A recent meta-analysis found cinnamon can lower blood sugar and cholesterol in humans.
For health benefits, cassia cinnamon, which is typically sold in supermarkets, has been more widely studied than Ceylon cinnamon. But scientists say Ceylon cinnamon is likely safer in very high doses than supermarket cinnamon.
Studies have found blood-sugar benefits of a sprinkle a day of cassia cinnamon.
Cinnamon is harvested from the bark of evergreen trees. Ceylon cinnamon, or Cinnamomum verum, comes from a small tree native to Sri Lanka.
Ceylon cinnamon is lighter in color than the cassia cinnamon, which typically comes from Indonesia, China and other countries.
If you decide to use a lot of cinnamon, “you do need to use Ceylon because it will lower your risk of liver damage,” says Ms. Ginn, who is an education coordinator at the University of Maryland Center for Diabetes and Endocrinology in Baltimore.
The American Spice Trade Association based in Washington, D.C., says “cinnamon has been consumed for thousands of years without any known negative health effects.”
Health Benefits of Cinnamon
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