Consuming cinnamon may have a very small effect on weight, but it’s unlikely to deliver meaningful weight loss without other lifestyle adjustments.

A review of 35 studies examined whether consuming cinnamon could affect waist circumference, which is linked to increased body fat levels. It found cinnamon doses below 1.5 grams per day (around half a teaspoon) decreased waist circumference by 1.68cm. However, consuming more than 1.5g/day did not have a significant effect.

In exploring this slight weight loss, research suggests that cinnamon enables blood glucose to enter the body’s cells more quickly, lowering blood sugar and making insulin more effective. To wit, cinnamon has been shown to help lower the risk of diabetes.

Cinnamon has been long used around the world in both sweet and savoury dishes and drinks. But a new TikTok trend claims adding a teaspoon of cinnamon to your daily coffee (and some cocoa to make it more palatable) for one week can help you burn fat.