Cinnamon is a spice that comes from the inner bark of the laurel tree. You can find it in grocery and health food stores in ground, stick and water-soluble forms. It is added to beverages, baked goods, meats, curries and vegetables to give foods a distinct flavor. Swallowing cinnamon in small amounts or adding it to food should not harm you. But medicinal doses of 2 teaspoons or more can have several uncomfortable effects.
Hypoglycemia
A 2009 study conducted at Mike O'Callaghan Federal Hospital in Las Vegas and published in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine determined that cinnamon can be effective in lowering blood glucose in type 2 diabetics. But more research needs to be done on the safety of using cinnamon to control blood glucose. Diabetics who consume large amounts of cinnamon while taking oral diabetes medications or insulin may experience hypoglycemia, a dangerous lowering of blood glucose that can lead to coma and even death, according to the American Diabetes Association.
Chest Pain
Cinnamon that is taken for medicinal purposes is usually water soluble, while ground cinnamon that you find in your supermarket is not. It is difficult to swallow ground cinnamon, especially without water. The ground cinnamon can also be accidentally inhaled while you're swallowing it. This may lead to temporary chest pain.
Liver Disease
Cinnamon contains compounds that can harm the liver, especially if you already have liver disease. If you have liver disease, you should confine the cinnamon you consume to the small amounts in your foods. Taking large amounts of cinnamon while taking drugs that may harm your liver could worsen your condition. Talk with your doctor before taking medicinal amounts of cinnamon with any drugs.
Heartburn
Large amounts of cinnamon can cause heartburn and even acid reflux, according to Medline Plus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. This is a temporarily painful condition that antacids may ease. If you regularly suffer heartburn or acid reflux after consuming a lot of cinnamon, it's best to discontinue the practice.
References
- Recipes 4 Living: Dictionary of Herbs and Spices: Cinnamon
- Pennsylvania State University: Cooperative Extension: Cinnamon and Blood Sugar
- Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine; Effectiveness of Cinnamon for Lowering Hemoglobin A1C in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: a Randomized, Controlled Trial; Paul Crawford; September 2009
- American Diabetes Association: A1C
- American Diabetes Association: Hypoglycemia
- Urban Dictionary: Cinnamon Challenge
- Medline Plus: Cassia Cinnamon
- Medline Plus: GERD
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