Want to add a little spice to your health? Try a daily sprinkle of cinnamon, new research suggests.

Cinnamon appears to lower blood sugar, triglycerides and cholesterol, and improves insulin function -- especially in type 2 diabetics, according to a Human Nutrition Research Center study cited by the Los Angeles Times.

Among 30 patients who took 1 to 6 grams of cinnamon extract for 40 days, average glucose levels fell 18 percent to 29 percent, triglycerides 25 percent to 30 percent, and total cholesterol 12 percent to 26 percent, the Times reports.

The scientists say as little as half a teaspoon of cinnamon appeared to provide benefits that in some cases are nearly as dramatic as those produced by statins -- the cholesterol-lowering drugs that are taken by millions of Americans.

The Beltsville, Md., Center, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, says bigger human trials are needed to confirm the findings. Their research appears in the journal Diabetes Care.