Myth: Ceylon Cinnamon is Beneficial for Your Health. Fact: 100% of Ceylon Cinnamons Test Positive for Concerning Levels of Heavy Metals.
Published: April 30, 2026
A Quick Note From Tamara Rubin
Below you will find a comparative chart showing the lab test results for all of the Ceylon Cinnamon products we have sent in for independent, third-party laboratory testing to date (since we started the Lead Safe Mama, LLC Community Collaborative Laboratory Testing Initiative in March of 2024). There are currently lab test results for five products included in this chart as of the date of publishing. We have two lab reports for Ceylon Cinnamon products pending publishing (including one of the products shown in the chart).
- As noted in the chart graphic below:
- 80% of the Ceylon Cinnamon Products Tested Positive For Lead
- 100% of the Ceylon Cinnamon Products Tested Positive For Cadmium
- 60% of the Ceylon Cinnamon Products Tested Positive For Mercury
- 80% of the Ceylon Cinnamon Products Tested Positive For Arsenic
As always – to see the full original lab report for each product shown in the chart, click the link for the article for that specific product (the numbers in the list of linked articles below correspond with the numbers for each of the products shown in the chart below) and scroll down to the very bottom of the article. The lab reports are always BELOW the sharable social media graphic and BELOW the list of Lab Tested Safer Choices that is embedded in each article.
As with nearly all of the lab test results we share, we will take a moment reiterate a key point: All relevant federal agencies have published statements that are in agreement with the consensus in the scientific and medical communities that there is no safe level of Lead exposure for human beings — especially in products that will be ingested.
The logic for the above concern for Lead exposure also applies to Mercury exposure and Cadmium exposure. Cadmium is a known carcinogen, Lead is a neurotoxin ad a carcinogen, Mercury is a neurotoxin. Arsenic is also a carcinogen. Daily consumption of products that are heavily contaminated with these toxic heavy metals is especially concerning.
The asserted “health beneficial” properties alleged to be present with daily consumption of Ceylon Cinnamon powder do not take into account the concern for detrimental effects of daily consumption of a significantly heavy metals contaminated product. It is possible that – a century ago, or even 50 years ago – Ceylon Cinnamon was (at some point in human history) not heavily contaminated with neurotoxic heavy metals. This is not the case in the current century.
Alleged Health “Benefits” of Ceylon Cinnamon:
Countering The Above Misinformation About the Health Beneficial Properties of Daily Consumption of Ceylon Cinnamon — Below Are Potential Negative Health Impacts of Daily Exposure to the Heavy Metals Found in Ceylon Cinnamon:
#1) Heavy metals exposure (especially, but not limited to Lead), has been shown to be causal in DECREASED kidney function — with links to being causal (directly or indirectly) in contributing to diabetes. One Related Source – Link
#2) Lead has been repeatedly demonstrated to negatively impact cardiovascular health, especially with persistent, chronic, low-level exposure that one may find in daily dietary sources — like Ceylon Cinnamon. One Related Study – Link
#3) Heavy metals exposure has been demonstrated to cause inflammation throughout the body. One Related Study – Link.
#4) Lead and Mercury have been definitively shown to cause neurocognitive damage – specifically contributing to an increased risk of early onset Alzheimer’s. One Related Study – Link.
#5) Heavy metals exposure has been repeatedly demonstrated to – again – be causal in significantly interrupting the function of the GI system – increasing inflammation and GI dysfunction. One Related study – Link.
Our goal is to share independent, third-party (non-industry influenced) science to help you make science-backed informed decisions for your families. It is our recommendation that Ceylon Cinnamon not be consumed (at all), given the pervasive contamination of this class of product. The alleged “health protective” qualities of this contaminated food appear (when looking at the science) to be entirely negated by the potential for damage to be caused.
In sharing all of the above it is important to note that we are not dealing with a “dose makes the poison” situation when it comes to heavy metals exposure – especially heavy metals exposure introduced via the diet. There is no safe level of exposure to these heavy metals, and – in most cases – the impact is cumulative over a lifetime, with the negative health impacts showing up over time in response to chronic exposure. So while you may be “fine” now, the long-term impact may not yet be realized.
If you are concerned about detoxing from years of exposure, the scientifically proven most effective natural detox method is garlic consumption (fresh, raw or cooked is better than processed, dried, or powdered). Click here to read more about the science behind the detox capacity of your grandmother’s favorite remedy! It turns out she was right!
Links to the lab reports for the Ceylon Cinnamon products shown in the chart below:
- SonnentoR Zimt Ceylon Gemahlen, Bio (Organic) Cinnamon from Austria (Ground) — Not Yet Published
- Frontier Co-Op Organic Ceylon Cinnamon (Ground) — Link to Article with Lab Report
- Simply Organic Ground Ceylon Cinnamon — Link to Article with Lab Report
- Druera Ceylon Cinnamon Powder – Link to Article with Lab Report
- Frontier Co-Op Ceylon Cinnamon Sticks – Organic — Link to Article with Lab Report
The Lead Safe Mama, LLC Community Collaborative Laboratory Testing Initiative is directed by you (our readers help nominate products for testing and reporting), and funded by you (our readers help cover the costs of the testing and reporting we do).
