Healthy Spices for Healthy Blood Sugar

Healthy Spices for Healthy Blood Sugar (1:10)

Two commonly enjoyed spices are more than just tasty - they also help your body process blood glucose. People with diabetes, or those who want to prevent it, should check out this video of emergency medicine physician Darria Long-Gillespie, MD.

Read Transcript

Hi, I'm Dr. Darria Long Gillespie here with a spicy way to manage your blood sugar. Add more cinnamon and cloves to your cooking. These warm spices are irresistible flavors with powerful health benefits. They help your body process blood glucose and that's great news if you have diabetes or want to prevent it.

Cinnamon is also a stellar anti-oxidant and potent germ killer, plus there's growing evidence so the substance in cinnamon turns on insulin receptors to help your body use glucose. That's a good thing, because too much glucose in your bloodstream is tough on your organs, and a marker of diabetes. Cloves appear to have a similar effect on blood sugar.

There are lots of ways to use cinnamon and cloves, try these ideas. Add cinnamon and cloves to slow cooker dishes. Add ground cloves to stuffing recipes. Use a cinnamon stick to stir your tea, hot chocolate, or warm soymilk. And sprinkle both spices into muffin batters. I'm Dr. Darria, for more tasty ways to nourish your health, watch all our our smart tips.