The Fall Smell of "Cinnamon"

The smell and taste of Cinnamon . . . Mmmmm. . . there's nothing like it!

I thought "cinnamon" would be a good topic for today because . . . cinnamon is in just about everything we love to eat and drink this time of year.

But . . . Did you know not all cinnamon is created equal???

We have "CASSIA" and then we have "CEYLON"

So how do we tell the difference and why are they "so" different?

Did you know that in one of these cinnamons there's a toxic substances called "Coumarin"? And if consumed in large amounts can cause havoc to our body?

We've been talking about toxins that are released from the die off of "bad" bacteria and the toxic compound in alcohol. So I thought we'd continue with yet another one.

"Coumarin" is a colorless crystalline solid with a sweet odor resembling the scent of vanilla and a bitter taste. In nature, it's found in many plants as a chemical to "defends" against predators.

Okay . . . that right there should tell you something.

Well . . . studies have shown that eating too much "coumarin" can cause loss of appetite, nausea, diarrhea, blurred vision, bleeding or bruising, blood in the urine or stool, severe headaches and increase the risk of certain cancers such as in the lungs, liver and kidneys.

Now . . . with that being said . . . which one is the good cinnamon and which is the bad???

"Cassia" or "Ceylon"???

So let's break it down . . .

"Cassia" is a lower quality and cheaper cinnamon. It's more commonly used around the world. Almost all supermarkets sell this kind of cinnamon and almost all products containing cinnamon use this cheap ingredient.

"Ceylon" is called the "true" cinnamon. Ceylon is less commonly used and sold because it is quite expensive.

Now . . . on the "good" side . . . both cinnamons contain many health benefits such as being a high antioxidant, relieving inflammation, protecting the heart, stabilizing blood sugar, preserving brain function, fighting infection and optimizing oral hygiene.

But . . . on the "bad" side . . . one contains 250 times more "coumarin" than the other.

Can you guess which one is the "bad" one with the toxic side effects???

You got it . . . "Cassia", the one that's in everything we consume these days because it's cheap!.

Now . . . some experts suggest you should only consume 1/2 to 1 teaspoon per day. That's about 2 - 4 grams. And that 1 - 6 grams may be toxic.

So now let's think about this . . .

What do we eat every day with cinnamon in it???

We eat . . . cinnamon muffins, bread, cereals, toast, oatmeal, cinnamon apple tarts, coffee cake, cinnamon apple pie, cinnamon apple cheesecake, honey cinnamon rolls, regular cinnamon rolls, cinnamon cookies, brown betty's, cinnamon quick breads, cinnamon lattes, cinnamon teas, peanut butter cinnamon smoothies, cinnamon immunity shots, cinnamon hot chocolate and the list goes on and on.

You can clearly see . . . if you are a lover of cinnamon products . . . you are consuming way too much "coumarin" with all its toxic effects.

So what's the key to getting all the benefits of this little spice without the toxins???

Well . . . that would be to make your own little goodies with "Ceylon" cinnamon.

As always, feel free to contact me here