Plenty of articles cover cinnamon and blood sugar, but the more important story is which cinnamon. Ceylon ("true") cinnamon and cassia cinnamon come from different trees, and most ground products are the cheaper cassia.
The difference is coumarin. Cassia contains dozens of times more of it than Ceylon, and coumarin is linked to liver damage at high doses. EFSA sets a tolerable daily intake of 0.1 mg per kg of body weight.
Key benefits
It can flatten the post-meal glucose rise
Pooled trials in type 2 diabetes report small reductions in fasting glucose, but results are inconsistent and HbA1c showed no clear change. It does not substitute for medication.
Cinnamaldehyde is antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory
The compound behind cinnamon's aroma shows antibacterial and antifungal activity in laboratory work. That is also the background to cinnamon's long history as a preservative.
It creates an impression of sweetness without sugar
Cinnamon is not sweet itself, but its aroma is associated with sweetness, so adding it to coffee or oatmeal keeps satisfaction while you cut sugar. In practice this is its most useful property.
High antioxidant scores
Its polyphenol content is among the highest of the spices. But since real intake is only 1โ2 g a day, its share of your total antioxidant intake stays small.
How to eat it well
- Choose Ceylon. The label will say so, and Ceylon sticks are rolled from many thin layers; cassia sticks are thick and roll in a single curl.
- 1โ2 g a day is enough. Supplement-level doses are not advisable.
- Sprinkled on coffee, oatmeal or yoghurt, it genuinely helps reduce how much sugar you add.
- Add it at the end rather than boiling it, since the aromatic compounds evaporate.
- Remember that cinnamon rolls and similar products are mostly sugar and butter.
What to watch out for
- Coumarin in cassia cinnamon is linked to liver damage at high or prolonged intake. The EFSA limit of 0.1 mg per kg body weight works out to roughly 2 g of cassia for a 60 kg adult.
- With liver disease or hepatotoxic medication, avoid cassia and use Ceylon.
- At high doses alongside glucose-lowering drugs, consider the possibility of hypoglycaemia.
- Inhaling dry cinnamon powder can injure the airways and is genuinely dangerous.
- Culinary amounts are fine in pregnancy; therapeutic doses are not recommended.
Nutrition
Approximate values per 100 g of ground cinnamon. Typical use is 1โ2 g a day, about half a teaspoon.
- Calories
- 247 kcal
- Carbohydrates
- 80.6 g
- Fiber
- 53.1 g
- Protein
- 4.0 g
- Calcium
- 1,002 mg
- Manganese
- 17.5 mg
- Iron
- 8.3 mg
Key nutrients
- Cinnamaldehyde
- Fiber
- Manganese
- Calcium