Cinnamon: A Dash is Good, a Spoonful is Dangerous
July 1, 2013 · Posted in Risk Factors · Comment
Cinnamon seasoning is good for you; it sensitizes insulin receptors and helps prevent type 2 diabetes.
Attempting to swallow a whole spoonful—a stunt called the Cinnamon Challenge that was popularized by a viral YouTube video—can be dangerous. It induces violent coughing and a gag reflex that may lead to inhaling the spice into the lungs. Cinnamon is composed of cellulose fibers which do not dissolve or degrade in the lungs, and thus can cause scarring and other long-term lung complications. Details can be found in the May 2013 issue of the journal Pediatrics.
