Cinnamon And Honey For Weight Loss – How It Works, Benefits, And Side Effects

A healthy diet and exercise are great for weight loss. But if you have plateaued and want to shed the few extra remaining pounds, try cinnamon and honey. The use of cinnamon and honey for weight loss has been popular for ages. The antibiotic and anti-inflammatory properties of these ingredients help flush out toxins and reduce low-grade inflammation.

Continue reading to know and understand how these natural remedies aid weight loss and how you can use them. Regular use can give you the desired results.

Cinnamon And Honey For Weight Loss

1. Benefits Of Cinnamon

• It cleanses the body and eliminates bacteria, fungi, and parasites in the digestive tract.

• It helps in the stabilization of blood sugar levels in your body (1). It prevents an increase in the storage of fat that is caused by high blood sugar levels.

• It increases metabolism of glucose by 20 times.

• It helps in improving insulin function, thus helping you lose weight (2).

• It gives you a feeling of satiety and fullness, thus preventing food cravings.

2. Benefits Of Honey 

• It is loaded with vitamins and minerals that help increase the energy levels in your body.

• It can suppress psychological food cravings naturally.

• It helps in boosting metabolism to allow the body to burn fat.

• It has a glycemic index value that is healthier than sugar, which means that it is absorbed by your body progressively and gradually (3). It also prevents sugar rush.

• It contains enzymes and antioxidants that have various health benefits (4).

• Studies showed that patients with diabetes who consumed honey regularly experienced a significant decrease in the levels of triglycerides, cholesterol, and body weight (5).

3. Cinnamon And Honey Weight Loss Recipes

1. Cinnamon Bark Tea And Honey

What You Need

• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tablespoon honey

How To Prepare

1. Boil water.
2. Put the cinnamon stick in a teapot and pour the boiling water into it.
3. Let the water take up all the goodness of the cinnamon for about 10 minutes.
4. Strain the tea to discard the cinnamon stick and serve the tea in cups.
5. Add honey.

2. Green Tea, Cinnamon, And Honey

What You Need

• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 2 teaspoons green tea

How To Prepare

1. Mix cinnamon powder and honey in a bowl.
2. Boil water in a tea kettle and add green tea to it.
3. Strain the water into the bowl containing the cinnamon and honey mixture.
4. Stir well and serve. 

Quick Tip

You can replace green tea with other alternative medicine beverages like decaffeinated or regular black tea or any other preferable herbal tea.

3. Cinnamon, Honey, And Lemon

What You Need

• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

How To Prepare

1. Boil water in a kettle.
2. Mix cinnamon powder, honey, and lemon juice in a bowl.
3. Add boiled water to the mixture and stir well.Drink this to get rid of the extra inches.

4. When To Consume The Cinnamon-Honey Drink

There are four instances when you can consume the cinnamon and honey drink to make sure it has the desired effect:

a. In The Morning

When you are trying to lose weight, it is important to start off the day well as it helps in setting the tone for how the rest of your day goes. When it starts off all wrong, there are greater chances of you eating an unhealthy fattening lunch and following it up with anything you want to eat for dinner.

To make sure that you always start your day off on the right note, you should make it a habit of using a weight loss aide that is all natural like the cinnamon and honey recipe. Remember to drink it as soon as you wake up, and half an hour before you eat your breakfast.

How It Helps

When taken in the morning, cinnamon and honey can help in reviving up the digestion process as well as your metabolism and level of energy through lunch.

b. Between Meals

When you are trying to shed those extra pounds, you may have found that the time between meals is when food cravings and temptations make you most vulnerable. With the cinnamon and honey weight loss recipe, you can curb your cravings as cinnamon helps in lessening your appetite. You can wait for your next meal without giving in to an unhealthy snack. It also lowers your blood sugar levels, keeping you focused and alert throughout the day without the common after-lunch crash.

It is important to make food choices that are healthy when you are trying to lose weight, and the combination of cinnamon and honey can help you do just that.

How It Helps

The combination of cinnamon and honey helps you avoid snacking on junk food in between meals. It is also a much better option than going hungry.

c. Before Aerobics

When you are ready for an aerobic workout, there are certain things you can do to increase its effectiveness. One is stretching. But did you know that what you put in your body prior to your workout matters? The blend of cinnamon and honey can give you more energy to push you through your aerobic session. You do not feel drained after working out, and you also have enough energy to work out effectively.

Cardio workouts can also be more effective when you do a few things. Firstly, work out without eating. Secondly, do not eat anything for at least half an hour after an aerobic workout. If you can wait, make it an hour. This allows your body to burn more calories as its focus is not on digesting your next meal.

How It Helps

The natural sugar in honey will help in boosting your energy levels while you work out, and cinnamon’s ability to boost metabolism will help in amplifying the effects of your cardio workout.

d. Before Going To Bed

The amount of time between dinner and sleep can be the toughest to get through when you are trying to shed those unwanted pounds. Your goals will experience a setback when you make midnight trips to the fridge or indulge in late night snacking.

