Advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) is implicated in the pathogenesis of diabetic complications. Inhibiting the formation of AGEs and interfering with AGEs-mediated inflammation are two practicable strategies for developing a dietary adjuvant against diabetic complications. This study evaluated the protective capacities against diabetic complications of several spices based on their inhibition of the formation of AGEs in an in vitro BSA/glucose system and on the AGEs-induced production of proinflammatory cytokine in RAW 264.7 macrophages. Among the tested spices, cinnamon exhibited most strongly inhibited both the formation of AGEs and the AGEs-induced production of nitric oxide, interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α. Additionally, correlative results revealed that the capacity of spices to inhibit the formation of AGEs is attributable to phenolic compounds and, in contrast, the capacity to inhibit AGEs-induced inflammation is attributable to condensed tannin. This investigation demonstrates the potential of cinnamon to serve as a dietary adjuvant against diabetic complications.