Spices can be used to help make the food taste better, but they also contain numerous health benefits as well. Let’s talk today about the use of cinnamon, since you have to be careful in choosing the right brand.
Many people aren’t aware that there are in fact two types of cinnamon and eating too much of the wrong one can lead to liver toxicity and joint pain.
So it’s very important that you understand the differences in the two types so you choose the correct one to prevent problems with your health.
The first type is called “Cassia cinnamon,” and it is less expensive than the other type and is by far the most commonly used cinnamon in the United States. This type of cinnamon originated in Southern China and it has a dark red/brown color.
The second type of cinnamon is Ceylon cinnamon and it is generally more expensive than Cassia cinnamon, and therefore is not as commonly used. This type is native to Sri Lanka and Southern parts of India, and it has a pale red color.
So how could something as common as cinnamon possibly cause liver toxicity and joint inflammation?
The answer is “coumarin,” which is a phytochemical found in all types of cinnamon.
Since 1954 the use of coumarin as a food additive has been banned in the United States due to toxicity concerns. But coumarin is found naturally in cinnamon. The problem though is that Cassia cinnamon contains FAR more coumarin than Ceylon cinnamon.
In Europe, the German government has determined that people should try to stay below 0.1 mg of coumarin per kg of body weight. So how much cinnamon would that be in practical terms?
Actually, not much.
In many cases, just 1-2 teaspoons of Cassia cinnamon could bring someone over their daily limit of coumarin.
Cassia contains approximately 1% coumarin, while Ceylon contains only 0.004%, which is 250 times less!!! This is so low that coumarin is often undetectable in Ceylon cinnamon.
But surprisingly there are two other types of cinnamon, Saigon-Vietnamese and Indonesian cinnamon that have even more coumarin than Cassia cinnamon.
Indonesian cinnamon is far less common in the United States, but it can be found.
In high doses or with prolonged exposure, coumarin has the potential to cause joint pain due to its complex interactions with the body’s inflammatory pathways.
Some people may develop liver damage due either to genetic defects, pre-existing liver disease or repeated exposure. In many people the coumarin in cinnamon is converted into relatively harmless metabolites that are excreted in the urine, but in these susceptible people some of the coumarin can be converted into reactive intermediates that can bind to proteins within liver cells, generate oxidative stress, damage the mitochondria, trigger inflammation and even create cell death if the damage is extensive.
There are excellent sources of organic Ceylon cinnamon you can choose from but also keep in mind that there are many sources of Vietnamese and Indonesian cinnamon containing high amounts of coumarin, which are found in both supermarkets and health food stores, so always read your labels carefully.
As usual, we recommend the whole spice more often in Ayurveda, because the whole spice contains active biochemical components used for healing the body. Once the spice is ground into a powder it will lose some of the beneficial essential oils found in the whole spice. Ceylon cinnamon looks a little bit like a cigar with somewhat flaky layers to the rolled up spice, whereas the cassia cinnamon is more hard.
Cinnamon, like any spice, has some health benefits besides imparting a delicious flavor to the food.
For example, it increases your sensitivity to the insulin your body produces by 20%, which is a lot, and it also slows up the breakdown of carbohydrates in the digestive tract, preventing your blood sugar from going up too much after you eat.
It also contains polyphenols and other antioxidants that help protect cells from the oxidative process, thereby reducing damage caused by free radicals.
And certain other compounds in cinnamon may help reduce inflammation in the body.
In my practice we always recommend cooking milk with a piece of a cinnamon stick, since it helps you digest the sugar in the milk. Plus it makes the milk taste delicious, which overall helps you to digest it better as well.
Be very careful when using cinnamon, especially nowadays since many people are taking capsules of cinnamon for specific health benefits. Do keep in mind though that taking capsules would allow the coumarin to build up very quickly if you are consuming the Cassia cinnamon.
I hope this information helps you as you learn how to effectively use herbs and spices in your diet for not only their taste benefits, but their health benefits as well.