During this time, your closest ally can be the cinnamon and honey blend. Since it is not a solid food, it will not weigh on your stomach or digestive system before you go to bed. The honey will help satisfy your craving for something sweet at night while the cinnamon will work on your digestive system, aiding it as it resets itself while you sleep. Many people consider using cinnamon for weight loss due to its ability to boost digestion and metabolism.

How It Helps

As mentioned earlier, it curbs cravings that occur during the night and makes sure you do not suffer from hunger pangs that prevent you from getting a good night’s sleep.

Jamie, a blogger, recounts her positive experience with cinnamon and honey and how she was able to achieve her desired weight loss. She writes, “For about a year and a half, I have always put cinnamon and honey into my tea…. I drink one cup of tea in the morning on an empty stomach and one or two at night before bed. Again, as Alex likes to remind me, I do my best to keep my honey consumption in check (i).”

5. Tips And Precautions For Using Cinnamon And Honey For Weight Loss

1. Always use at least half a teaspoon of honey.

2. Add honey only after the water has boiled.

3. If you are using a cinnamon stick, make sure you give time for the hot water to take up all the flavor and goodness of the cinnamon.

4. Avoid using sugar or salt.

5. Never boil the cinnamon with water.

6. Do not reheat the cinnamon tea for drinking.

7. Include fruits and vegetables in your diet.

Quick Tip

Adults are recommended not to consume more than 6 to 8 grams (2 to 3 teaspoons) of cinnamon powder per day as it may otherwise cause excessively low blood sugar levels (6).

6. Side Effects Of Honey And Cinnamon Drink

• Use Ceylon cinnamon instead of Cassia cinnamon, which has a high amount of coumarin that can damage your liver and kidney if it is used for about two weeks.

• Coumarin, if taken with anticoagulants such as aspirin, may lead to blood thinning, which can be fatal.

• Cinnamon can cause premature labor. Hence, it is better not to take cinnamon if you are pregnant.

• Cinnamon increases the heart rate, so avoid using this herb for weight loss if you have a heart disease.

• Swallowing only cinnamon powder without mixing in honey and water can lead to choking, lung infection, and even death.

• Excessive use of cinnamon can increase your body heat. Avoid cinnamon if you are going through menopause. 

Infographic: 3 Easy Cinnamon And Honey Recipes For Weight Loss

While working out and following a proper diet are vital for weight loss, there are other simple additions that can boost the process and help you reach your goal quicker. Cinnamon and honey have been used since ancient times and have anti-inflammatory properties that can help you better achieve your goals. Check out the infographic below for a few quick cinnamon and honey recipes and say goodbye to those extra inches.

Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team

Frequently Asked Questions

Can cinnamon and honey reduce belly fat?

Anecdotal evidence suggests that daily consumption of home remedies – cinnamon and honey may help reduce belly fat.

How much weight can I lose with cinnamon and honey?

The number of pounds you lose varies from person to person and may depend on your body composition and various other factors.

How long does it take to see weight loss results with cinnamon and honey?

It is difficult to predict how long it might take to see weight loss results with cinnamon and honey because individual results may vary and there is no scientific evidence on its effectiveness.

Can children consume cinnamon and honey for weight loss?

There is currently no scientific evidence to suggest that cinnamon and honey mixture can help promote weight loss in children. Consult your doctor before including it in your child’s diet.

Can cinnamon and honey mixture be combined with other weight loss remedies or supplements?

There is not enough evidence to suggest that it is unsafe to combine honey and cinnamon with other weight loss remedies or supplements. However, you should consult your doctor before doing so to avoid any adverse reactions.

Learn how to use cinnamon and honey to help you lose weight. Check out this video to know more about the benefits of this natural combination and how to incorporate it into your diet.

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Reviewer Author Editor Fact Checker

Sarah SpannAdv Dip (Nut Med), mATMS

   

Sarah Spann has 4 years of experience as a clinical nutritionist. She specializes in gut health and is based in Brisbane, Australia. She is dedicated to changing the paradigm of gut health and works with clients all over the world to help them get back the freedom, energy and confidence that their gut issues have taken away.

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Charushila BiswasHealth & Wellness Writer

 

Charushila is an ISSA certified Fitness Nutritionist and a Physical Exercise Therapist. Over a span of 6 years, she has authored more than 400 articles on diet, lifestyle, exercises, healthy food, and fitness equipment. She strives to inform, educate, and motivate her readers via authentic, straightforward, and fact-checked information.

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Ravi Teja TadimallaCo-Editor-in-Chief

Ravi Teja Tadimalla is a Co-Editor-in-Chief and a published author. He has been in the digital media field for over a decade. He graduated from SRM University, Chennai, and has a Professional Certificate in Food, Nutrition & Research from Wageningen University.

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Sindhu KogantiSenior Health & Wellness Writer

Sindhu Koganti is a Certified Health and Nutrition Life Coach and has over 6 years of experience in writing on health and wellness topics. She has a bachelor’s degree in biotechnology from Acharya Nagarjuna University, Guntur, and a diploma in nutrition from Fab Academy.

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