Only 6 Cinnamon Brands Were Deemed Safe for Consumption, According to a New Investigation by Consumer Reports

Food & Wine ^ | September 12, 2024 | Korin Miller

[nickcarraway]

The disturbing new report found contamination in several brands.

Ground cinnamon has come under fire lately, with the Food and Drug Administration recalling several products in March due to elevated levels of lead. Now, a new investigation from Consumer Reports finds that there’s still an issue with lead in ground cinnamon — and your go-to brand could be putting your health at risk.

For the report, food safety scientists analyzed 36 ground cinnamon products — in addition to spice blends that contain cinnamon — for the presence of lead. The researchers discovered that 12 of the 36 products tested measured above 1 part per million, which would trigger a recall in New York — the only state that regulates heavy metals in spices. But several other cinnamon products had lead levels that Consumer Reports says are concerning enough for you to limit your use, and some are from big-name brands.

FDA Issues Alert for 6 Brands of Ground Cinnamon Due to Elevated Lead Levels

James E. Rogers, PhD, director and acting head of product safety testing at Consumer Reports, says that the company decided to test lead levels in cinnamon after the FDA’s recall of both ground cinnamon and cinnamon-flavored applesauce products over the past few years. “That told us that there’s something going on in cinnamon,” he says.

So, which products should you avoid and why is this concerning? Here’s what we know, based on the findings.

Which products had the most lead?

Consumer Reports made a point to test both popular products you can get at your local grocery store and ground cinnamon from specialty shops. “Most of the contamination came from products that were purchased from smaller brands and stores,” Rogers says. Those include:

Paras cinnamon powder (3.52 ppm)

EGN cinnamon powder (2.91 ppm)

Mimi’s Products ground cinnamon (2.03 ppm)

Bowl & Basket ground cinnamon (1.82 ppm)

Rani Brand ground cinnamon (1.39 ppm)

Zara Foods cinnamon powder (1.27 ppm)

Three Rivers cinnamon stick powder (1.26 ppm)

Yu Yee Brand five spice powder (1.25 ppm)

BaiLiFeng five spice powder (1.15 ppm)

Spicy King five spices powder (1.05 ppm)

Badia cinnamon powder (1.03 ppm)

Deep cinnamon powder (1.02 ppm)

Which brands were the safest?

Only six products were deemed the best to use, based on the findings. They include:

365 Whole Food Market organic ground cinnamon (0.02 ppm)

Loisa organic cinnamon (0.04 ppm)

Morton & Bassett San Francisco 100% organic ground cinnamon (0.04 ppm)

Sadaf cinnamon powder (0.04 ppm)

365 Whole Foods Market ground cinnamon (0.12 ppm)

Sadaf seven spice (0.15 ppm)

It’s important to note that Consumer Reports also found that some products landed in a middle ground that didn’t make them unsafe to use — but also didn’t classify them as being the safest. (The organization specifically labels them as “okay to use,” provided consumption is kept at a minimum.)

Those included well-known brands like:

McCormick ground cinnamon (0.23 ppm)

Simply Organic cinnamon (0.28 ppm)

Bassett San Francisco ground cinnamon (0.55 ppm)

Good & Gather ground cinnamon (0.56 ppm)

Trader Joe organic ground cinnamon (0.69 ppm)

Great Value ground cinnamon (0.79 ppm)

Kirkland Signature organic Saigon cinnamon (0.80 ppm)

How does lead end up in cinnamon?

There are a few different ways lead can wind up in cinnamon. “Lead can be present in the soil where cinnamon is grown, especially in countries with heavy industrial activity or where leaded gasoline and pesticides were once used,” says Darin Detwiler, L.P.D., an associate teaching professor of food policy at Northeastern University and author of Food Safety: Past, Present, and Predictions. “Plants can absorb lead from contaminated soil or water.”

