Cinnamon and Honey for Weight Loss Side Effects – The Best Secrets
Are there any cinnamon and honey for weight loss side effects?
Do you think that just because something’s natural, that makes it safe?
It’s a problem I see a lot.
Here’s the interesting part…
Often, people double up on foods, supplements, cosmetics, household products, and more that are “natural”.
Why?
One reason they do this is because they feel that item poses less of a risk to their health.
In many cases...
...this is true.
Purging your life of preservatives and plastics can have a positive influence on your well being.
However, none of this means there are never any risks.
“uh, what?”
Because... I notice that people get more intense with their usage of certain things when they’re attempting to lose weight.
So today, we’re focusing on the usage of cinnamon and honey for weight loss side effects.
Does it work, and if so, how?
Are there any cinnamon and honey for weight loss side effects?
So what’s my point?
Stay with me and...
Read on to find out!
The Health Benefits of Cinnamon
Personally, I don’t know many people who don’t like cinnamon and honey.
Together or separate, they’re delicious!
But there are many other good reasons to eat them.
Let’s start with cinnamon, a spice originating (as best we know) in Sri Lanka.
While it is very flavorful, most of its historical uses were medicinal.
Today, cinnamon can bring us benefits such as:
In Eastern medicine, including Traditional Chinese and Ayurveda, cinnamon is a warming spice.
The Chinese would consider cinnamon a good spice to contribute to yin-yang balance. In this case, cinnamon and other “warming” foods would be yang.
In these modalities, cinnamon’s ability to get the blood flowing would be seen as good for the body’s energy force.
Yet also, it’s a common traditional remedy for physical chill.
For example, if you usually have cold hands, one would recommend cinnamon to boost your yang and warm up.
In Ayurveda, cinnamon and other potent warming spices are made to increase the bioavailability of other medicines.
When Ayurveda determines that a person’s body type is Kapha Dosha, cinnamon is recommended for an energy boost and weight loss.
Finally...
...our first indication that cinnamon has a history as a tool for weight loss!
The Health Benefits of Honey
For as long as humans can remember, we’ve been eating honey.
After all, honey was present in the Old Testament.
It is said that early humans left behind paintings of honey harvesting.
It has no protein, fat, or fiber, and is very sweet and high calorie.
So, is it really healthy?
Of course!
Here are a few great health benefits we can get with pure honey:
The source of funding for these studies (The National Honey Board) seems suspect to some. However, the research itself seems pretty solid.
Although many of us love honey as a natural sweetener, its history is deeply rooted in medicine.
In Ayurveda, it’s a traditional cure for digestive ailments, particularly when combined with lemon and water.
In Chinese Medicine, honey is neither cooling nor warming, but neutral.
Here too it enjoys many digestive uses, as well as for problems that impact the throat and lungs.
Across the board, however, honey is historically infamous for external uses.
Because it’s a powerful antibacterial, it is valuable in treating wounds and burns.
Also, it’s a common natural cure for skin conditions.
From the Maori to the Egyptians, slathering yourself with honey was the way to go.
For cuts, bruises, infections, acne, and wrinkles, you’d look no further than the local beekeeper.
Finally, its stickiness makes it an ideal binder for other medicinal ingredients, like herbs.
And since it tastes so great, it makes the medicine go down a lot more pleasantly.
Cinnamon and Honey for Weight Loss: Can It Really Help?
At first, I was pretty confused as to why people were turning to cinnamon and honey for weight loss.
Neither are particularly notorious diet tools. In fact, too much honey, or any sugar carbohydrate, can make you gain weight.
Eventually, I caught on to two things.
One, honey and cinnamon aren’t part of an actual diet, but are more like a cleanse.
Devotees will make a drink with honey and cinnamon and take it first thing in the morning.
In the end, it’s meant as support for your overall wellness, which includes a healthier weight.
The second makes quite a bit of sense.
While the above researched benefits don’t specifically mention weight loss, they can in fact lead up to that.
For instance, the blood sugar-levelling effects of cinnamon can help you shed pounds.
It can do so because when your sugar is more stable, glucose is less likely to be stored as fat.
But wait, wouldn’t the honey negate all of cinnamon’s hard work there?
If cinnamon can help lower blood sugar, what’s the point of adding sugar to this alleged cure?
The key is controlling the amount of honey, and only using high-quality honey.
The quantities commonly seen in the average weight loss drink recipe wouldn’t be enough to really spike your blood sugar.
However, that honey does include many antioxidants.
And the one-two punch of antioxidants from a combination of honey and cinnamon just might lead to weight loss.
How?
By reducing inflammation.
inflammation of the knee
It sounds dramatic to blame everything on inflammation.
After all, inflammation in the healing process (like with a wound) is a natural and necessary part of getting better.
Nevertheless, we shouldn’t ignore inflammation’s influence over the metabolism.
Simply put, inflamed fat cells can slow down your metabolism.
As you gain weight, the inflammation only gets worse.
When you work to reduce inflammation, it’s easier to lose weight.
And when you just focus on losing weight, your inflammation will likely decrease.
