Can Cinnamon Decrease High Blood Pressure?

By : Jodie Shield | 0 Comments | On : May 11, 2018 | Category : Adults, Kids, Seniors, Teens

The “ground-up”truth about cinnamon’s effect on decreasing high blood pressure.

Guest Post By: Shannon Stewart, Nutrition & Dietetics Student, Dominican University

Cinnamon is the spice with everything nice. It tastes good, smells good, and may help lower your blood pressure, especially if you have prediabetes or type 2 diabetes. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 75 million adults in America have high blood pressure. High blood pressure increases your risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and more. In this day and age, countless pharmaceuticals are available to lower blood pressure. But what if you’re not interested in popping a pill? Fear no more. By incorporating cinnamon into snacks and meals, you will not only benefit from this heart-healthy spice, but your entire family will enjoy it as well.

What’s the Connection Between High Blood Pressure and Cinnamon?

You know the drill. It’s standard to have your blood pressure taken at every doctor’s visit. But do you understand what those two numbers mean? According to the American Heart Association, a healthy blood pressure is 120/80 mm Hg. Consistent blood pressure readings greater than this indicate elevated or high blood pressure (a.k.a hypertension), which increases your risk of experiencing a heart attack or stroke.

Decades of research has proven that lifestyle modifications like losing weight and eating the DASH Diet will lower high blood pressure and can help prevent it. While cinnamon has yet to prove it can prevent hypertension, it appears to play a role in lowering high blood pressure. Some preliminary studies involving people with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes have found that at least in the short-term, consuming a modest quarter-teaspoon of cinnamon daily seems promising in lowering high blood pressure. Although the results look hopeful, it’s premature to stop taking your blood pressure medication. We need more studies about cinnamon’s ability to reduce high blood pressure long-term and for a variety of different people. Stay tuned for future research on this topic.

Tips to Include Cinnamon All Day Long

Regardless if cinnamon prevents high blood pressure or not, it can’t hurt you or your family to eat cinnamon in any food you desire. Here are three easy and family-friendly ways to enjoy this spice all day long.

• Add a dash of cinnamon to your morning smoothie, cup of low-fat Greek yogurt, and oatmeal for sweet flavor without adding sugar.
• Jazz up any snack with a sprinkle of cinnamon. Some easy and healthy recipes you’ll want to try Baked Cinnamon Apple Chips and Homemade Cinnamon Raisin Granola.
• End a long day with a cup of hot tea or coffee, and a pinch of cinnamon for extra warmth.

These tasty cinnamon tips will not only relax the walls of your arteries, but will soothe your senses. To discover more tips and tricks on how to attain a healthy blood pressure and include cinnamon into your diet, head on over to the Itunes App Storeor Google Playand download the Eat Healthy: Homemade Meals in Minutes app.