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Surprisingly little discussion about cinnamon?

V

vit90

Well-Known Member
I did a forum search here for cinnamon and only 14 results appeared, with most not focusing specifically on the apparent benefits of cinnamon which appear to be quite effective in aiding the control of blood sugar levels. The advice is to ensure you use Ceylon cinnamon and not the type that is more common in the USA (Cassia cinnamon) as benefits of Cassia are lower or non-existent and Cassia also has a higher component of a toxin called coumarin which some people can be especially susceptible to. It's quite difficult to distinguish one type from another when buying the powdered form of cinnamon but easier with cinnamon sticks as the Ceylon type is more delicate and much thinner and the sticks have many layers while Cassia is tougher and thicker so may only have one layer. Ceylon is easily broken into pieces while Cassia is more woody, as well as darker in hue. I'm still researching cinnamon but some human studies show it can reduce blood sugar levels by over a quarter although actual situations aren't clear (if the subjects had very poor management in the first place, for example). Anyway I have ordered some Ceylon cinnamon sticks and I love the taste; just need to work out how much I should be consuming per day. If anyone here has some experience or advice on this please do share.
 
Hi. There was momentary fuss in the media a year or so back about the dangers of cassia cinnamon as you describe. I asked about it at my local Co-op but they didn't know what I was talking about. My Co-op cinnamon is labelled "from Sri Lanka" and packed in France, so your guess is as good as mine as to its provenance.
I've just bought some cinnamon sticks labelled "produce of Sri Lanka" which look like the genuine ones you describe.
I was told by a nutritionist that cinnamon reduces the craving for sugar.
I just like the aroma and will use it as directed by recipes.
 
If it really is from Sri Lanka then almost certainly not Cassia, which is grown East Asia mainly. But the safest bet is to buy the more easily identifiable sticks.The Ceylon stuff is apparently quite easy to grind whereas the more woody Cassia isn't. I'll be using it in curries and brekafast concoctions like milled linseed.
 
Oh dear, I happened to read a couple of articles which were very positive about Ceylon Cinnamon and disparaging of Cassia but after a bit more reading there are articles completely the other way around. Studies on rats do seem show some effect for both types but studies in humans are a bit more inconclusive. Ceylon is definitely safer, though.
 
Off topic:

I once had an absolutely stunning cafe breakfast of cinnamon toast, and then experimented until I replicated it at home.

It goes like this:

Melt butter and mix with equal quantities of powdered cinnamon and Demerara sugar (I now use erythritol, because it has that brown sugar taste)

Allow to cool and store in the fridge.

Spread thickly on seeded, granary or low carb bread doorsteps

Enjoy
 
Brunneria said:
Off topic:

I once had an absolutely stunning cafe breakfast of cinnamon toast, and then experimented until I replicated it at home.

It goes like this:

Melt butter and mix with equal quantities of powdered cinnamon and Demerara sugar (I now use erythritol, because it has that brown sugar taste)

Allow to cool and store in the fridge.

Spread thickly on seeded, granary or low carb bread doorsteps

Enjoy
Click to expand...
Or even on pancakes - delicious on Tuesday this week.
 
Been putting a teaspoon of powdered cinnamon (we had a spice bottle of the stuff in the cupbpoard) with my milled linseed 'porridge' in the morning and it works quite well. But now the Ceylon cinnamon sticks I ordered have arrived and although there is little aroma until you break the sticks the resulting intensity is much better than the powdered stuff. Have made some cinnamon tea as well - steep a 3-inch stick in just-boiled water for ten minutes and then add a tea bag to taste with some sweetener. I have mine black but you can add milk if you like - I really like this! :) No idea if it is helping my blood sugar control but it tastes great!
 
There are so many self-acclaimed experts on the Internet, most of whom are precisely the opposite so you do need to filter through the crud. So far the fashion has been to **** Ceylon Cinnamon with faint praise; it's much safer but it doesn't work for blood sugar control. So anyway - I'm much more interested in scientific evidence and here is one relatively recent study that suggests Ceylon Cinnamon does work:

http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6882/14/351

One study is not evidence but it's worth noting.
 
I use cinnamon quite a lot, but just because I like it, it's my favourite flavour! So it goes on or in anything that I can. No idea though if I'm having too much or not enough for it make any difference! :)
 
SandieB said:
I use cinnamon quite a lot, but just because I like it, it's my favourite flavour! So it goes on or in anything that I can. No idea though if I'm having too much or not enough for it make any difference! :)
Click to expand...
I use a couple of heaped teaspoons in my porridge every day. It tastes excellent as well as being good for you
 
vit90 said:
There are so many self-acclaimed experts on the Internet, most of whom are precisely the opposite so you do need to filter through the crud. So far the fashion has been to **** Ceylon Cinnamon with faint praise; it's much safer but it doesn't work for blood sugar control. So anyway - I'm much more interested in scientific evidence and here is one relatively recent study that suggests Ceylon Cinnamon does work:

http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6882/14/351

One study is not evidence but it's worth noting.
Click to expand...

Thanks heaps for this study citation vit90, and the comments. I eat massive amounts of cinnamon, because I love it AND because I have read in many sources that it was a natural blood glucose lower-er. I had NO idea cassia cinnamon could be dangerous in large amounts, so I am running around checking my cinnamon packets (many of them empty!) Is it Sri Lankan? (I had no idea some folk still SAID Ceylon! Not Sri Lankans - that's for sure lol.) But the supermarket stuff does not stipulate. So it's off to the local organic food store for me - where the packet says 'Ceylon Cinnamon'. (Ceylon? Ouch! Europe!) What a shame - as it's so cheap at the supermarket! Thanks again for alerting us to the study.
 
AloeSvea said:
Thanks heaps for this study citation vit90, and the comments. I eat massive amounts of cinnamon, because I love it AND because I have read in many sources that it was a natural blood glucose lower-er. I had NO idea cassia cinnamon could be dangerous in large amounts, so I am running around checking my cinnamon packets (many of them empty!) Is it Sri Lankan? (I had no idea some folk still SAID Ceylon! Not Sri Lankans - that's for sure lol.) But the supermarket stuff does not stipulate. So it's off to the local organic food store for me - where the packet says 'Ceylon Cinnamon'. (Ceylon? Ouch! Europe!) What a shame - as it's so cheap at the supermarket! Thanks again for alerting us to the study.
Click to expand...

It seems that in the USA the majority of cinnamon used is of the Cassia variety while in the UK it's Ceylon cinnamon. I did read that in Denmark they use Cassia for Danish pastries though. The best way to be sure what you are getting is to buy the sticks and note their appearance; if the sticks are composed of thick sections of the bark that can hardly be folded more than once and are very difficulty to break and grind then that's Cassia. On the other hand Ceylon cinnamon is much thinner, more delicate - so easily broken and ground; in stick form you can see it's rolled tightly in many layers. It's also a lighter colour.

Update: Looking at cinnamon sticks in my local Sainsburys they are clearly the Ceylon type (both Schwartz and Sainsburys own brand). The sticks are tightly rolled scrolls of thin bark with lots of layers. Price seems good too.
 
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I use the ceylon variety ( after research ) and buy mine from amazon 5 quid for 500gr so not too expensive ...not a massive cinnamon lover but its ok in smoothies , porridge and curries ..and if it helps lower my blood sugar all well and good , at least it makes me feel like I'm doing something healthy ;)
 
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