Spice it Up: How Can Herbs and Spices Improve Your Diabetes?

If your wellbeing is affected by diabetes, blood sugar control is all-important. However, if you prefer natural ways of maintaining your blood sugar, you can do this by simply spicing things up! Turmeric is a major player in aiding diabetes control, but cinnamon can also have its benefits.

According to a new study from Chinese researchers, if you have type 2 diabetes, taking daily supplements of the compounds found in the spice turmeric can improve your blood sugar levels. One of these components is curcumin, which is widely associated with wellness benefits. Various studies have shown that curcumin may help in fatty liver disease, Alzheimer’s disease, tendonitis, and Rift Valley Fever virus, among other conditions.

Researchers from Harbin Medical University and the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention turned to curcuminoids (the general term for curcumin and its extracts, demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin) to see if they might reduce levels of free fatty acids (FFAs) in patients with type 2 diabetes. FFAs can lead to insulin resistance, and so reducing your levels of them potentially reduces your risk of developing type 2 diabetes or better manage the disease if you already have it.

Of the 100 patients in the study, who were given either 300 mg per day of curcuminoids or placebo for three months, the group given curcuminoids group experienced a significant reduction in their blood glucose levels, haemoglobin A1c, insulin resistance and FFAs. The study’s authors noted, ‘this is the first study to show that curcuminoids may have an anti-diabetic effect by decreasing serum fatty acid possibly through the promotion of fatty acid oxidation and utilisation.’

Yet, if turmeric is not your type of spice, why not give cinnamon a go? Studies have shown that this winter favourite is also able to reduce your fasting blood glucose levels. According to the investigators of a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, which involved giving individuals with type 2 diabetes with either 120 mg or 360 mg of cinnamon daily, or a placebo, for three months, taking either amount of cinnamon led to significantly lower glucose levels than taking the placebo did. So, whether you add turmeric to your next curry, or cinnamon to your next batch of flapjacks, there are natural (and delicious) ways to control your blood sugar.