The Hidden Danger of Cinnamon: What You Need to Know

There are two types of cinnamon found worldwide, with Cassia cinnamon, also called 'Chinese cinnamon', being more common in our area.

This type of cinnamon is cheaper than others, but research into its impact on our health has found that excessive consumption can be deadly.

What counts as excessive, and what damage can it cause? The dangerous substance it contains is called coumarin, an organic compound found in many plants. Coumarin belongs to the benzopyrene family, a byproduct that results from burning metal, for instance.

Excessive consumption of Cassia cinnamon can damage the liver, mainly due to the high levels of coumarin it contains - 5 mg per 2 grams of cinnamon. The maximum safe daily intake of coumarin is 0.1 mg per day. To put it into perspective, one teaspoon of cinnamon contains approximately 5 mg of coumarin.

Studies examining the effects of consuming Cassia cinnamon have found that high levels of coumarin cause liver damage and more. In 2015, an article was published about a 75-year-old woman who routinely took cinnamon-based supplements containing high levels of coumarin, without realizing it was harmful. The accumulated coumarin in her body led to a severe liver infection.

Another study from 2012 in the U.S. demonstrated that coumarin is also responsible (among other reasons) for the development of cancerous tumors in the lungs and kidneys. If you're someone who loves to add cinnamon to everything, or even sprinkle it directly onto your tongue, it's important to know that it's also directly responsible for mouth sores.

This particular issue is caused by another component called cinnamaldehyde, which leads to various allergies in the body. When it surpasses the permissible limit, it can cause itchy sores in the mouth and on the tongue, swelling, itchiness, or a burning sensation in the oral cavity. However, moderate and small intake is generally not dangerous or likely to cause allergies.