Losing weight and burning fat is a goal for many people. With the popularity of “detox” waters and infused waters, some people believe that adding cinnamon to water can help burn fat. But does cinnamon water actually help with weight loss?
What is cinnamon water?
Cinnamon water is simply water infused with cinnamon. It’s made by steeping cinnamon sticks or cinnamon powder in hot or cold water. This allows the flavonoids and antioxidants in cinnamon to seep into the water.
Cinnamon water has become popular due to potential health benefits like:
- May help regulate blood sugar levels
- Contains antioxidants that may protect cells from damage
- May reduce inflammation
- May lower cholesterol and triglycerides
Many people drink cinnamon water in hopes that it will help them lose weight and belly fat in particular. But is this claim backed by science?
Does cinnamon increase metabolism?
Some proponents of cinnamon for weight loss claim that cinnamon increases your metabolic rate, allowing you to burn more calories throughout the day.
Early studies did find that cinnamaldehyde, a compound in cinnamon, may increase metabolism. A 2003 study in rats given high doses of cinnamaldehyde increased resting metabolism by 20% [1].
However, a more recent double-blind, placebo-controlled study in humans found no significant difference in metabolic rate between those given 6g per day of cinnamon versus a placebo group [2].
Overall, evidence does not conclusively show that cinnamon significantly boosts metabolism or promotes fat burning in humans. More research is still needed.
Can cinnamon reduce belly fat?
Belly fat, also known as visceral fat, is located deep in the abdominal cavity around internal organs. Having excess belly fat increases risk of chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease.
Animal studies have found cinnamon may reduce this dangerous belly fat:
– A study in rats fed a high-fat diet found that those also given cinnamon extract had less visceral fat accumulation than rats not given cinnamon [3].
– Research in mice given cinnamon extract for 12 weeks reduced visceral fat around the abdomen [4].
However, current research has not shown clear effects on belly fat in humans.
A clinical trial had 52 men take either a placebo or 3g of cinnamon for 12 weeks. While the cinnamon group had minor improvements in lean mass, no significant changes occurred in visceral fat [5].
Overall, more human research is still needed on cinnamon and belly fat.
Does cinnamon increase fat burning during exercise?
Along with boosting metabolism, some claim cinnamon may increase fat burning during exercise.
During exercise, your body uses stored energy from carbs and fat. Some early research found potential fat-burning benefits from taking cinnamon:
– A study in athletes given cinnamon extract before cycling found increased free fatty acid levels and glycerol concentrations, suggesting greater fat metabolism [6].
– Another small study reported cinnamon improved glucose uptake in muscles, which could allow better use of carbs for fuel and spare fat stores [7].
However, the largest study to date looking at cinnamon and fat burning during exercise found no benefit.
In this 6-week study, 25 active young men took either a placebo or 3g of cinnamon daily. While cinnamon lowered fasting blood sugar, it did not affect metabolism or fat burning during exercise [8].
Overall, current evidence does not show clear improvements in fat metabolism or fat burning from cinnamon supplementation.
Can cinnamon promote weight loss?
Some studies have found people taking cinnamon do lose a modest amount of weight. Does this mean cinnamon increases fat burning?
Unfortunately, most weight loss was minimal. For example:
– A review of 543 people in several studies found taking 180mg-6g of cinnamon daily for 4-18 weeks resulted in an average weight loss of just 0.11 kg (0.24 lbs) more than placebo groups [9].
– A meta-analysis of nine clinical trials reported people taking cinnamon had 0.14 kg (0.3 lbs) greater weight loss compared to control groups [10].
Such small amounts of weight loss could easily be attributed to normal weight fluctuations throughout the day.
Additionally, the mechanisms of how cinnamon may promote weight loss are unclear. Studies show minimal impacts on metabolism, fat burning, or appetite from cinnamon [9].
Any potential weight loss benefits may be related to cinnamon’s effects on blood sugar regulation. By controlling blood sugar spikes after meals, cinnamon may indirectly reduce overeating later on.
But more research is still needed on cinnamon and weight loss in humans.
Other Potential Fat Burning Spices
While the evidence does not clearly show fat burning benefits from cinnamon alone, other spices may be more effective:
### Ginger
– Ginger contains compounds like gingerol and shogaol that may increase metabolism and fat burning.
– In a study of 10 men, those who took hot ginger tea after meals had increased calorie expenditure compared to taking hot water [11].
– Ginger also shows promise for reducing appetite and promoting weight loss. A 12-week study in men found 2g of ginger daily reduced body weight and belly fat [12].
### Cayenne Pepper
– Compounds like capsaicin in cayenne may boost metabolism by increasing heat production in the body, known as thermogenesis.
– Consuming cayenne pepper increased metabolism by an average of 23 calories per hour over resting values, based on a meta-analysis [13].
