Move over ginseng! Recently, nutrionists have been touting the medicinal benefits of cinnamon. Used in a variety of recipes - from hot chocolate to soup to grapefruit - this spice has been shown to promote healthy blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes.

"Good medicine doesn't always take the form of a pill. Sometimes the answer, or part of the answer, can be found in your kitchen cabinet," says Dr. Richard Goldfarb, the medical director for the Bucks County Clinical Research Center.

In a recent Pakistani study, participants ingested 1-6g of cinnamon daily for a total of 40 days, while a control group took a placebo in the same amounts. The cinnamon group showed a significant drop in their blood sugar, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels, even after the study was concluded.

"It is our hope that better eating habits and simple, everyday herbs like cinnamon can become allies in people's journey toward disease-free living through proper nutrition," says Dr. Goldfarb.  Working with an Arizona biotech company, Goldfarb hopes the development of a concentrated liquid extract of cinnamon will bring down high blood sugar to healthier levels in type 2 diabetics. Cinnamon health products may prove to be another potent diabetes prevention treatment.

So spice up your healthy eating! Cinnamon is a great source of manganese, fiber, iron, and calcium and - moreover - it just tastes great!

Tags: type 2 diabetes, diabetes prevention, healthy eating, cinnamon, blood sugar