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"???