use.