If you like the bright, spicy taste of cinnamon in your coffee or in your holiday desserts, you may be pleased to know that this powerful spice is not just tasty. Cinnamon is likewise a natural fat burner! The spice has been used for hundreds of years for a number of therapeutic purposes, a lot of them associated with metabolic function. Cinnamon has gained a lot of recent attention for the ability of its to lower levels of cholesterol and regulate blood sugar. The finding, which happened somewhat by accident at the USDA research facility for golden algae Maryland, came from a study of the impact of a variety of food on blood sugar levels. Among the food items in the research, which had cinnamon, had the surprising effect of decreasing blood sugar rather than increasing it as expected. They proceeded to evaluate the specific effects of cinnamon on insulin levels by conducting a report that measured the effects of small daily doses (from ¼ to 2 teaspoons) of cinnamon on insulin levels in diabetics that were not yet taking insulin by prescription. The study found that both cholesterol and insulin levels were lowered in those subjects who were given regular doses of cinnamon over a forty-day period. The ability of cinnamon to reduced blood sugar levels as well as regulate insulin levels is great news for people who have poor thyroid function as well as should shed weight as a consequence of a sluggish metabolism. Because insulin is related to body fat metabolism, individuals with conditions as hypothyroidism, which may affect metabolic function, could benefit from introducing cinnamon to the diet of theirs to help you regulate blood sugar levels. When blood sugar levels are kept in check, losing weight is easier too, particularly with respect to fat within the belly. The abdominal region is incredibly sensitive to increased insulin levels and also, as there tend to be more fat cells throughout the abdomen, unregulated blood sugar is highly correlated with growing waistlines. Since fat cells in the abdominal area are really near the organs of the digestive system, it is especially practical for them to store sugar, so anything that can help to lower sugar levels, such as increasing the ingestion of cinnamon, is a plus for all those with a sluggish metabolism.