Animal studies have shown that eating too much coumarin, which is abundant in Cassia
Chinese cinnamon
Cinnamomum cassia, called Chinese cassia or Chinese cinnamon, is an evergreen tree originating in southern China, and widely cultivated there and elsewhere in southern and eastern Asia. It is one of several species of Cinnamomum used primarily for their aromatic bark, which is used as a spice. …
Cinnamon
Cinnamon is a spice obtained from the inner bark of several tree species from the genus Cinnamomum. Cinnamon is used mainly as an aromatic condiment and flavouring additive in a wide variety of cuisines, sweet and savoury dishes, breakfast cereals, snackfoods, tea and traditiona…
Is coumarin bad for your skin?
Since this ingredient absorbs directly into the skin, it does pose a risk. However, the concentration of this ingredient is what is important to understand. If the coumarin concentration is high enough, there may be risk liver damage and/or triggering allergies for those with sensitive skin.
What happens if you eat too much coumarin?
Research has found that eating too much coumarin may harm your liver and increase the risk of cancer ( 3, 4, 5 ). Furthermore, eating too much Cassia cinnamon has been linked to many other side effects.
Does cinnamon have coumarin in it?
Coumarin Levels in Cinnamon. According to the NCCIH, a chemical called coumarin, which is found in varying amounts in different preparations of cassia cinnamon, might cause or worsen liver disease. Cinnamon rarely contains enough coumarin to be toxic, but for those with liver problems, taking large amounts could potentially worsen their condition.
Why is coumarin banned in the US?
However, in 1954, the U.S. Food and Drug Agency banned the use of coumarin as a food additive due to reports of its potentially harmful effects on health in animal studies. ( 1) High doses of coumarin consumption have been associated with a range of adverse side effects, including liver damage and impaired cognitive development.
What effect does coumarin have on the body?
Coumarins exhibited antitumor activities at different stages of cancer formation through various mechanisms, such as blocking cell cycle, inducing cell apoptosis, modulating estrogen receptor, or inhibiting the DNA-associated enzymes, such as topoisomerase (Emami and Dadashpour, 2015).
Is coumarin toxic to humans?
The mechanism of coumarin-induced tumour formation in rodents is associated with metabolism-mediated, toxicity and it is concluded that exposure to coumarin from food and/or cosmetic products poses no health risk to humans.
What foods are high in coumarin?
Coumarin is a naturally occurring sweet-smelling compound found in many plants, including cinnamon, tonka beans, and sweet clover. High amounts of coumarin can be found in cassia cinnamon (also known as true cinnamon), whereas the Ceylon variety typically contains only traces.
Is coumarin in cinnamon bad?
Coumarin is a flavouring substance which is contained in relatively high concentrations in cinnamon varieties collectively known as "Cassia cinnamon". In especially sensitive persons, even comparatively small quantities of coumarin can cause liver damage, although the effect is usually reversible.
What are the health benefits of coumarin?
Coumarins are natural bioactive compounds recognized for their anti-inflammatory, anticoagulant, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, anticancer, antihypertensive, antituberculous, anticonvulsant, antiadipogenic, and antihyperglycemic pharmacological activities, as well as its antioxidant and neuroprotective actions [ ...
Is coumarin a carcinogen?
Coumarin is a secondary phytochemical with hepatotoxic and carcinogenic properties. For the carcinogenic effect, a genotoxic mechanism was considered possible, but was discounted by the European Food Safety Authority in 2004 based on new evidence.
How do you avoid coumarin?
To avoid exceeding the tolerable daily intake (TDI) set by EFSA, the Agency recommends keeping coumarin intake through food supplements below 4.8 mg per day for a 60 kg adult. It also advises people with a history of liver disease to avoid consumption of cinnamon-rich foods and food supplements containing coumarin.
How much coumarin is in a cinnamon stick?
Cassia cinnamon contains up to 1% coumarin, whereas true cinnamon contains only a trace, about 0.004% [1–3]. Due to the high cost of true cinnamon, cassia cinnamon is often used in the food industry, although in some countries, substitution of cassia for true cinnamon is prohibited.
How much coumarin is in green tea?
Application of the stable isotope dilution assay for the quantification of coumarin revealed that its levels in these Japanese green tea products ranged from 0.26 to 0.88 μg/g of green tea product, whereas concentrations were generally below 0.2 μg/g in common green tea products.
Is cinnamon hard on your kidneys?
Herbs such as garlic, turmeric, and cinnamon are healthy in normal amounts consumed in food. However, in pill form these herbs can alter liver enzymes, thin the blood, and change kidney functions. Poison control centers are full case reports of this happening.
What is a safe amount of cinnamon to consume daily?
Some experts suggest 1/2 to 1 teaspoon (2-4 grams) of powder a day. Some studies have used between 1 gram and 6 grams of cinnamon. High doses might be toxic.