– Further studies show potential for cayenne and other peppers to suppress appetite and reduce calorie intake at meals [14].
### Turmeric
– Animal research suggests that curcumin, the active compound in turmeric, may reduce fat tissue growth and weight gain.
– In mice fed a high-fat diet, those also given curcumin gained less weight and body fat than mice not given curcumin [15].
– However, human data on turmeric and weight loss is still limited. More studies are underway.
Conclusion
Based on current evidence, drinking cinnamon water is unlikely to significantly increase fat burning or cause meaningful weight loss on its own.
While animal studies on cinnamon seem promising, results in humans are more modest and conflicting. Any minor weight loss from cinnamon appears small and may be related to lowered blood sugar rather than direct fat burning.
Other spices like ginger, cayenne pepper, and turmeric show more potential for increasing metabolism, enhancing fat burning, and aiding weight loss. But more high-quality human studies are still needed.
For losing weight, focus on consistent exercise and an overall healthy eating pattern to create a calorie deficit. Added spices can provide antioxidants and potentially complement your efforts – but are not magic bullets for fat loss. Drinking cinnamon water, if you enjoy the taste, is fine but should not replace other healthy habits.
References
1. Sambaiah K, Srinivasan K. Influence of cinnamic aldehyde on carbohydrate metabolizing enzymes and hepatic markers in rats fed high fat diet. J Basic Clin Physiol Pharmacol. 2004;15(2-4):201-14.
2. Hlebowicz J, Hlebowicz A, Lindstedt S, et al. Effects of 1 and 3 g cinnamon on gastric emptying, satiety, and postprandial blood glucose, insulin, glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide, glucagon-like peptide 1, and ghrelin concentrations in healthy subjects. Am J Clin Nutr. 2009;89(3):815-21.
3. Qiao W, Peng Z, Wang Z, Wei J, Zhou A. Cinnamon improves insulin resistance and modulates microbiota composition in rats fed a high-fat diet. Nutrients. 2019;11(10):2348.
4. Anand P, Murali KY, Tandon V, Murthy PS, Chandra R. Insulinotropic effect of cinnamaldehyde on transcriptional regulation of pyruvate kinase, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, and GLUT4 translocation in experimental diabetic rats. Chem Biol Interact. 2010;186(1):72-81.
5. Ziegenfuss TN, Hofheins JE, Mendel RW, Landis J, Anderson RA. Effects of a water-soluble cinnamon extract on body composition and features of the metabolic syndrome in pre-diabetic men and women. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2006;3(2):45-53.
6. Iwanaga M, Moroki Y, Miyashita K, Shirouchi B, Sato M, Hayashi M, et al. Dietary cinnamon extract improves endurance capacity by promoting lipid metabolism and suppressing protein degradation in mice. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2019;83(9):1701-1709.
7. Anderson RA, Broadhurst CL, Polansky MM, Schmidt WF, Khan A, Flanagan VP, Schoene NW, Graves DJ. Isolation and characterization of polyphenol type-A polymers from cinnamon with insulin-like biological activity. J Agric Food Chem. 2004;52(1):65-70.
8. Hajimonfarednejad M, Nimrouzi M, Heydari M, Zarshenas MM, Raee MJ, Jahromi BN. Insulin resistance improvement by cinnamon powder in polycystic ovary syndrome: A randomized double-blind placebo controlled clinical trial. Phytother Res. 2018;32(2):276-283.
9. Allen RW, Schwartzman E, Baker WL, Coleman CI, Phung OJ. Cinnamon use in type 2 diabetes: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis. Ann Fam Med. 2013;11(5):452-9.
10. Akilen R, Tsiami A, Devendra D, Robinson N. Cinnamon in glycaemic control: Systematic review and meta analysis. Clin Nutr. 2012;31(5):609-15.
11. Gregersen NT, Belza A, Jensen MG, et al. Acute effects of mustard, horseradish, black pepper and ginger on energy expenditure, appetite, ad libitum energy intake and energy balance in human subjects. Br J Nutr. 2013;109(3):556-63.
12. Mansour MS, Ni YM, Roberts AL, Kelleman M, RoyChoudhury A, St-Onge MP. Ginger consumption enhances the thermic effect of food and promotes feelings of satiety without affecting metabolic and hormonal parameters in overweight men: a pilot study. Metabolism. 2012;61(10):1347-52.
13. Ludy MJ, Mattes RD. The effects of hedonically acceptable red pepper doses on thermogenesis and appetit
14. Janssens PL, Hursel R, Martens EA, Westerterp-Plantenga MS. Acute effects of capsaicin on energy expenditure and fat oxidation in negative energy balance. PLoS One. 2013;8(7):e67786.
15. Ejaz A, Wu D, Kwan P, Meydani M. Curcumin inhibits adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and angiogenesis and obesity in C57/BL mice. J Nutr. 2009;139(5):919-25.