10. If you sprinkle cinnamon on food you can eat anything
This odd myth actually has some scientific backing: A series of studies printed in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition discovered that adding a heaping teaspoon of cinnamon to a starchy meal like overnight oats could help stabilize blood sugar and ward off insulin spikes. Experts believe that the spice’s powerful antioxidants, known as polyphenols, are at work; these active compounds have been proven to improve insulin sensitivity and, in turn, your body’s ability to store fat and manage hunger cues.
But don’t rely on cinnamon as a magic cure-all. Just because it could help your body regulate blood sugar doesn’t mean you can sprinkle it on your food and eat with abandon. Plus, Snyder reminds us that believing that a food is healthier than it is (like what could be the case if you think cinnamon negates any negative blood sugar effects) “may influence how many and how often a food item is eaten.” And if you think your bowl of ice cream is healthy because you covered it in cinnamon, you’re seriously mistaken.
