Is your cinnamon out to get you?
Imagine reaching for your favorite cinnamon powder to sprinkle on your oatmeal, unaware that each shake could expose you to a toxic heavy metal. This description isn’t a scene from a thriller movie but the stark reality uncovered by Consumer Reports’ latest investigation into lead contamination in common spices.
I will review the findings before offering you some safe cinnamon choices.
Do you know a scary movie that prominently features contaminated food?
The first one that came to mind was The Stuff, a 1985 flick.
In this horror-comedy film, a mysterious white substance emerges from the ground, quickly becoming a popular dessert food.
“The Stuff”
In the heart of Georgia’s rugged landscape, quarry workers stumble upon an enigmatic sight.
A strange, white, cream-like substance bubbles and oozes from a fissure in the earth.
Curiosity piqued, they tentatively taste it, discovering an addictive sweetness, unlike anything they’ve ever encountered. Word of this peculiar find spreads like wildfire.
Soon, entrepreneurs swoop in, bottling the substance and dubbing it “The Stuff.”
Marketed with a playful ice-cream aesthetic, The Stuff hits the shelves, captivating the nation.
Despite its mysterious origins and lack of calories, its allure is irresistible.
People can’t get enough of its sweet, otherworldly flavor, and it quickly becomes a cultural phenomenon.
From bustling cities to quiet towns, The Stuff takes America by storm, leaving everyone craving more of this enigmatic delight.
Spoiler alert
One night, a young boy named Jason discovers The Stuff appears alive.
The delicious, mysterious goo is a parasitic organism that takes over the bodies and minds of those who consume it, leading to horrifying consequences. Yes, zombies.
Let’s turn to the real-world research findings from Consumer Reports.
A Cinnamon Contamination Outbreak
Cinnamon is a staple in my kitchen.
I sprinkle into my coffee and use it as an ingredient in five-spice chicken.
Others cherish it for its purported health benefits.
High-dose Cinnamon May Help Lower Blood Sugar (But First, Some History)
Taking a cinnamon supplement may help with blood glucose levels and slow progression from pre-diabetes to type 2…drmichaelhunter.medium.com
In this context, I was alarmed when I heard about a lead poisoning outbreak last autumn.
Investigators traced the problem—which affected more than 500 children—to the cinnamon in three brands of apple purée pouches.
Months later, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned consumers to avoid 17 ground cinnamon products because of high lead levels. While much lower than those in the apple purées, these levels were high enough to pose a health threat when consumed regularly.
Enter Consumer Reports Investigators
Consumer Reports (CR) researchers wondered how worried consumers should be about cinnamon.
CR food scientists tested 36 ground cinnamon products and cinnamon-containing spice blends (such as five-spice powder).
They gathered products from 17 stores in my home state of Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and online.
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The Study Results Are Troubling
Not zombie-level disturbing, but knowing that there is no safe level of lead:
One-third of the products had lead levels above one part per million — the threshold that triggers a recall in New York, the only U.S. state that regulates heavy metals in spices.
While CR does not do compliance testing, the results raised concerns for our experts, and we shared our data with New York officials so that they could investigate further.
Listen to Dr. James Rogers, director of food safety and testing at Consumer Reports:
“Just a quarter teaspoon of any of those products has more lead than you should consume in an entire day. If you have one of those products, we think you should throw it away.”
He continues: “Even small amounts of lead pose a risk because, over time, it can accumulate in the body and remain there for years, seriously harming health.”
My Take – Is Your Cinnamon Out to Get You?
I am particularly concerned for children and pregnant women.
Lead can cause brain and nervous system damage, learning and behavior problems, developmental delays, and more.
However, we adults are not immune: Significant lead exposure can cause immune system suppression, reproductive issues, kidney damage, and high blood pressure.
Kudos to Consumer Reports for examining the issue.
I am shocked that virtually nobody in the U.S. regulatory realm is examining the amount of lead in our spices. Moreover, there is no enforcement mechanism to force a recall.
Relying on Spice Companies’ Goodwill
Yes, we must rely on the goodwill of the spice companies.
CNN explains that, as part of the Biden administration’s fiscal year 2025 budget proposal, the FDA is “seeking to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require industry to test final products for contaminants and maintain testing records for inspection by FDA officials.”
Action Plan – Is Your Cinnamon Out to Get You?
It is possible to find cinnamon with no (or extremely low levels) lead.
Here are the six with the lowest risk:
- 365 Whole Foods Market Ground Cinnamon
- 365 Whole Foods Market Organic Ground Cinnamon
- Loisa Organic Cinnamon
- Morton & Bassett San Francisco Organic Ground Cinnamon
- Sadaf Cinnamon Powder
- Sadaf Seven Spice blend.
I am about to check my cupboard. You?
Thank you for reading “Is Your Cinnamon Out to Get You?” Are you disturbed that lead in products such as spices is not regulated?
