Cinnamon

[cat55]

Hi, I take Apixaban, last week I thought it might be a good idea to cut the sugar from my porridge and to help in my endeavour I started to put cinnamon on. I am aware there are 2 sorts of cinnamon but I just had the Cassia Cinnamon in. I used it for a week. Last Sunday I had rather a lot of bleeding from my gum which is not usual , and the day after I woke up with a red eye having a bleed into the white of my eye. I have tried to research the difference between Cassia and Ceylon cinnamon but I am still unsure as to whether it is better to take neither of them . I also thought it might help with blood sugar as Diabetes runs strongly in my family and I would prefer not to get it. Does anyone have any information regarding the safety of the Ceylon cinnamon as I do like it a lot? Thanks for any information anyone may have.

Best wishes Kath.

[sleeksheep]

Cant help you with porridge and cinnamon as Ive never use sugar on mine so no need for flavours , but I always put Dutch ( Ceylon) Cinnamon on carrots and various other dishes and have never had any symptoms you describe. I have diabetes type 2 and take no medication, just diet controlled

[irene75359]

(Taken from Livestrong.com, there are also many other articles online): "Cassia cinnamon reacts with warfarin. Ceylon cinnamon has a lower coumarin content than cassia cinnamon, which has up to 63 times more, according to ScienceDaily.com. Nonetheless, it is next to impossible to differentiate between the two when you're shopping for cinnamon".

In short, you need to use Ceylon cinnamon!

[momist]

I would strongly advise against using cinnamon (of any kind) in this way. Whilst it is no doubt useful as a spice in certain foods, and tastes nice enough in Christmas cake or on apple dishes, please use it carefully.

My wife has developed a condition in her mouth known as Lichen Planus. While this is a fungal infection which is very difficult to eradicate, it is I believe non-infectious, it is present in most people at a low level. The danger is that this condition over a long term can lead to cancer. The Lichen Planus was, and is, encouraged to spread into any damaged skin in her mouth, and she also suffers from a sensitivity to benzoic acid, which inflames and damages the skin in her mouth. Without going into a very long explanation, benzoates are present in the majority of foods, but at highest levels in things like cinnamon. She used to use cinnamon on her porridge every morning for many years, now she can hardly tolerate eating any foods at all and has a very severely limited diet. Eating out is now a nightmare!

We both believe that it was the constant overload of benzoic acid from the cinnamon that has raised her sensitivity to this substance. It occurs naturally in very many foods, but is also added to many preserved foods without being declared in the labelling, because it is such a naturally occurring substance. It is used in the ice on which fish is stored, as a preservative. It is added to white flour as part of the bleaching process. Even some cheeses are bleached with it. It occurs naturally in all bitter tasting green vegetables (think cabbage). I could go on for hours.

You are what you eat.

[cat55]

Many thanks for your replies, it is something I will have to look into more fully. With health issues it sometimes feels as if we are somewhat thwarted, when we try to sort out one issue we encounter another.

Best wishes Kath

[Flimmeri]

You say you take Apixaban, which is preventing blood clots, in other words blood thinner. So maybe the reason for bleeding gums is from the drug.

[cat55 in reply to Flimmeri]

Hi, I have been taking Apixaban for 2 years with no problems, but had only used cinnamon in quite bigger quantities the week or two before . It may all have been coincidence but haven't had cinnamon since and no bleeding. I suppose it's one of those things I will just have to speculate about. It does seem a shame as I was enjoying it on my porridge!!

Best wishes Kath