New Delhi:
Researchers from University of Michigan have discovered an essential oil in cinnamon that can help in fighting obesity.
As per the research, oil cinnamaldehyde that gives cinnamon its flavor, attacks fat cells and can help speed up your metabolism which can ultimately help you lose weight.
"Cinnamon has been part of our diets for thousands of years, and people generally enjoy it", Jun Wu, a research assistant professor at UM's Life Sciences Institute said.
"So if it can help protect against obesity, too, it may offer an approach to metabolic health that is easier for patients to adhere to.", Wu further added.
The study that was published in the December issue of journal Metabolism, conducted the research on mice and tested whether it had a similar effect in humans.
Researchers analysed volunteers representing a range of ages, ethnicities and body mass indices and that cinnamaldehyde worked directly on fat cells called adipocytes, forcing them to start burning their energy through thermogenesis.
Cinnamon has a long history of use in traditional medicine and is a peculiar ingredient of person's diet.