Which cinnamon is healthiest?
Ceylon cinnamonBoth Ceylon and cassia are healthy and delicious. However, if you intend to consume large amounts of this spice or take a supplement, cassia can be harmful because of the coumarin content. At the end of the day, Ceylon cinnamon is better quality and much safer.
How much coumarin is in a cinnamon stick?
Cassia cinnamon contains up to 1% coumarin, whereas true cinnamon contains only a trace, about 0.004% [1–3]. Due to the high cost of true cinnamon, cassia cinnamon is often used in the food industry, although in some countries, substitution of cassia for true cinnamon is prohibited.
Is coumarin safe in perfume?
Coumarin is absorbed readily through the skin. If you're exposed to a fragrance containing coumarin, you may be absorbing (through skin and lungs) something that is definitely a carcinogen for lab animals, and hasn't been ruled out as a human carcinogen, too.
How much cinnamon is too toxic?
“The limit for cassia cinnamon is around 0.1 milligrams per kilogram of body weight,” he says, which translates to about a teaspoon per day for a 130-pound individual. Anything more than that could result in liver toxicity if consumed on a regular basis.
How much coumarin is in green tea?
Application of the stable isotope dilution assay for the quantification of coumarin revealed that its levels in these Japanese green tea products ranged from 0.26 to 0.88 μg/g of green tea product, whereas concentrations were generally below 0.2 μg/g in common green tea products.
What is Coumarin?
It’s thought to serve as a chemical defense in plants to protect them against predators. It naturally has a sweet, nutty, vanilla scent. However, when it’s diluted it is often compared to smelling like freshly-mown hay.
What Products Use Coumarin?
Coumarin is super common in fragrances for women. But you’ll also find it in moisturizers, shampoos, cleansers, and serums. For cosmetics, you’ll see it in foundation, bronzer, lipstick, and eye shadow.
Is Coumarin safe for pregnant women?
Many have also warned that products with this ingredient aren’t safe for children or pregnant women. Coumarin is also listed as one of 26 ingredients that is known to cause allergies in perfume by ...
Is benzyl salicylate bad for you?
You may know some of the other ingredients on this list such as Benzyl salicylate, Geraniol, Coumarin, Limonene, and Linalool. This ingredient poses a potential health risk and it can lead to an allergic reaction. Since the ingredient doesn’t offer any benefits beyond smelling nice, we recommend avoiding this ingredient for use in skincare, ...
Can coumarin cause problems?
This goes back to the concentration levels of the ingredient. Any product that uses trace amounts of coumarin may not cause you any trouble, but it’s important to keep an eye on any item with coumarin lists as an ingredient.
Is it safe to use coumarin topically?
With all the concerns and risks of consuming coumarin, you might be wondering if it’s safe to use topically. Since this ingredient absorbs directly into the skin, it does pose a risk. However, the concentration of this ingredient is what is important to understand. If the coumarin concentration is high enough, there may be risk liver damage and/or ...
Is Coumarin Vegan?
Yes, coumarin occurs naturally in plants. This compound can be sourced from plant-based ingredients, so there isn’t a concern to those adverse to animal-based products. However, if you are averse to allergies liver risks, you still might want to avoid this particular ingredient.
How Much Is Too Much?
The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment concluded that you'd need to take about a gram per day -- 1,000 milligrams -- for six months or longer to be at risk. Abandoning cinnamon capsules as a supplement isn't necessarily a major sacrifice. Although it's often promoted as a moderator of blood glucose in diabetics, that recommendation rests on one small-scale study performed in 2003, with a very limited number of subjects. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine advises that there isn't adequate scientific proof that cinnamon is a viable treatment for any condition.
Is Coumarin safe for humans?
A 2006 metastudy of the available data published in "Food and Chemical Toxicology" concluded that while a clear link existed between coumarin and liver cancers in lab animals, it remained safe for human use in dietary quantities. But it can be problematic when taken as a supplement.
Is Coumarin a natural flavoring?
Why It Matters. Coumarin contributes a pleasant note to many natural flavorings, including vanilla, but it primarily occurs in cassia . Until 1954, it was legal to use as a food additive in the U.S., but the Food and Drug Administration banned its use after researchers found it caused liver damage in laboratory animals.
Can cinnamon be taken long term?
In 2006 Germany's Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung, or Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, issued a statement cautioning against long-term use of cinnamon capsule s as a supplement. The agency tested a number of cinnamon capsules, finding that most contained cassia rather than true cinnamon. Further, their total coumarin content varied widely and could easily exceed the European Food Safety Authority's guideline of 0.1 milligrams per day per kilogram of body weight. More recent studies in Germany and the Czech Republic have confirmed the unpredictability of coumarin content. The German study even found substantial variation among samples from a single tree.
