A small Nutrition 2026 study found that women who ate yogurt containing cinnamon and ginger experienced increases in several gut bacterial groups associated with butyrate production and appetite regulation, suggesting the combination may support metabolic health.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Adding modest amounts of cinnamon and ginger to yogurt may influence the gut microbiome in ways associated with improved blood sugar regulation, according to a small study presented at Nutrition 2026.
The trial involved 25 women with an average age of approximately 58. Participants consumed yogurt either with or without culinary amounts of cinnamon and ginger twice a day for four weeks, followed by a two-week break between phases.
Researchers selected yogurt as the base because it was described as a suitable prebiotic carrier with established gut-health benefits, then added the two spices to determine whether they produced additional effects.
Analysis of stool samples showed that the participants’ overall microbial composition did not change dramatically. However, three bacterial groups — Alistipes, Roseburia and Ruminococcaceae — increased during the intervention.
Those bacteria have been associated with higher levels of peptide YY and increased production of butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid involved in blood sugar regulation and intestinal health.
Peptide YY contributes to appetite control by slowing digestion and reducing hunger, according to the study. Researchers reported that elevated peptide YY levels persisted even after the spice phase ended.
Butyrate serves several functions in the digestive system. It provides energy to cells lining the colon, helping maintain the intestinal barrier, while also activating biological pathways involved in preventing excessively high blood sugar.
The findings add to previous research suggesting that common culinary herbs and spices can influence metabolic and digestive health.
A collection of reviews published in Nutrition Reviews found that herbs and spices used in cooking may affect appetite regulation and blood sugar control, according to NaturalNews.com.
Another study published in Nutrients found that frequently used culinary herbs and spices, including cinnamon and ginger, can promote beneficial gut bacteria.
Ginger contains gingerol, a bioactive compound known for anti-inflammatory properties, according to NaturalNews.com.
Cinnamon has also been studied for digestive and antimicrobial effects. Brighteon Broadcast News reported that cinnamon may help soothe the stomach and potentially protect against ulcers, while research published in Phytotherapy Research identified cinnamaldehyde, one of cinnamon’s major compounds, as an antibacterial agent.
Researchers said the Nutrition 2026 findings suggest that adding cinnamon and ginger to yogurt may encourage bacteria capable of producing compounds associated with better glucose regulation.
Diana Cusa, senior dietitian at Plainview Hospital in New York, was not involved in the study but told The Epoch Times that several groups could potentially benefit from incorporating such foods into their diets.
She said people experiencing occasional bloating, gas or irregularity without a diagnosed gastrointestinal disorder may benefit, as could people recovering from antibiotic treatment, which can reduce beneficial bacteria along with harmful microbes.
Older adults may also be candidates because digestive problems become more common with age, she said.
Cusa additionally identified people seeking general gut maintenance or dealing with mild, low-level inflammation as possible beneficiaries. Both cinnamon and ginger have anti-inflammatory properties, she said.
Cinnamon is also among the nutrient-dense spices commonly kept in household kitchens and can easily be incorporated into everyday meals, according to NaturalNews.com.
Cusa emphasized, however, that spices are only one component of maintaining a healthy microbiome.
Dietary fiber remains one of the most important nutritional factors for gut health because fiber that is not digested in the small intestine travels to the colon, where it feeds beneficial microbes.
Approximately 95% of Americans do not consume enough dietary fiber, and gastroenterologist Lisa Ganjhu has said combining fiber-rich foods with polyphenols can further enhance benefits for the microbiome.
Prebiotic foods recommended by Cusa include alliums, asparagus, bananas, oats, apples, flaxseed, chia seeds, legumes, Jerusalem artichokes, chicory root and barley.
Nuts and seeds can also contribute healthy fats and nutrients to the diet, according to Dr. Steven Masley.
Cusa also recommended including probiotic-rich fermented foods, which contain live microorganisms capable of influencing or adding to existing gut bacteria.
Examples include yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, tempeh, miso, kombucha and naturally fermented pickles.
Fermented foods are a major dietary source of lactic acid bacteria, microorganisms associated with digestive health, according to research published in Nature Communications.
During yogurt production, bacterial cultures consume much of the lactose in milk and produce lactic acid, which gives yogurt its characteristic tangy flavor, according to “Reader’s Digest Food Cures.”
Although culinary spices are widely available, Cusa recommended introducing them gradually.
“Begin with mild spices and listen to your body. Discomfort is a sign to slow down,” she said.
She also recommended drinking adequate water.
Children can be more sensitive to spices, Cusa noted.
“Introduce very mild spices slowly and in small amounts and respect their preferences,” she said.
Certain spices can also interact with medications.
Ginger, turmeric and cayenne may have mild blood-thinning effects, and larger quantities can interact with anticoagulant medications or alter how some drugs are absorbed or metabolized, according to Cusa.
People taking medications should consult a physician, pharmacist or registered dietitian before significantly increasing their intake, she said.
Cinnamon presents an additional consideration because different varieties contain different concentrations of coumarin.
Cassia cinnamon, the type commonly sold in supermarkets, contains substantially more coumarin than Ceylon cinnamon, sometimes called “true cinnamon,” which contains only trace amounts.
Cusa said coumarin may pose particular concerns for people with liver disease or liver damage, as well as children and women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Other culinary spices have also been investigated for metabolic effects.
A separate randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 28 older adults with prediabetes or obesity found that participants who took 80 milligrams of curcumin, the active compound in turmeric, daily for 12 weeks experienced reductions in HbA1c, indicating improved long-term blood sugar control, according to NaturalNews.com.
The cinnamon-and-ginger trial remains small and did not show a sweeping transformation of the participants’ microbiomes. Instead, it identified changes in several specific bacterial groups associated with compounds involved in appetite, intestinal integrity and glucose regulation.
Researchers characterized the yogurt-and-spice combination as an inexpensive dietary adjustment that may help support metabolic and gut health, while broader evidence continues to examine how everyday culinary herbs and spices affect the microbiome.
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