Fresh Cinnamon
Cinnamon, we all know it and love it. Is there anything better on French Toast then some fresh powdered Cinnamon? Don’t even get us started on the taste delight of Apple Cider in the fall with a fresh Cinnamon stick. And is life worth living if we couldn’t have our sticky buns??? But clearly we digress.
Cinnamon – A Food or Supplement in Disguise?
Cinnamon is a food, a lovely spice that has been around forever. We see it in the supermarket, it sits on our spice shelf – cinnamon is a food. Or is it…
Yes, the cinnamon you see sold in the supermarket as a spice is a food. However, take that exact same cinnamon and add these 4 magic words to the label -
Supports Blood Glucose Levels
And you instantly turn that Cinnamon from a food into a Dietary Supplement!
Remember that boring article we wrote on What is a Dietary Supplement, well part of the definition of a dietary supplement is how it used to supplement the diet and can help maintain normal body functions. So, the way a product is marketed and labeled has a lot to do with how the FDA will classify the product. In the case of Cinnamon – it is a food if the label makes no mention of helping blood sugar/glucose levels. If the same Cinnamon is sold to help blood sugar levels, the FDA then says it is a Dietary Supplement.
Okay, so why does any of this matter?
To you, the end consumer, it matters because sometimes you need to read between the lines. You may hear about a food that some Doctors claim can help with diabetes, but when you look at the package there is no mention of the health benefits. It may be the case that the manufacturer wants the product to be seen as a food in the eyes of the FDA and that is why no mention is made in the marketing.
In addition, knowing this Supplement Secret can Save you Some Money!
Let’s say you see one cinnamon product that is $30 and claims to help with blood sugar levels. You see another cinnamon which is just a spice, but cost only $8. If the ingredient list is just pure cinnamon in both products, save the $22 and just buy the “food” cinnamon. With the extra $22 I suggest you buy French Toast and Apple Cider and cover them with the cinnamon!
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Thank you for the advice , I have spend more on cinnamon , from today onwards I shall always go for the pure which is less expensive.