Why I'm Picky About My Ingredients: Cinnamon Edition
When I started building EMTeas, I spent a lot of time researching ingredients. Not just what worked, but what worked well—and what was actually safe for daily use.
I'm starting a series to pull back the curtain on why I choose the ingredients I do. First up: cinnamon.
If you're using cinnamon daily—in your coffee, tea, smoothies, whatever—you need to know about coumarin.
What is Coumarin?
Coumarin is a natural compound found in cinnamon. The problem? In high amounts over time, it stresses your liver. Not something you want piling up if you're adding cinnamon to your routine every day.
Here's the Issue
Most cinnamon in stores is Cassia cinnamon. It's cheap, it's strong, and it's loaded with coumarin. If you're using it daily, you're getting way more than your liver wants to deal with.
The Fix: Ceylon Cinnamon
Ceylon cinnamon. Also called True Cinnamon. It has way less coumarin, so it's actually safe for daily use. It's sweeter, more delicate, and higher quality. Yeah, it costs about 4 times more than Cassia. But if you're using cinnamon every day for your health, it's worth it.
Why is it Called Ceylon?
Sri Lanka (where this cinnamon comes from) used to be called Ceylon until 1972. The name stuck. So when you see "Ceylon Cinnamon," it's just telling you it's from Sri Lanka—the real, high-quality stuff. You might also see it labeled as Cinnamomum verum (which literally means "true cinnamon" in Latin). That's the scientific name. If you see that on the label, you're good.
What I Use in Golden Glow
Ceylon cinnamon. Every single batch. Because I'm not cutting corners on ingredients that go into your body every day.
Bottom Line
Check your labels. If it just says "cinnamon," it's Cassia. If it says "Ceylon," "True Cinnamon," or Cinnamomum verum, you're good.
Quality matters when you're showing up for your health consistently.