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Can the cinnamon challenge kill you?
An Internet meme with potentially risky consequences is sweeping the Web. The question is, can the brutal 'cinnamon challenge' be potentially fatal as well?
Fri, Feb 03 2012 at 12:22 PM
Photo: katrindell/iStockphoto
If someone can explain the appeal of the cinnamon challenge, can they clue in the rest of us? The dastardly dare that has the Internet aflutter involves the task of eating a teaspoon of ground cinnamon, without water, in less than a minute.
What could be so tough about consuming a mouthful of this innocuous-seeming spice? If cinnamon inspires thoughts of comforting apple pie and cozy cinnamon rolls, switch gears and consider Atomic Fireballs, Lava Hot Cinnamon Balls, and Hot Tamales. Cinnamon is potent, as evidenced by the reactions recorded in many a cinnamon-challenge YouTube video — coughing, choking, gagging, vomiting, crying, cursing and general signs of severe discomfort.
But all the panicked retching aside, can swallowing a mouthful of cinnamon be dangerous, or even deadly?
To understand the potency of cinnamon, ponder this: Cinnamaldehyde, the organic compound that gives the spice its distinctive flavor, is used as a pesticide and fungicide. It’s strong enough to kill little things, for heaven’s sake. The EPA warns of acute dermal toxicity; acute oral toxicity; eye irritation; dermal irritation and dermal sensitization. Granted, this is just a component of cinnamon used in concentration, but still, this demure seasoning clearly has a wicked side.
Related on MNN: A parent's guide to the cinnamon challenge
There are two species used in the ground cinnamon found in the spice aisle, Ceylon cinnamon and Cassia cinnamon. Cassia is interesting in that it contains substantial amounts of coumarin. Coumarin is the parent compound of warfarin (known by its trademarked name, Coumadin), a medication used to keep blood from clotting. Coumarin is mighty powerful and can affect blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. In people who are sensitive, coumarin might cause or worsen liver disease.
Due to concerns about the possible effects of coumarin, several years ago the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment warned against consuming large amounts of Cassia cinnamon.
And then there’s the burn. Parenting experts recommend keeping spices out of reach from children. One of the threats to children who play in the spice cabinet is cinnamon, which when ingested can cause severe burning of the mouth and throat, requiring immediate medical attention. The burning may be so severe that the child can suffer from swelling of the mouth or throat, blocking access to air and potentially leading to death.
Obviously infants aren’t participating in the dare, and it's highly doubtful we'll witness an infant cinnamon challenge trend, but it goes to show that cinnamon is a formidable flavoring. All one needs to see is a few “cinnamon challenge fail” videos on the Web to view the effect on teens and young adults when the powder is inhaled — which is pretty much inevitable following the gasps that occur upon the initial burning. Immediate coughing and choking are de rigeuer.
Also on MNN: 13 plants that could kill you
In many cases, the coughing is so severe that the challengee has difficulty catching his breath. For anyone suffering from asthma or COPD, this can be very serious. And in fact, ground cinnamon can lead to a bronchial constriction — according to the University of Michigan Health System — and that can be life threatening.
Cinnamon also contains as essential oil called cinnamal, which can act as an allergen in a fair amount of people. Those who are allergic to cinnamon can suffer from contact dermatitis — and according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, cinnamon can also cause a severe allergic reaction that can lead to anaphylactic shock. We can only hope that someone who knows they are allergic to cinnamon would politely decline the challenge; but for someone who wasn’t aware of the existence or severity of an allergy, the results could be … challenging.
So, can the cinnamon challenge kill you? Although no accounts of death by cinnamon have been reported, there are indeed risks — and it seems only a matter of time until the challenge delivers a fatal blow to some unsuspecting teen.
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Tablespoon, not teaspoon. Correct????
YES! afaik that is . . . a teaspoon isn't that much, and a tablespoon is 3 teaspoons
Every little potential hazard with trying to eat a tsp of cinnamon could be applied to anything else that's a dare or a challenge! A tsp of cayenne, for example. A tsp of Dave's Insanity Sauce. A tsp of black pepper, or nutmeg, or mustard powder, or dirt, or even unpasteurized milk for gosh sake. Proving that the weak should just stay inside and do nothing their whole lives to stay perfectly safe.
Unpasturized milk is actually healthier and contains nutrients that are killed or altered in the pasturization process.
I'm pretty sure stuff like cayenne, dirt, and black pepper are not toxic. Also, people usually drink more than a tsp of unpasteurized milk (tsp = tablespoon = large spoonful). On a side note, nutmeg is actually poisonous and has killed people before and been used to induce abortions.
nutmeg gets you highhhh if you smoke it :)
I think most of you are missing the point. Kids are doing are ingesting cinnamon without water, videotaping it and posting it on facebook. I am a nurse and had a 15 year old hospitalized for 5 days because as she was ingesting it she inhaled some of the cinnamon and it inflamed her airway then she ended up with pneumonia.
This is so silly. I was raised eating cinnamon sprinkled on butter toast from the time I could eat for myself. I'm sure a tablespoon would taste pretty horrible, but it certainly isn't toxic to children or something in reasonable amounts.
Judging from the comments there's plenty of people who didn't really interpret what the article says.
cinnamon cakes and cookies is tasty,,,but we still living
I don't know what stupid challenge you are on about but my wife and I take cinnamon daily to reduce blood sugar levels and it does work. I never heard of it being dangerous although of course anything in excess can create problems.
James we are talking about pure cinnamon on a spoon , not in pill form. My husband takes cinnamon also (pill form) for diabetes as well.
This is a trendy dare for young people.They take spoons full of dry cinnamon and swallow without water or food. It isn't the same as sprinkling cinnamon on food or mixing with beverages, or taking in a capsule form.
I've done it....and i'm still living...
I just took the challenge, twice today.....I'm still alive :I
Why would you want to do that when you can use it sanely in all kinds of things from oatmeal, to sausage,coffee, toast, rice,
The meme is more like a full spoonful or tablespoon...a teaspoon isn't a challenge at all.
Tosh.0 did this challenge, it was hillarious!
Never heard of this challenge but I have been taking cinnamon/chromium capsules to try to lower my blood sugar. One night I took it just before bed and woke up dizzy in the middle of the night. If you try the capsules, make sure there is no coumarin in them and that there is chromium. And definitely take them only with food.
OR...or, you could not pretend you are a doctor and take capsules filled with molecules you don't understand in doses not recommended or regulated by the FDA without a physician's involvement.
What gives you the idea physicians know ANYTHING about nutrition? They ar not required to take ONE course in nutrition to become a medical doctor, and the FDA? The FDA approved the use of aspartame, come on do we really trust everything they do?
I don't trust anything they do...:) just do the research
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