Cinnamon: Why It's More Than a Flavor

Hey.

You eat something sweet, or bigger than you meant to, and an hour later you can feel the crash coming. Or maybe it's the opposite — steady tiredness by 3pm that a coffee doesn't touch.

Cinnamon has been sitting in your spice rack the whole time doing more than you'd think.

How cinnamon helps

The compound doing the work is called cinnamaldehyde — it's what gives cinnamon its smell, its flavor, and most of its measurable effects.

Here's the headline: in people with elevated blood sugar, clinical research has repeatedly linked cinnamon to support for healthy glucose metabolism — one meta-analysis of 543 people found a meaningful shift in fasting blood sugar markers. It doesn't do much in people whose levels are already in a normal range, which tells you it's supporting your body's own regulation rather than forcing anything.

It's also one of the more concentrated natural sources of antioxidants you can find in a spice rack — outperforming a lot of foods marketed as "superfoods" ounce for ounce. Those antioxidants are part of why cinnamon has a long history of use for supporting a healthy inflammatory response and the body's natural defenses.

One thing worth knowing: cinnamon comes in two common types — Ceylon and Cassia. Cassia (the kind in most grocery store cinnamon and cheap capsules) is naturally higher in coumarin, a compound that research links to liver stress when eaten daily in meaningful amounts. Ceylon has only trace amounts. We use Ceylon cinnamon because it's much lower in coumarin than Cassia, making it the better choice for a daily routine — and when something becomes part of your daily routine, the small choices compound.

Sea moss, cinnamon, lemon, lime, spring water. Warm and familiar, made fresh to order in Atlanta.

Reasons not to take it

• Diabetes medication. Cinnamon may affect glucose metabolism, so if you take medication for blood sugar, ask your doctor before adding it to your daily routine.

• Blood thinners. Cinnamon has mild blood-thinning properties.

• Liver conditions. Ceylon is much lower in coumarin than Cassia, but check with your doctor if your liver is already under strain.

• Pregnancy. Cooking with cinnamon is fine; supplement-strength daily amounts should be cleared with your doctor first.

Get a jar

Sea moss gel with Ceylon cinnamon, made fresh after you order and shipped from Atlanta.

A spoonful in the morning or stirred into tea, and give it two to three weeks to notice a difference.

If it isn't what you wanted, tell us and we'll make it right.

References: PMC9269353, PMC3767714, Healthline — Cinnamon Side Effects & Coumarin. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.