Spices enhance the flavor of foods and increase the nutritional content of your dishes. Using spices to flavor foods can help reduce the amount of salt and fat you add to your cooking. This can benefit many health conditions, especially those with high cholesterol.
While no single food or spice can cure high cholesterol, some spices may have more of an impact on cholesterol than others.
In traditional medicine, cinnamon is considered one of four very valuable medicinal herbs (Photo: Pixabay).
What is high blood fat?
High cholesterol, or high blood fats, is one of the warning signs of heart disease. The liver makes cholesterol, and cholesterol is needed to produce hormones, vitamin D, and other compounds that aid in digestion, according to MedlinePlus . Cholesterol is also found in foods.
High cholesterol increases your risk of developing plaque. Plaque can narrow your arteries, causing atherosclerosis, which increases your risk of heart attack or stroke.
The American Heart Association notes that cholesterol levels are one of the major modifiable factors and can be influenced by lifestyle behaviors such as diet and exercise.
According to Eatingwell , regular physical activity, quitting smoking, reducing stress, and eating a healthy diet can all have an impact on cholesterol. In fact, a high-fiber diet has been linked to heart health and a reduced risk of heart disease. Spices can also boost your body's ability to keep cholesterol at healthy levels.
"Spices contain unique bioactive compounds from plants that can work to lower cholesterol levels, increase blood flow, and even help support blood sugar levels," says Renee Korczak, PhD, a practicing nutritionist.
A familiar spice that helps reduce high blood fat
According to General Practitioner Bui Dac Sang, Vietnam Oriental Medicine Association, in traditional medicine, cinnamon is considered one of the four most valuable medicinal herbs (ginseng, velvet antler, cinnamon, and aconite). In European countries, cinnamon is used as a medicine to treat diarrhea, malaria, cough, etc.
In India, cinnamon is widely used as a staple spice in cooking.
According to modern medicine, cinnamon contains many ingredients that are beneficial to health. Cinnamon can stimulate brain activity as a tonic, helping to reduce nervous tension and memory loss.
Some studies have shown that just half a teaspoon of cinnamon in your daily meals can reduce bad cholesterol in your body. Therefore, eating cinnamon is a way to protect heart health and reduce blood sugar levels.
According to Eatingwell , cinnamon is the number one spice for people with high cholesterol. In part because high cholesterol is often linked to high blood sugar, and cinnamon has been shown to help lower blood sugar in people with diabetes.
Cinnamon also contains anti-inflammatory properties and using it as a substitute for fat, sugar and salt is part of a heart-healthy diet.
Jordan Hill, a nutritionist at Top Nutrition Coaching, recommends that people with high cholesterol incorporate spices like cinnamon, chili pepper, garlic, ginger, and turmeric.
Dr. Korczak agrees, noting that these spices enhance the flavor of foods and beverages while also providing some health benefits.
Cinnamon has been studied for its therapeutic effects, from lowering blood sugar and cholesterol to reducing inflammation, according to a 2019 systematic review in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Cinnamon contains the compounds cinnamaldehyde and cinnamic acid found in its oil. Cinnamon bark has other bioactive compounds, catechins and procyanidins, which may have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, according to a 2022 article in the Journal of Functional Foods.
Most of the research regarding cinnamon and cholesterol has been conducted using cinnamon supplements in people with diabetes and metabolic syndrome.
Dosages range from about 1,500 milligrams to 6 grams per day, with the standard recommendation being about 1,500 mg to 4 grams per day (3/4 to 2 teaspoons). Larger doses (over 1,500 mg per day) will have a more beneficial effect on HDL (good cholesterol).
In a small 2017 randomized clinical trial published in the journal Lipids in Health and Disease, researchers studied the effects of oral cinnamon supplementation (3 grams per day) versus 2.5 grams of wheat flour for 16 weeks in Asian Indians with metabolic syndrome.
They found that the supplement group had significantly greater reductions in weight, belly fat, total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and blood pressure than the placebo group.
Although this is promising, the study has some flaws, and the study was short in duration.
In a 2022 systematic review and meta-analysis published in the journal Frontiers in Physiology, researchers examined 15 randomized clinical trials in which participants received cinnamon powder or cinnamon extract in doses ranging from 1 to 6 grams based on their diet, physical activity, and previous medications.
Of the 15 studies, 1,020 participants had type 2 diabetes, with follow-up periods ranging from 40 days to up to 4 months. Compared to placebo, the cinnamon group had reduced levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides.
Other ways to reduce high cholesterol
Overall, diet quality is important for lowering cholesterol. Eating a variety of plants, including whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables, will increase your fiber intake, which is key to lowering cholesterol.
Also, choose proteins that are low in saturated fat. Choose chicken, fish, and plant-based proteins like tofu. Also, limit red meat, cheese, and alcohol and exercise regularly to maintain a healthy weight.
What to note when using cinnamon
Physician Sang also noted that we should not overuse cinnamon. Some people may be allergic to the ingredients in cinnamon. Eating too much cinnamon at once can lead to hypoglycemia, causing fatigue, dizziness, fainting, etc.
A safe amount of cinnamon is 6 grams per day, should only be used for 6 days, then stop for 1-2 days before using again.
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