6 Science-Backed Reasons Why You Want To Start Sprinkling Cinnamon On Everything

Today, cinnamon is an essential baking ingredient and can be found in just about every pantry in America—but its history extends far beyond the invention of cinnamon rolls, snickerdoodles, and spiced chai lattes. In fact, the use of cinnamon as a spice can be traced back thousands of years—as far as Ancient Egypt, where it was rare and almost exclusively given to kings and other important people as a gift.

Historically, cinnamon has also been used as a traditional medicine for a variety of ailments, including bronchitis, and today, scientists are studying a wide range of medicinal uses for the spice, including the treatment of diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's.

The spice, made from the inner bark of Cinnamomum trees, comes in two main types: Cassia cinnamon and Ceylon cinnamon. Cassia cinnamon, which is produced in China, Vietnam, and Indonesia, is the type most commonly sold in the United States and Canada. Ceylon, which is produced in Sri Lanka, India, Madagascar, Brazil, and the Caribbean, is known as "true" cinnamon and has a more subtle flavor.

Too many free radicals (or pro-oxidants) can lead to oxidative stress1 in the body, which is linked to the onset 2of a number of serious diseases (like various cancers, cardiovascular disease, and neurological diseases) and acceleration of the aging process2 in general.

Cinnamon may be a great addition to the diet of anyone suffering from diabetes or pre-diabetes—or anyone looking to curb cravings for sweets and even out energy levels by balancing blood sugar.

"A bioflavonoid found in cinnamon called proanthocyanidin may alter the insulin-signaling activity in our fat cells and thus has great potential to help with diabetes," Will Cole, D.C., IFMCP, functional medicine expert, told mbg. "The spice has also been shown to significantly reduce blood sugar levels and triglycerides in people with type 2 diabetes."

Similar to cancer, cinnamon's effects on brain health have mostly been studied in animals. That said, they're still promising. In one study17, rats were fed a high-fat, high-fructose diet. Some were also given cinnamon. The rats who received the cinnamon experienced less anxiety during a maze test, and they did not experience as great of an increase in Tau and amyloid precursor protein—two proteins associated with Alzheimer's disease.

Cinnamon in moderation is great, but too much can harm your health in a number of ways. One of the main drawbacks is specifically related to Cassia cinnamon, which contains significant amounts of the compound coumarin18 (about 5 mg in every teaspoon—which is the recommended daily limit of coumarin for a 130-pound person).

Coumarin can have negative effects19 on the liver and even increase your risk of cancer. In animal studies, too much coumarin has been shown to increase the risk of cancerous tumors in the lungs20, liver21, and kidneys22. Ceylon, or "true" cinnamon, contains only trace amounts23 of coumarin, making it safer to consume.

While there's no established dose for cinnamon in the United States, 1 teaspoon per day of Cassia cinnamon for adults is typically considered safe per European guidelines—and possibly a bit more for Ceylon cinnamon. That's more than enough to boost the flavor and nutrients of your morning oatmeal, latte, or smoothie.

Some people also experience allergic reactions to cinnamon. These are triggered by a compound called cinnamaldehyde, which is abundant in both types of cinnamon. People with cinnamaldehyde allergies24 sometimes experience mouth sores25, tongue or gum swelling24, and burning and itching in the mouth. If you're worried you might be allergic, you can ask your doctor for a skin patch test26.

To reap cinnamon's benefits, you should always mix it into food or beverages—never eat dry cinnamon by the spoonful (remember that awful cinnamon challenge27?). Not only can it lead to choking, but the lungs aren't able to break down the fibers in cinnamon, which means it accumulates in the lungs28 and can eventually lead to aspiration pneumonia.