Cinnamon can even help control the negative effects of a diet high in fructose, a simple sugar.6 When rats were fed large amounts of fructose for three weeks with or without the addition of cinnamon extract to their drinking water, the cinnamon extract improved the glucose infusion rate in the fructose-fed animals so much that it equaled that of control rats eating a standard chow diet. According to the study authors, this suggests that the early use of cinnamon could prevent the development of insulin resistance in those who consume abundant fructose sugar.
Because the incidence of cardiovascular disease is increased up to fourfold in type II diabetics, researchers have sought out nutrients that can simultaneously improve glucose metabolism and lipid levels. In a recent study published in Diabetes Care, cinnamon proved to be such a dual-action agent. Sixty adults (30 men, 30 women) with type II diabetes were divided into six groups.
The first three groups consumed one, three, or six grams of cinnamon daily, while the other three groups consumed equivalent numbers of placebo capsules.
The spice or placebo was consumed for 40 days, followed by a 20-day washout period. After the initial 40-day period, all three levels of cinnamon reduced mean fasting serum glucose levels by 18-29%. The one-gram dose also reduced triglyceride levels by 18%, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) by 7%, and total cholesterol by 12%. Higher doses of cinnamon produced even greater reductions in triglycerides, LDL, and total cholesterol.7
Cinnamon
Even better, these decreases persisted throughout the 20-day washout period. While glucose and triglyceride levels increased modestly during the washout period compared to day-40 levels, they remained below the levels recorded before cinnamon supplementation began. Meanwhile, LDL and total cholesterol levels continued to decline throughout the 20 days after cinnamon use stopped. This study suggests that cinnamon has sustained effects, so the benefits should continue even if a dose is occasionally missed. The results also suggest doses of one gram or more are likely to be beneficial in controlling blood glucose and lipid levels.7
Cinnamon thus appears to be one of the most powerful nutrients available for improving glucose metabolism. USDA researchers at the Beltsville center studied the effects of 49 herbs, spices, and medicinal plant extracts on glucose utilization in the fat cells of rats.8 They found that cinnamon was the most bioactive product, followed by witch hazel, green and black teas, and allspice. The active phytochemicals in cinnamon were determined to be the polyphenols. Another Beltsville study found that cinnamon potentiated insulin activity more than threefold.9
Source:
http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2005/...innamon_01.htm
ARTICLE: Cinnamon Promotes Healthy Blood Sugar (doses mentioned) 
