I was talking to my mom last night when she casually mentioned something she'd recently learned: there are two types of cinnamon, and one can be hard on the liver.

Wait, what? Really?

I use cinnamon daily in my coffee. Since moving to Portugal, I've been drinking instant coffee, which isn't great, but cinnamon and milk make it tolerable. Back in the States, I had a wonderful coffee maker with a hopper on top that ground the beans on the fly. I loved that machine. After ten years—and just before we moved here—it stopped working. Not that we could have brought it anyway, given the electrical differences.

We purged 90% of what we owned before moving to Portugal, so we arrived essentially starting from scratch. New beds, sofas, tables, cutlery, bowls, plates, pans, pots—buying another fancy coffee maker seemed excessive. Plus, we have limited counter space in our rental house, so I've stuck with instant coffee and my daily dose of cinnamon.

There Are Two Types of Cinnamon:

Cassia Cinnamon (The Common One)
• Usually labeled simply as "cinnamon"
• Stronger, sharper flavor
• Hard, thick sticks (if whole)
• Higher in coumarin

Coumarin is the issue. In higher amounts, it can stress the liver. For most people using cinnamon occasionally, this is irrelevant. But I don't use it occasionally—I use it daily. And I have cancer in my liver.

My recent labs still show elevated AST, ALT, GGT, and alkaline phosphatase. The trend is improving, but my liver is clearly working hard. Half a teaspoon of cassia can contain 1–3.5 mg of coumarin—below the threshold considered concerning for most adults. But when my liver is already managing chemotherapy, inflammation, and metastases, why add another daily burden, even a small one?

Ceylon Cinnamon (The Better Option)
• Labeled "Ceylon" or "True Cinnamon"
• Milder, slightly sweet
• Thin, papery layered sticks
• Very low coumarin

This is the version to use if you're consuming cinnamon daily, without the unnecessary hepatic processing.

How to Find the Better Cinnamon

In the US:
• Look specifically for "Ceylon" or "True Cinnamon" on the label
• Check for the scientific name "Cinnamomum verum"
• Avoid jars labeled only "Cinnamon" with no subtype
• Health food stores and stores like Whole Foods carry it more consistently
• Online retailers usually specify the type clearly

In Portugal:
• Look for "Canela do Ceilão" or "Canela de Ceilão"
• You might also see "Canela verdadeira" (True Cinnamon)
• Check for "Cinnamomum verum" on the label
• Avoid products labeled just "Canela" with no qualifier (that's usually cassia)
• Try health food stores (lojas de produtos naturais) or larger supermarkets like Continente or Pingo Doce

It costs a little more. It tastes slightly softer. It eliminates a small but controllable risk.

Sometimes the smallest swaps matter most.