Lead can also find its way into cinnamon during the production, drying, and grinding process, Detwiler says. “Equipment or facilities contaminated with lead can introduce it into the final product,” he explains. “Improper quality controls can allow this contamination to go undetected.”

Some types of cinnamon may even be stored in containers or packages that contain lead, which could lead to contamination, Rogers says. “There are a number of ways contamination can happen, but probably the most likely reason is where the cinnamon is grown and how it’s irrigated,” he says.

Just how concerning is lead in cinnamon?

One important thing to remember is that there is no known safe level of exposure to lead, per the FDA. Jamie Alan, Ph.D., an associate professor of pharmacology and toxicology at Michigan State University, calls the findings “concerning, particularly given the fact that ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon contains enough lead to exceed the recommended daily amounts for some brands.”

The biggest concern is for children, Alan says. “Lead interferes with neural development, and exposure in children can lead to neurodevelopmental issues, including ADHD,” she says. (Alan notes that lead is still a concern for adults, but exposure to children is particularly worrying.)

“That said, the amount of lead varies considerably among the brands tested,” Alan says. “Also, you need to consider the cumulative amount of exposure. If you eat a Snickerdoodle or even two at a family gathering, that is likely OK. If you are eating two packages of cinnamon applesauce daily, that makes me more concerned.”

Still, lead builds up in the body over time. “Even low levels in cinnamon powder could contribute to long-term health risks if consumed regularly,” Detwiler says.

What you can do to prevent lead poisoning

Rogers says it’s important not to panic over the report’s findings. “But become an informed consumer,” he says. “Buy the cinnamon that has the lowest amount of contamination demonstrated by our study and others.” If you’re at the store and are unsure of what to purchase, he recommends that you “stick with the big-name brands,” given that these were less likely to have higher levels of lead.

It’s also a good idea to use different spices, when you can, says Leigh A. Frame, Ph.D., associate director of the George Washington University Resiliency & Well-being Center. “It’s wise to diversify your diet to avoid repeated exposure to potentially contaminated sources of any one food, including spices like cinnamon,” she says.

But Alan agrees that it’s important to put the findings in perspective. “While this can pose health concerns, the typical person is likely not consuming enough cinnamon to have any lasting impact,” she says. “That said, if your child is regularly consuming something containing cinnamon, it’s worth checking the source and asking your healthcare provider about testing for lead exposure and toxicity.”

[Aeneas2112]

Grind your own. You can get sticks from a reputable source and freshly ground is far, far, better as well as less expensive than all but the cheapest and oldest crap.

Any spice you can buy whole and grind as needed will always be far fresher tasting.

[monkeyshine]

Hopefully you didn’t use any seed oils!

[PGR88]

They don't even tell which ones are Ceylon cinnamon, and which ones are Cassia.

I bet they are all Cassia. Its the cheap, common alternative to real cinnamon.

[rlmorel]

For the last five years or so, I have been eating a bowl of oatmeal each morning during the workweek. (On weekends, I eat the bad cereals that are not good for me)

I have a large Badia Cinnamon container which is near the bottom, which I use very heavily in my oatmeal.

I guess I’m gonna die.

[TribalPrincess2U]

Oatmeal! Yummy, now I’m hungry for oatmeal.

I have 3 large unopened round boxes of oatmeal, since the coof started. What was tat 2020?

Wonder if they’re still good.

[rlmorel]

LOL, probably...funny.

For years, I heard you need eat oatmeal, you need to eat oatmeal, you need to eat oatmeal...lowers your cholesterol...lowers your cholesterol...lowers your cholesterol.

So I resisted. I have a history in my family with oatmeal. My dad was a career Naval Officer, we had six kids in our family, and my mom got breast cancer at a very young age.

My dad had to make breakfast for us when she was sick, an he made it so thick it was very nearly solid! And then, he used to put a drop of purple iodine on top of it, because that was the way it was done in the late Fifties/early Sixties...people needed iodine in their diets, so there was some additive he used, a little brown bottle with an eyedropper.

