Common hot chocolate ingredient could help with weight loss goals - The Mirror

If you're trying to lose weight, there's one common kitchen item that could help thanks to its 'anti-obesity effects'

Many people have seen in 2026 with setting their goals for the year. This can often involve improving dietary habits, and for a substantial number of people, weight loss is at the top of the list.

While drinking more water, eating well, and staying active are key, there's a little-known ingredient that can boost your progress, meaning you may be able to achieve your goals faster. That simple addition is cinnamon.

This everyday spice might already be sitting in your cupboard, as it's frequently blended into mixtures whilst baking, dusted over morning oats, or even stirred into hot chocolate. Priced at just 85p in many UK supermarkets, this makes it remarkably straightforward to weave into daily dishes.

The wallet-friendly spice has been the subject of multiple research projects. Just one study, for example, noted: "Cinnamon supplementation significantly affects obesity measures. It could be recommended as a weight-reducing supplement in obesity management."

Cinnamon contains protective antioxidant properties. As explained by BBC Good Food: "Cinnamon contains plant compounds called polyphenols that have protective, antioxidant properties. It is these compounds that provide many of cinnamon’s health benefits as well as support its role as a preservative in food preparation."

Another study also mentions that this spice can help. It reveals that the "systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the effect of cinnamon on body weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist-hip ratio (WHR), and body fat mass, including the maximum number of studies."

In its conclusion, the study found that, like the first study, "cinnamon supplementation significantly reduces body weight, BMI, and WHR."

Speaking about the exact amount, a third study on cinnamon noted that the powder significantly reduced overall body weight. There was also a significant decrease in Body Mass Index (BMI) compared to those not taking cinnamon.

Although they did not record a substantial change in waist circumference (belly fat), the results indicated that the most impressive outcomes were observed at doses of three grams per day or above. The weight-loss benefits were especially pronounced in individuals with PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome).

A fourth study, which also notes that cinnamon is rich in polyphenols, suggests that it can help people lose weight and prevent obesity by simultaneously blocking fat production and accelerating fat burning.

It further explains: "Supplementing the diet with cinnamon has a variety of benefits, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, and anticancer effects. It also contains compounds that lower cholesterol and cardiovascular disease".

Concluding its findings and talking about the spice's "anti-obesity effects", the study states: "Since cinnamon powder is widely used as a spice and not as a primary food component, there is a need to promote cinnamon powder intake in the form of tablets or tea."