No matter where you put your focus - fat or inflammation - the two have a very close relationship.
How to Use Cinnamon and Honey for Weight Loss
Far and away, the most popular delivery method of these two superfoods is in a drink.
The inclusion of warm water is said to be detoxifying for the digestive system, although this is tough to prove.
To make it, simply combine:
- ½ teaspoon Ceylon cinnamon - click for price
- 1 teaspoon pure raw honey - click for price
- 8 ounces of filtered water, warm in temperature
One thing is for sure - the warmer your water is, the easier it will be to dissolve the honey.
Some even like to mix the cinnamon with the honey first. This can slow down separation of the ingredients.
After mixing, drink it down as quickly as you comfortably can.
As for when to take it, many prefer first thing in the morning, when the system is clean and empty.
However, there may be some benefit to taking it at night and between meals to curb cravings.
And of course, many like it before a workout. This way, they can leverage those energy-boosting benefits. It’s all up to you!
Side Effects of Cinnamon and Honey for Weight Loss
For many, drinking this mixture every day causes no issues.
Still, there are a number of cinnamon and honey for weight loss side effects to be aware of.
Speak to your doctor, exercise caution, or avoid drinking this daily if:
1. You’re on certain medications, or are being treated for organ disease.
The problem with cinnamon and drug interactions is usually thanks to the type of cinnamon you’re taking.
Cassia cinnamon is common, but it can thin your blood much more than Ceylon.
This is extremely important to know if you take blood thinning medications.
Therefore, ask a doctor if it’s advisable to take a ½ teaspoon of Ceylon cinnamon - never Cassia - daily. Ceylon cinnamon is much, much lower in coumarins.
The coumarin in cinnamon thins the blood to a potentially dangerous degree in some people.
Additionally, it can cause damage to organs in high doses.
It is also possible that too much coumarin can be toxic to the liver and kidneys.
Finally, you might have to watch cinnamon intake if you’re on medication to lower your blood sugar.
2. You’re pregnant.
One of the most disturbing cinnamon and honey weight loss drink side effects in early labor. It can induce contractions if you drink it regularly.
Unfortunately, many pregnant women get advice to use cinnamon to naturally treat gestational diabetes. This is pretty risky, especially if you plan to take it daily.
However, this doesn’t mean you can’t have that cinnamon roll.
Generally speaking, there’s no problem with having a cinnamon-containing food every now and then.
Many also worry about honey and pregnancy.
While babies can’t eat honey for their first year of life, it’s usually fine for mom.
Still, there are those who advise that you stay away from “raw” honey that hasn’t been through the pasteurization process.
3. You’re on antibiotics.
It’s great that these natural ingredients work well against bacteria.
But if you’re taking an antibiotic, they can really interfere with one another.
In this case, it’s best to ask your doctor if it’s okay to continue drinking cinnamon and honey.
4. You have low blood sugar.
Some of us aren’t on meds or diabetic, but still suffer from low blood sugar. It’s a relatively common condition known as hypoglycemia.
Sweating, shaking, dizziness, and more are all signs that you need some sugar, stat.
What you wouldn’t want to reach for is anything containing a good amount of cinnamon oil.
If you suspect you may be hypoglycemic, and feel woozy after drinking a cinnamon and honey drink, see a doctor.
It may be possible that you can continue drinking it, just with smaller quantities of cinnamon.
5. You have an allergic reaction.
Contrary to some opinions, allergies can occur at any time.
You may eat cinnamon and honey for years and years before having a reaction.
The signs of an allergic reaction here are similar to other reactions. Symptoms include eye irritation, swelling, dizziness, hives, rash, or others.
For a few, the reaction may be due to the honey.
Honey from different areas has different pollen in it.
If you’re allergic to pollen, you might experience a reaction akin to what you normally have seasonally.
No matter the cause, cease drinking the mixture.
If there’s any way to see a doctor, during the allergic reaction, that would be ideal.
And of course, if you have trouble breathing, seek medical attention immediately.
Serious reactions are rare, but they do happen.
Okay let's wrap it up on...
Cinnamon and Honey for Weight Loss Side Effects
So, what’s my verdict?
For weight loss, I don’t think cinnamon and honey will have any incredible impact.
That said, if you’re eating right and exercising, it might improve your results.
That’s because cinnamon and honey provide a good dose of antioxidants.
Antioxidants can relieve inflammation.
Inflammation greatly increases your chances of holding on to extra pounds. Stop inflammation, and you may achieve results at a more impressive pace.
Cinnamon and honey also get a lot of points from me for general wellness.
On top of antioxidants, they might help:
- Improve memory and cognition
- Increase blood circulation
- Help maintain stable blood sugar
- Soothe sore throats
- Lift energy levels
- Kill harmful bacteria
But I’m still holding out for your take on this.
Do you think it works for weight loss?
Are there any cinnamon and honey for weight loss side effects that concern you?
What do you think is responsible for the weight loss cinnamon and honey drinkers rave about?
Let me know in the comments, and we’ll catch up again very soon!