Heh, I was so bogued out about it, I didn’t enjoy oatmeal until some sixty years later!

But being the creature of habit I am, I get into work long before everyone else, so I began preparing oatmeal at work for breakfast, to have with my single cup of black coffee each day.

It’s my thing now.

I take a half cup of oatmeal, spread a little on the bottom of a paper bowl and put some cinnamon and Splenda, lay down another layer of oatmeal, a little more cinnamon and Splenda, pour the rest of the oatmeal on top, sprinkle a lot of raisins on top, and, using the small cup mode on my coffee maker at work, I put in the hot water. Then I put it in the microwave for 90 seconds...comes out perfectly!

Then I got Type II diabetes, and my doctor told me I had to eat something else for breakfast. I said “Really? You gotta be kidding me.”

Nope. They weren’t kidding.

I listen less to the medical research stuff you see all the time posted here, drink coffee, don’t drink coffee, eat eggs, don’t eat eggs, drink wine don’t drink wine...

Screw it. They don’t know what they are talking about, and I work in medicine! I’m just going to eat those things in moderation. If it kills me, it kills me!

[rlmorel]

I use the large cylinders of oatmeal too!

[TribalPrincess2U]

That’s a great story.

My grandmother made oatmeal served with cream and sugar No cinnamon.

Grandpa ate the fat on meats. Granted this was in the 40s so no one was given info like today. Needless to say they both checked out at 75.
Still, do we really know?

I buy local honey at $25.00 a qt. Well worth it and last a decent time. No sugar!

I have to wonder about undistinguishable bugs they’re already pushing in some foods already. yuck!

Sounds like you will live a ripe old age.
Hopefully kicking up your heels all the way. ; -)

[Veto!]

I never liked cinnamon until 15 years ago when I met my first friend in this town. I had just pulled out of my driveway into the street and came to a screeching halt when I saw a woman walking a Corgi. Our family has had Corgis since 1966.

Became friends with owner, Belva Ann, who loved cinnamon. She told me I had to buy Simply Organic Ceylon Cinnamon, and it did taste. better. Friend died, I forgot I had cinnamon in the cabinet , but there it is. “Acceptable” on this list, but I’ll toss some in my cereal tomorrow morning, enjoy it along with fond memories.

[rlmorel]

Well, I sure am going to try kicking up my heels as long as I can...:)

[NetAddicted]

That is what I was figuring.

[Captainpaintball]

They don't even tell which ones are Ceylon cinnamon, and which ones are Cassia.

That's what annoys me, too. I only use ceylon

[philman_36]

May this article prove beneficial to you...

Removal of ‘zombie cells’ alleviates causes of diabetes in obese mice March 25, 2019

Mayo Clinic researchers and their collaborators have shown that when senescent cells — also known as “zombie cells” — are removed from fat tissue in obese mice, severity of diabetes and a range of its causes or consequences decline or disappear.
Snip...The senolytic drugs also prompted improved kidney and heart function, both of which are common complications of diabetes. Some senolytic supplements can be costly and unavailable locally while others are much less expensive and not available locally either.

Since finding out about this just a couple of months ago I've yet to find any locally. I'll have to break down and buy some online. I don't want to be on meds the rest of my life which is what prompted my original search.

My clinic was quite impressed with my find. Nobody there had a clue and they were quite surprised at the date of the article.

[Getready]

Next. Check out everything for cadmium or barium, mercury, thallium, cobalt, arsenic, titanium...but ok to eat bugs....
In case anyone misses it, the earth ain’t always your friend. Tell them that at earth day. Besides impact events, earthquakes, volcanoes, tornadoes, floods, fires, lightning, etc, some times it can kill you in more subtle ways.... e.g....Cameroon. 1986,or fumaroles at Yellowstone....
Sounds very odd to all of a sudden focus on cinnamon...
Does that explain our societies lunacy?

