Is There Lead in Cinnamon?

The Short Answer

Yes, you need to be careful with cinnamon. While the panic started with the WanaBana applesauce recall in late 2023, subsequent investigations have found that ground cinnamon powder is a major source of lead exposure in American pantries.

In late 2024, Consumer Reports tested 36 cinnamon products and found that one-third contained lead levels above 1 part per million (ppm)—the threshold that triggers a recall in New York. The FDA has since issued alerts for over 20 specific brands, mostly found in dollar stores and international markets.

The Verdict: Check your pantry immediately. If you have Badia, Rani, Zara Foods, or any discount store brand, toss it. If you use McCormick, Trader Joe's, or Costco (Kirkland), you are in the "acceptable" but not "cleanest" zone. For the safest option, switch to Morton & Bassett or Whole Foods 365.

Why This Matters

Lead is a neurotoxin that accumulates in the body over time. There is no safe level of lead exposure, especially for children. Unlike food poisoning, you won't feel sick immediately. Instead, chronic low-level exposure is linked to lower IQ, behavioral issues, and developmental delays in kids, and kidney/heart issues in adults.

The issue with cinnamon is concentration. Because cinnamon bark is dried and ground, any heavy metals absorbed from the soil (or introduced by dirty grinding machinery) become concentrated in the final powder.

Historically, we worried about Coumarin (a liver toxin found in Cassia cinnamon). Now, we have to worry about Lead too. Unfortunately, solving one doesn't solve the other—Ceylon cinnamon (low Coumarin) can still have high lead levels if grown in contaminated soil. Ceylon Vs Cassia Cinnamon

What's Actually In Cinnamon

When you buy a jar of ground cinnamon, you are getting pulverized tree bark. But depending on where it was grown and how it was processed, you might also be getting:

• Lead — Absorbed from the soil or flaked off from old processing machinery. FDA alerts cite levels as high as 7.0 ppm in some brands, though most "bad" brands hover around 1.5–3.0 ppm.
• Chromium — Often found alongside lead, particularly in the applesauce recall cases.
• Coumarin — A natural organic compound in Cassia cinnamon that can damage the liver in high doses. Is Cassia Cinnamon Bad For You

What to Look For

Green Flags:

• Origin Transparency — Brands that list specific sourcing and testing protocols.
• Testing History — Brands like Morton & Bassett and Whole Foods have consistently passed third-party scrutiny over multiple years.
• Whole Sticks — Buying whole cinnamon sticks and grating them yourself can reduce lead risk, as some contamination comes from the industrial grinding process.

Red Flags:

• Discount Brands — Cinnamon sold at Dollar Tree, Family Dollar, or Save A Lot has been disproportionately affected by FDA recalls.
• Bulk International Spices — Brands like Swad, Rani, and Paras often lack the strict supply chain controls of major retailers and frequently fail heavy metal tests.
• "Saigon" or "Vietnamese" Marketing — While delicious, these intense cinnamons (Cassia) are often higher in coumarin and have variable lead levels.

The Best Options

Based on data from Consumer Reports (2024) and recent FDA alerts.

The Bottom Line

1. Purge your pantry. Check your labels against the FDA recall list and the "Avoid" table above. If you have Badia, Rani, or generic dollar-store cinnamon, throw it out.

2. Upgrade to Morton & Bassett or Whole Foods. These are widely available and consistently test roughly 10x cleaner than even the "acceptable" big brands.

3. Don't rely on "Organic". Organic certification covers pesticides, not heavy metals. Several organic brands tested higher in lead than conventional McCormick.

FAQ

Is Ceylon cinnamon safer than Cassia for lead?

Not necessarily. While Ceylon is safer for your liver (due to low coumarin), it is not automatically lower in lead. In fact, Penzeys Ceylon cinnamon tested higher for lead (0.78 ppm) than their Vietnamese cinnamon (0.55 ppm). You should choose Ceylon to avoid coumarin, but you still need to buy from a clean brand. Ceylon Vs Cassia Cinnamon

Is McCormick cinnamon safe?

It is acceptable, but not the best. McCormick tested at 0.23 ppm lead. This is well below the 1.0 ppm danger threshold, but significantly higher than Morton & Bassett (0.04 ppm). For occasional baking, it's fine. For daily use in oatmeal or supplements, we recommend upgrading.

Why is there lead in cinnamon?

Cinnamon trees absorb lead from the soil (which can be contaminated by leaded gasoline fallout or industrial waste). Additionally, the grinding process is a major culprit—old or cheap grinding stones can wear down, depositing microscopic amounts of lead and chromium directly into the powder.

Does cooking eliminate the lead?

No. Lead is a heavy metal element. It cannot be destroyed by heat, baking, or boiling. If it's in the spice, it ends up in your food.