Cinnamon: an Important Natural Health Product with Quantification of Key Components using NMR Spectroscopy

While being important for its culinary use, cinnamon is also highly valued for providing significant health benefits [1] including lowering blood sugar levels [2-5], reducing heart disease risk factors [5-7], and even addressing neurological disorders [8-10]. High levels of antioxidants are in present in cinnamon and likely contribute to these health benefits. Cinnamon is made from the dried inner bark of Cinnamomum verum (Ceylon cinnamon) and is referred to as “true” cinnamon. Barks of C. cassia (Chinese cassia), C. burmannii (Indonesian cassia), and C. loureiroi (Saigon cassia), collectively known as cassia cinnamon, are also marketed as cinnamon. Because of its lower cost, Cassia cinnamon and, in particular, Indonesian cassia has replaced Ceylon cinnamon as the species most widely used in the United States, Canada, and Europe. [11] Cassia cinnamon has been shown to contain high levels of the naturally occurring compound coumarin, which can be hepatotoxic to individuals sensitive to it. Ceylon cinnamon contains a significantly lower amount of coumarin. [12]