The benefits and harms of cinnamon: the whole truth about the main Christmas spice

Cinnamon has a disinfectant effect: the ingredient eugenol, which gives cinnamon its spicy note, is considered an analgesic and antibacterial agent. For this reason, cinnamon oil can also be found as an ingredient in many mouthwashes.

Cinnamon improves mood and even has an aphrodisiac effect. In an aroma lamp or diffuser, cinnamon oil can have a stimulating and aphrodisiac effect on the psyche. The aroma can help relieve depressed mood and improve well-being.

Cinnamon protects the heart: The spice can reduce certain types of blood fats (triglycerides), cholesterol levels and blood pressure and is therefore beneficial for heart health.

Cinnamon has antioxidant benefits: Thanks to its antioxidant content, cinnamon can help protect the body from cellular damage caused by free radicals.

Few people know that there are actually two types of cinnamon! More precisely, a unique original and a “double”, so common that when you buy cinnamon in the supermarket, you most likely take it.

So, there is Ceylon cinnamon, which comes from trees in Sri Lanka, and cassia, which is grown in China, Vietnam, Indonesia and Sumatra. Ceylon cinnamon has a rich but mild and sweet aroma. It mainly has positive properties that have a positive effect on health. Cassia has a rather pungent spicy smell. Consumed in large quantities, it can even be harmful to health.

Ceylon cinnamon is much more expensive, so cassia is often sold in stores.

Unfortunately, spice also has its downsides. Cinnamon can cause allergies, especially in sensitive people. Reactions to cinnamon derivatives such as cinnamaldehyde and cinnamon esters often result in skin rashes.

Additionally, too much cinnamon can cause vomiting, headaches, dizziness, and heart palpitations. This is due to the ingredient coumarin, which is found specifically in cassia. In high concentrations, it can even lead to liver inflammation. Ceylon cinnamon does not pose a threat in this regard, since so far only minor traces of coumarin have been found in it.

According to the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), the daily dose would be exceeded if an adult weighing 60 kilograms consumed two grams of cassia per day.

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For a child weighing 15 kilograms, the norm is 0.5 grams of breakage. To give you an idea, one teaspoon of ground cinnamon contains about 8 grams. Therefore, if you want to play it safe, you should use Ceylon cinnamon, which is more expensive, but also safer.

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