[SunkenCiv]

Lead, shmead. :^) Thanks nickcarraway. The rest of the Cinnamon (let me in!) keyword, sorted:

• Cinnamon: A Multifaceted Medicinal Plant [04/15/2024]
• Teaspoon a Day of Common Spice May Reduce Diabetes Risk [02/01/2024]
• Health officials warn of lead poisoning in kids after fruit puree recall [11/14/2023]
• Unbottling the scent of the afterlife: New study of ancient Egyptian mummification balms [09/08/2023]
• People may have been cooking curries in South-East Asia for at least 2000 years [07/24/2023]
• The Mysterious History of Cinnamon [05/09/2022]
• Book Review: Federico De Romanis and Marco Maiuro, eds., Across the Ocean: Nine Essays on Indo-Mediterranean Trade [08/14/2021]
• 1623: Amboyna Massacre [02/27/2021]
• Fresno's Cinnamon Roll Craze Continues as Long Lines Form Again [04/20/2020]
• Cinnamon Cools Your Stomach, New Study Says [11/20/2016]
• 'Cinnamon Can Kill' Says Mother Of Boy Who Died After Eating Too Much Cinnamon [06/06/2015]
• Fighting E. Coli Outbreaks With Cinnamon [08/26/2014]
• Wine Cellar, Well Aged, Is Revealed in Israel [11/23/2013]
• Evidence of 3,000-Year-Old Cinnamon Trade Found in Israel [08/20/2013]
• When political correctness collides with political correctness [07/13/2012]
• Need assistance with Mint Maya [06/29/2012]
• Antioxidant spices reduce negative effects of high-fat meal [08/10/2011]
• Cinnamon can replace harmful chemicals used to create nanoparticles [11/29/2010]
• Science Finding Medical Promise In Kitchen Cabinets [06/11/2008]
• Cat Joins Exclusive Genome Club (Abyssinian Cat Cinnamon Has DNA Decoded Alert) [11/01/2007]
• Cinnamon and Diabetes -- Disease Type Appears to Matter [04/15/2007]
• Tri-Cities police waste no time finding stolen doughnut truck [08/08/2006]
• STILLWELL: When Anarchists Attack [07/20/2005]
• Cinnamon Oil Kills Mosquito Larvae (Better-Smelling Bug Repelling Tests Underway) [07/19/2004]
• Sailing The Cinnamon Route [03/04/2004]
• Type 2 diabetics may get a health boost from a dash of cinnamon [01/27/2004]
• Cinnamon spice produces healthier blood [11/25/2003]

[CaptainPhilFan]

Mercury!!! Holy rolly moly. I went through at least 2 thermometers a month. That stuff was fascinating. I don’t remember exactly what age or for how long but I’ll never forget rolling that stuff around in my hand and then wrapping it all up and hiding the evidence. Science and danger all in one!

Of course, I did acquire a pituitary tumor in my twenties but I’m sure that had nothing to do with it. :)

[CaptainPhilFan]

I just purchased 2 of the giant containers of Badia ginger - I love this brand. I think ginger was also having “lead problems” recently. Anything to keep as many as people as possible worried, guessing, and feeling guilty or ashamed.

I got Anthony’s (from Amazon) Ceylon cinnamon, a big bag of it.
Planning on consuming more as another weapon in the battle against an elevated A1C.

[dkGba]

I wondered that as well.

[rlmorel]

Very interesting-thank you!

I don’t totally discount research, but I lost a huge amount of faith in the field I work in when I saw how they handled COVID.

[philman_36]

My pleasure, as always.

I did quite a bit of looking into the matter after finding the original information because I don't exactly trust the medical field. Too many bad experiences over the years with friends and family. I never have put much faith in their "cures" and I sure as hell wasn't going to trust the injection. I blame my Mom's deteriorating health over the years on the vaccines she insisted she needed.

I'm going to give it a try when I decide on a vendor to my liking. It can't hurt.