In order for you to have a successful weight loss on the slimming world you need to make sure your keeping track of all the syns in your food, even some seasonings, but what about cinnamon, is it syn free on the slimming world?
Cinnamon is indeed syn free on the slimming world plan, meaning you can use it freely to spice up your foods such as porridge, yoghurt or hot chocolate!
Down below in our guide, we will take you through if cinnamon is good for weight loss, other syn free spices, which spices have syns as well as two slimming world recipes using cinnamon below for some syn friendly meals.
Is Cinnamon Good For Weight Loss?
Cinnamon is a favourite spice for many of us, whether you have it on your porridge or toast, adding extra flavour without any syns or calories, but it could help you weight loss too believe it or not.
Although large studies have not been conducted, when combined with a healthy diet and exercise it could be possible for cinnamon to help speed up your weight loss journey due to its nutritional benefits we've listed below.
Helps with gut health - Cinnamon has been proven to help gut health and your digestive system when taken regularly.
Lower blood sugar - Studies have shown that cinnamon might be able to control insulin response which can help with diabetes.
Can control appetite - Cinnamon may be able to help control your appetite and give your metabolism a boost, aiding in weight loss.
Better immune function - Antioxidants in cinnamon can give your immune system a boost if you are suffering from a cold or flu.
Our Syn Free Essential Spice List
Since spices are mostly syn free on the slimming world in their natural form, they can help to make your cooking tastier, we've listed some essentials to stock up within your cupboard below.
Ginger - Great for adding a zing to your curry when you don't feel like chopping fresh ginger!
Paprika - An essential for pasta and Italian sauces.
Garlic granules - Perfect for when you don't feel like cutting garlic and syn free!
Chilli powder - Great for Mexican and chilis.
Mixed herbs - Such as oregano, thyme and rosemary.
Turmeric - This spice also has many health benefits like cinnamon, great in stews and tea.
Which Seasonings Have Syns?
Although most spices and seasonings are syn free on the slimming world, some packet seasonings are not when other ingredients are added. For example, some seasonings might contain potato starch or milk powder which can contribute to their syns, these are often added to make the seasoning thicker and more sauce-like when added into sauces and stews.
Still, even seasonings with mixed ingredients remain low in syns, around 1-2 syns a pack, but always check the ingredients to be on the safe side.
Low Syn Seasonings
If you want to experiment more with seasonings and spices, we've listed the syn values of some popular seasonings below to help keep you on track.
Nandos Smokey Bbq Peri-Peri Bag & Bake 20G - 1 syns a pack.
Nando's Bag And Bake Medium 20G - 3 syns.
Schwartz Wok It American Bbq Chicken Seasoning 35G - 10 syns for the meal.
Colman's Chicken Kebab Seasoning Mix 30G - 15 syns for the meal.
Colman's Chicken Supreme Recipe Mix 38G - 7.5 syns for a meal.
Nando's Peri-Peri Bag & Bake Lemon & Herb 20G - 3 syns.
Schwartz One Pan Italian Cheesy Chicken & Garlic Pasta 32G - 7.5 syns.
Old El Paso Fajita Seasoning Mix Smoky BBQ 35g - 3 syns for half.
Tesco Fajita Seasoning 30g - 1 syn for a quarter.
Colman's Chicken Casserole Recipe Mix 40G - 5.5 syns for the meal.
Old El Paso Chili Con Carne Seasoning Mix 39g - 1.5 syns for 1/4.
Our Best SW Recipes With Cinnamon
If you've got some cinnamon stocked in the cupboard, now knowing it's syn free, you might be wondering how you can add this beneficial spice into your meals.
We've listed two different cinnamon SW recipes below to give you some cooking/baking inspo.
Syn Free Cinnamon Chips
This recipe below is syn free when you use sweetener and counts as a healthy extra B!
Ingredients
Whole wheat pitta bread for two healthy extra b's.
One tablespoon of sweetener.
Spray oil.
One teaspoon of cinnamon.
Method
Heat your oven to gas mark 6 then break open your pitta bread so they make 4 halves, cut the breads into small crips pieces then spread on a lined baking tray.
Mix your sweetener and cinnamon then spray the chips with oil and sprinkle the mix over the top.
Spray the other side of the chips misting then bake for 7 mins until crunchy.
SW Cinnamon French Toast Bake
For an extra special weekend breakfast, why not try making this SW cinnamon french toast? At just 1.5 syns a serving and a healthy extra B, you don't have to feel guilty about it either!
Ingredients
100g of wholemeal bread without crusts.
Two spoons of sweetener.
2 eggs.
Low cal cooking spray.
Spoon of semi-skimmed milk.
Three teaspoons of cinnamon.
Two tablespoons of powdered sweetener.
Method
Begin by heating your oven to 180 degrees then spray your bread with your low cal cooking spray and mix the sweetener and cinnamon in a separate dish.
Sprinkle the mix on the bread, roll them up and lay them side by side on a baking dish, whisk your egg and milk then pour this over the top and bake for 20 minutes.
Drizzle with your powdered sweetener and water at the end to make a glaze.
Sprinkle with more cinnamon and serve!
Final Words
Overall, cinnamon is syn free in the slimming world and great for spicing up sweet dishes, use on baked goods or porridges without any guilt, plus it's full of health benefits!
It should be noted that not all seasonings are syn free on the SW plan, some have extra ingredients such as starch and milk powder as thickeners which can give them a couple of hidden syns, always double-check ingredients to be on the safe side.
Jennifer
Jennifer is a certified nutritionist and weight loss coach with a Master's in Nutrition from Cambridge. With over 10 years experience, she shares healthy recipes and science-backed slimming tips on SheCooksSheEats to help people reach their wellness goals. Jennifer stays up-to-date by regularly attending conferences and continuing her nutrition education. She aims to provide research-backed advice to inspire balanced, happy living.