While cinnamon can have many positive effects on health, it is not considered unqualifiedly healthy. In particular, pregnant women, children, people with certain allergies and various other at-risk groups should exercise caution when consuming cinnamon. In addition, its ingredient coumarin is suspected of having a carcinogenic effect. Who should better avoid cinnamon and what you should consider when taking cinnamon, read here.
Allergy to cinnamon
It has been known for some time that cinnamon can cause allergies in sensitive individuals. Interestingly, the consumption of cinnamon can also lead to allergic reactions and the typical symptoms of allergy in people who are allergic to herbal pollen (for example, from mugwort) (so-called cross-allergies).
At what point does cinnamon have a harmful effect on health?
It has been known for several years that phenylpropanoids (primarily coumarin, but also safrole) – naturally present in cinnamon – can be harmful to health. Coumarin, in particular, can cause liver inflammation in a certain proportion of the population at high concentrations.
While coumarin is often found in cassia cinnamon, Ceylon cinnamon is not critical. Although some studies have found a carcinogenic effect of coumarin in animals, this result has not yet been confirmed for humans.
In addition, coumarin could be responsible for other complaints, such as vomiting, headaches, dizziness or insomnia, as well as damage to the kidneys and liver. Heart palpitations, increased intestinal activity, sweating and rapid breathing can also occur as side effects of too much cinnamon.
Maximum levels for coumarin
Because of its sickening properties, maximum levels have been in effect for cinnamon stars in stores for several years. However, no coumarin limit is specified for ground cinnamon or cinnamon sticks.
According to the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), the daily dose for coumarin is exceeded if a 60-kilogram adult consumes two grams of cassia cinnamon or more than six milligrams of coumarin daily. This value is not usually exceeded with moderate consumption of cinnamon.
According to the institute, the limit for a 15-kilogram child is 0.5 grams of cassia cinnamon. This corresponds to about six small cinnamon stars a day or 100 grams of gingerbread.*
Challenge for the consumer
However, studies repeatedly show that limits are often exceeded in foods containing cinnamon. In part, this is because finished products almost always use the considerably cheaper cassia cinnamon, which has many times the coumarin concentration of Ceylon cinnamon.
Since manufacturers are not required to specify the type of cinnamon used, it is difficult for consumers to estimate whether they are staying below the permitted coumarin limit of 0.1 milligrams per kilogram of body weight per day, especially since foods such as cereal or cola also contain cinnamon and absorption through the skin (for example, soap) can occur.
Cinnamon: enjoyment only in certain quantities
For children in particular, this limit is quickly reached – for example, the German federal and state governments recommend that children should not consume more than
- 4 cinnamon stars à 5.6 grams or
- 1 gingerbread à 30 grams or
- Rice pudding with cinnamon and sugar à 200 grams or
- 2 cereal bars à 35 grams or
- Ready-made muesli à 75 grams
Should consume.
Who should not ingest cinnamon?
Not only children or intolerances in the form of allergy is warned against the consumption of cinnamon, even during pregnancy cinnamon should be enjoyed only with caution – its oil can induce labor. Also breastfeeding women should better not consume cinnamon.
In addition, cinnamon should not be consumed by anyone taking medications that can affect the liver, such as statins or paracetamol. Also who suffers from a stomach or intestinal ulcer should rather not consume cinnamon.
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Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (2012): questions and answers about coumarin in cinnamon and other foods.
