While Christmas is synonymous with indulgence, balancing out the month of December can help us start the year on a positive note.
To that end, a weight loss specialist has shared an affordable method to tackle persistent winter snacking urges – and it’ll set you back just 10p each day.
Professor Franklin Joseph, who established Dr Frank’s Weight Loss Clinic, champions a simple cinnamon water remedy that he says can quiet food cravings within minutes.
“People think cravings are all psychological, but most winter cravings are blood-sugar driven,” he explained.
More people reach for comfort foods as temperatures drop
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The doctor pointed out that as temperatures drop and we reach for comfort foods, this leads many to blame themselves for lacking self-control.
But it turns out there’s solid science showing how particular spices and bold tastes can actually calm the neural pathways that make us yearn for sugary treats and carbohydrates.
The professor revealed that cinnamon works by enhancing how our bodies respond to insulin, which helps process carbohydrates more effectively and prevents those sudden energy crashes that send us hunting for snacks.
“Cinnamon helps stabilise blood sugar and slows stomach emptying, so you don’t get those sharp hunger spikes that push you towards biscuits, chocolate and late-night snacks,” Professor Joseph noted.
“Flavour matters,” the weight-loss expert continued. “When you give the brain a warm, sweet-smelling drink, it often stops chasing sugary foods. Cinnamon delivers that comfort feeling without the calorie hit.”
This approach proves especially valuable for patients taking weight-loss medications such as Wegovy and Mounjaro.
Professor Joseph suggests using Ceylon cinnamon rather than the more common cassia variety, as it’s gentler and contains less coumarin.
A 100g bag of pure Ceylon cinnamon can be found on Amazon for roughly £4.75, which breaks down to around 10p per day based on typical usage.
Just add a quarter teaspoon of Ceylon cinnamon to hot water, give it a good stir, and drink it slowly. If you prefer using cinnamon sticks, let one simmer for about five minutes instead.
“It’s simple, cheap and incredibly effective,” Professor Joseph noted. “For many people, cravings disappear in 10 to 15 minutes.”
Not everyone’s keen on cinnamon, but Professor Joseph has explained that a simple 10p peppermint tea bag can work just as well, as can a mint sweet.
Peppermint tea makes a good appetite suppressant
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“Mint overwhelms the brain’s reward pathways,” he explained. “You can’t crave chocolate and taste mint at the same time – it shuts the urge down.”
The beauty of both these methods is that they work without demanding superhuman willpower.
“These small tricks stop cravings before they become decisions. If you struggle at 3 pm or late at night, cinnamon or mint can save hundreds of calories – without relying on willpower,” Professor Joseph added.
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