Pumpkin flavors a fall hit, but beware the fake flavorings

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WPVI) -- Foods flavored with pumpkin spice seem to be everywhere this year.

Real pumpkin spice is a mix of cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.

And it can have health benefits.

However, in some products, it's nothing more than artificial flavors and sugar.

Before you buy, check the label for anything listed as syrup, or ingredients ending in "o-s-e," like sucrose, fructose, or maltose.

Also, look for the actual spice names, and the word 'pumpkin.'

"Cinnamon has been shown to help manage stable blood sugar in people with diabetes, and in lab studies, it also functions as an anti-inflammatory, so we may also get that benefit when we consume it," says Lindsay Malone, R.D., a registered dietitian with the Cleveland Clinic.

If you want pumpkin spice flavored coffee, Malone suggests adding the natural spice, instead of the flavored syrup used at coffee shops.