Cinnamon and Chromium ???

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andrea198721
andrea198721 Posts: 173 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I've read about taking cinnamon and chromium and that they are supposed to help your blood sugar levels and that they keep you from craving sweets. Sweets are my thing, I love them even though I know they are not all that great lol I try to fit them into my daily goals but I think that I cut them down to maybe once or twice a week I could probably lose more weight... So I guess what I really want to know....

Has anyone taken or is taking these supplement and had success with sugar cravings? Also any other advice such low sugar snacks or anything of the nature would be appreciated! Thanks!

Replies

  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
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    as far as GDAs go, cinnamon and Na-R-ALA may work, chromium is iffy imo
  • lotty1987
    lotty1987 Posts: 176 Member
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    I have tried cinnamon - it does help at times - i found i liked it on toast but unfort after a bit it wears off x
  • Kelly_Wilson1990
    Kelly_Wilson1990 Posts: 3,245 Member
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    I have been taking cinnamon for over a year for my blood sugar. It has really helped. I take 2000 mg. 3 times a day.
  • walkinmydoxies
    walkinmydoxies Posts: 123
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    I put cinnamon in my coffee, oatmeal, cereal, and toast. I did read article saying cinnamon and honey together has many health benefits. I will follow this post as I'm interested to see if others have tried the cinnamon and chromium.
  • Espressocycle
    Espressocycle Posts: 2,245 Member
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    As a cinnamon fiend, I may have to check this out. At the very least, I'll enjoy the cinnamon.
  • sarahmaryfearnley
    sarahmaryfearnley Posts: 366 Member
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    as far as GDAs go, cinnamon and Na-R-ALA may work, chromium is iffy imo

    My doctor recommended cinnamon to help with my blood sugar readings and it has helped. I take 2000mg a day. I was iffy about the chromium too because a lot of the cinnamon pills have chromium added and I didn't want that. My doctor said not to worry about the chromium added to the cinnamon pills since it was a small amount. I did see that there was also about 1/2 as much chromium in my multi vitamin. I'm ok with that but would not take an additional chromium suppliment. Definately iffy.
  • jperrysunlover
    jperrysunlover Posts: 96 Member
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    I take both and I was a BIG sugar fiend! I still like my sweets, but do not have the cravings I used to.
  • thirtyandthriving
    thirtyandthriving Posts: 613 Member
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    http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/food-nutrition/healthy-eating/stop-sugar-cravings.htm

    Here is some interesting info on how to decrease sugar cravings. The best thing to do is to cut down and you will want them less. Chromium hasn't been proven to work, but it may. You can get it from foods though. Be careful if you decide to go the supplement route. Many supplements react with other medication and even over the counter meds such as NSAIDS and Antacids.
  • embersfallen
    embersfallen Posts: 534 Member
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    I've added Cinnamon into my daily routine... another MFP friend pointed me towards some articles saying the correct cinnamon with the positive effects is Ceylon Cinnamon... which you can get at whole foods etc... it's actually slightly sweeter.... I got it in thier bulk spice section, and it wasn't too much more then regular... :)

    A favorite * sweet* treat I make with the cinnamon, is a granny smith apple sliced up, some of the cinnamon, some stevia...and then some sugar free caramel coffee syrup... the coffee syrup DOES have splenda, which I prefer not to use, but it's only a bit on the apple... ... you could also layer the apple over either greek vanilla yougurt, or half scoop or something of vanilla light ice cream or frozen yougurt ( don't know if they make frozen greek yougurt?! hmm. ) and it would be like a modifed apple sundae... honestly i've not done it with the ice cream, it's super tasty with just the cinnamon apple... but it's a thought if you are craving that type of thing :)
  • mortuseon
    mortuseon Posts: 579 Member
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    Try cinnamon tea! Absolutely no calories (unless you choose to add sugar), curbs cravings and tastes delicious. I'm drinking a cup right now.
  • andrea198721
    andrea198721 Posts: 173 Member
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    Thanks for the responses! I will definately be adding more cinnamon to my regular snacks (where it fits) and maybe try a cinnamon pill and see how that works! Went grocery shopping today and tried to pick snacks that were lower in sugar and everything (its the only thing I ever really go over on everyday) and just try to get my sugar from fruits and other natural stuff instead of added to what I'm eating.
  • mark996
    mark996 Posts: 184 Member
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    There's nothing in Chromium that's going to harm you if you try it unless you have an allergy to it. I've been taking Chromium Pocolinate for about a year now, I don't take it every day, but I take it when I remember and have noticed a difference in cravings and blood sugar levels.
  • krisk57
    krisk57 Posts: 1
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    I have just started using the cinnamon w/ chromium...
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
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    If you want to get the most bang for your buck using ground cinnamon on foods, go to either Penzeys Spices or The Spice House (separate companies but owned by siblings and they carry most of the same things that their parents did in the original Spice House) and get some of their Vietnamese cinnamon. The oil content is about 4% which is the same as the cinnamon extract you can buy in capsule form. They also carry a Chinese cinnamon that is about 3% volatile oil. The cinnamon you buy in the spice aisles of the grocery is usually from Indonesian and averages about 1.5 to 2% volatile oil. I know people who buy the Vietnamese by the pound and fill their own capsules for about 1/4 the price of purchased capsules and the active ingredient is about double what is in the cinnamon bark capsules (about equal to the cinnamon extract capsules)

    BTW: 3/4 -1 teaspoon is approximately 2000 mg
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
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    Good to know. I'm addicted to Penzey's Vietnamese cinnamon. I pour it on apples, oatmeal, sometimes in coffee. I'm on my third bag of it.
  • michaeljosephmoreau
    michaeljosephmoreau Posts: 9 Member
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    just go totally ketogenic. my wife and I have been doing it for the last couple of months and have lost well over 30lbs each. once your body is ketogenic your blood sugar levels no longer fluctuate.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
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    Good to know. I'm addicted to Penzey's Vietnamese cinnamon. I pour it on apples, oatmeal, sometimes in coffee. I'm on my third bag of it.

    I find it a bit overwhelming for some foods. I have the Vietnamese, China, and Ground Ceylon and use each one for different things.
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
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    I think with me there is no 'too strong' of cinnamon. I also go through a lot of Atomic Fireballs candy. I buy those by the bucketful. I used to make hard candy with cinnamon oil as a kid and make it really hot. :tongue:
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
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    I think with me there is no 'too strong' of cinnamon. I also go through a lot of Atomic Fireballs candy. I buy those by the bucketful. I used to make hard candy with cinnamon oil as a kid and make it really hot. :tongue:

    It depends on whether or not the cinnamon IS the flavoring or if it is complementing other flavors. I like to use the Ceylon cinnamon with fruit because it is a little sweeter tasting and brings out the flavor of the fruit. When I make cinnamon rolls, I go heavy on the Vietnamese because I want the cinnamon flavor to be a "wow" taste.

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