I can't say whether cinnamon is "really Paleo" or not, but I  suspect that
having Type II Diabetes certainly isn't Paleo. If your Diabetes is  controlled
to your satisfaction on a strict Paleo diet, then you wouldn't have  to concern
yourself with adding cinnamon to your regimen. If your blood sugar  readings
are higher than what you would like, and cinnamon brings the numbers  down,
then you'd have to ask yourself which is more important, good blood sugar
readings, or consuming large amounts of cinnamon which our Paleo  ancestors might
or might not have eaten?

I am not diabetic, but with fasting blood sugar readings between 95  and 105,
I fell into the classification of "impaired fasting glucose tolerance."  In
just about 2 weeks of adding cinnamon (1 to 2 teaspoons a day) and  increasing
my chromium intake, most of my fasting readings are now down to 90  and below.
Certainly taking capsules of chromium picolinate is not Paleo, but my  first
priority is improving my blood glucose readings, and staying off  medications.
If I am successful at keeping my numbers low, I will surely  cut out the
additional chromium, but most likely not the cinnamon. (I dump it in  my tea, (or
in my occasional non-Paleo cup of decaf) or in some coconut cream,  and enjoy
it thoroughly that way.) Also, be aware that the studies done on the  efficacy
of cinnamon to lower blood glucose readings were done over a period of  weeks
or months. Generally speaking, natural alternatives will not work as  quickly
as drugs. It might be worth giving cinnamon a good several months trial,
before deciding if it is working or not.

Personally, I am still substantially overweight, despite a low  carb, Paleo
diet. The weight is coming off VERY slowly, (owner of extreme  thrifty gene
here!) but I am hoping that the continued slow weight  loss will eventually lower
my blood glucose readings even further, and I'll be  able to ditch the
non-Paleo chromium caps.

Maddy Mason
Hudson Valley, NY

In a message dated 9/27/2004 5:21:01 AM Eastern Standard Time, Sharon Giles
<[log in to unmask] writes:

I'm  planning to try out cinnamon for my type II diabetes (have ordered  some
capsules), but does anyone know if it is really  paleo?