The testing and reporting for more than 50% of the products included in this chart was not funded. If you appreciate this information (if it is helping you to make science-based informed choices for yourself and your family) and you would like to support our work with a financial contribution, we would like to encourage you to join us on Patreon with a small monthly gift in support of the Lead Safe Mama, LLC Community Collaborative Laboratory Testing Initiative.
The link to our Patreon membership page is below. Thank you for considering this request. Even a monthly gift of just $2.00 or $3.00 makes a difference! Our current average monthly gift is $3.91 a month (there are also some fun membership perks at the $25.00 / month and $50.00 / month levels, so please do check those out as well). https://www.patreon.com/leadsafemama/membership
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RE D APE has Ceylon cinnamon and they test every batch for heavy metals and are transparent. Glad I found them.
Theirs is also heavily contaminated. They just hide the levels by reporting them in ppm (not ppb). Food toxicity is measured in ppb, not ppm.
T
Thank you Tamara, foods such as these you have tested are most helpful , particularly under the guise of health and wellbeing, this is the reporting we need, versus candies – so thank you! Most grateful
Thank you for commenting,
Families do need lab test results for candies too. Our focus is on childhood lead poisoning prevention, so testing products children may consume is the most important in terms of our mission.
I also tested my favorite candy and it came back clean 😉 [I buy these in the UK when I visit!] https://amzn.to/42HI2YM
Here’s the article with the lab report: https://tamararubin.com/2024/11/cavenidish-harvey-wild-berry-drops/
T
Yeah, I bought into the whole health benefits line, until learning of its darker side.
What about FGO Ceylon cinnamon?
Please don’t publish the AI overviews, they are so often wrong in subtle ways. I would look at the references it’s pulling and consider using those. I worry it detracts from the message of your website
Hi! I do understand your concern, however I vetted each of these reviews before sharing and confirmed they are correct (based on knowledge I had of the research before generating the search). I would never publish false information on my website. By sharing the AI overviews it also demonstrates to people new to the concern how well established this information is. One example study link is included with each example.
T
I see that the links to the actual websites where the information was taken from are shown and the sources appear credible, however I agree with Oui Ja that the A.I. summaries are a distraction, and for me off putting considering how controversial A.I is currently. I skip over that kind of ‘information’, but if you feel it’s better to have it that’s your call Tamara. Always appreciate the comparison charts though.
Is there any cinnamon that isn’t contaminated?
No
What about Saigon cinnamon- are there reports for that?
Here you go: https://tamararubin.com/2024/12/cinnamon-chart/
What about Cinnamon Vogue? They post 3rd party test results for heavy metals and coumarin on their website. Although the heavy metal amounts are mg/kg so I don’t know how that translates.
I wonder if the few <5's in the table are false negatives.
They are not false negatives, they are confirmed low thresholds of detection, so the amount of toxicant could be 0.1 or 1.0 or even 4.8, any number less than five. These are read “Non-detect, less than five”.
T
so basically its best not to consume cinnamon? I do not like sweet things so I use cinnamon in place of candys and sweets so this is quite sad to see.
We’re recommending avoiding all cinnamon products until a safer option can be identified. We’re also doubtful that this will be possible – unless the industry profoundly cleans up their sources!
T
so no good ceylon at all?
We have not found any safe cinnamons yet. Here’s our full comparative chart (including different types of cinnamon, Ceylon and Saigon):
https://tamararubin.com/2024/12/cinnamon-chart/
So if you choose to use cinnamon, a better option might be to buy stick cinnamon and grind it yourself? Manufacturers are using equipment to process their products that contain heavy metals? Is that possible intros day and age?
No. Absolutely not. That’s the wrong takeaway here.
Look at the Mercury and Cadmium levels on the sticks in this chart – sticks and powders can both absolutely be heavily contaminated (we have discovered).
More info here: https://tamararubin.com/2024/12/cinnamon-chart/
How about Pinch Spice Market’s Ceylon? They also sell it in sticks as well as powdered. Or how about TerraSoul? Thank you!
Dr. Paul Saladino did testing too and reported that the Whole365 brand cinnamon was the only safe and the cleanest on the market. Is that accurate?
No that is not accurate.
I think he is citing the Consumer Reports statement. There is no safe level of Lead exposure for human beings. Cadmium causes cancer. Anyone citing these products are safe for human consumption (in the modern world) is ignoring science — especially if they are a doctor (that’s outrageous!)
Here’s the Whole Foods product tested in 2024:
https://tamararubin.com/2024/12/365-whole-foods-market-organic-ground-cinnamon-powder/
Here’s the Whole Foods product test 2025:
https://tamararubin.com/2025/12/2025-retest-of-365-whole-foods-market-organic-ground-cinnamon/
How about Pinch Spice Market’s Ceylon? They also sell it in sticks as well as powdered. Or how about TerraSoul? I don’t see either on the list
Click the “nominate” button at the top of any of our articles for instructions on how to nominate a product for testing (or how to sponsor the cost of testing yourself). Thank you.