Thursday Things: Excessive Cinnamon Edition
15 May 2025. Vol 7 No 20. By Dan McGirt. #301
Thursday Things is here! This week we get excessive with cinnamon, meet an overlooked Roman emperor, and take a shortcut to France.
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That doesn’t seem excessive. Photo by Rens D on Unsplash
Excessive cinnamon
I love cinnamon, and maybe you do too. Cinnamon enhances the flavors of apple cider, sweet potatoes, lattes, ice cream, and all sorts of fruits and baked goods.
And also toast. Cinnamon toast is the best.
In addition to being yummy, cinnamon has numerous potential health benefits — such as helping control blood sugar and improving heart health. It’s rich in antioxidants and compounds with anti-inflammatory properties. It may even improve cognitive function. Yay cinnamon!
But cinnamon also has a dark side. And I’m not talking about Ceylon vs. cassia cinnamon, although that’s worth keeping in mind.1
No, today’s concerns is that consuming excessive cinnamon may interfere with how your body absorbs some medications:
Excessive cinnamon may interfere with some medications, study shows
Overuse of cinnamon could cause the body to clear some drugs too quickly, making them less effective, The Post reported.
The study didn't say exactly how much cinnamon is too much, but researchers warned that concentrated forms, like supplements, carry more risk. They advise patients to check with their doctor before using cinnamon supplements or other similar products.
Further research needed, etc. This is information mainly of concern to people who take certain medications and also consume large amounts of cinnamon. Which I have to believe is a relatively narrow universe.
However, that’s not why I include this item in Thursday Things today.
No, I just love the phrase Excessive Cinnamon!
It sounds like a great name for a band.
Or for a racehorse. “And in the stretch it’s Excessive Cinnamon! Excessive Cinnamon pulls ahead!”
Excessive Cinnamon!
Study: Evaluation of bioaccessibility, metabolic clearance and interaction with xenobiotic receptors (PXR and AhR) of cinnamaldehyde in Food Chemistry: Molecular Sciences
Excessive Cinnamon! Image: ChatGPT
France is closer than you think
France once controlled much of North America. Then the French ended up on the wrong side of what we in North America call the French and Indian War, but which was only a subset of the Seven Years War in Europe. France then ceded its “New France” holdings in North America to Britain.
Well, most of its holdings.
Meet Saint-Pierre and Miquelon.
I learned about this island enclave off the coast of Newfoundland some years ago and it blew my mind. It’s France! It’s right next to Canada, but it’s French territory.
5 really cool things about Saint-Pierre and Miquelon
If anything, the history of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon has been tumultuous. They have long been a territory that has been exchanged, sometimes violently so, between the French and the English as they waged conflicts in the larger world. Originally a French settlement, the British took control of the islands in 1713, 1778, 1794, 1803, and 1815, with the French taking back possession between each of these occupations. Eventually, the French took control of the islands once again in 1816, this time permanently.
I’m fascinated with tiny countries, extraterritorial enclaves, and other geographic oddities. I’ve been to Vatican City and Gibraltar. Still have Andorra, San Marino, Liechtenstein on my list. And, of course, Saint-Pierre and Miquelon!
More buried coins
Considering all the wars and invasions and upheavals that have occurred in Europe over the past several millennia, and considering that for most of that history the best way to protect whatever little bit of treasure you may have was to bury it, there must be hundreds of thousands of long forgotten troves of coins, jewelry, gems and whatnot stashed away all across the continent. We featured one such find last week. Here’s another:
Rare Roman gold coins discovered in Luxembourg
A team of archaeologists recently discovered a hoard of 141 Roman gold coins dating back to around the Fourth Century CE in northern Luxembourg. According to the National Institute for Archaeological Research (INRA), the coins were struck during the reign of nine different emperors who ruled between 364 and 408 CE.
This collection of coins featured the faces of eight different emperors — including a rare Emperor Eugenius rookie coin!
However, three of the coins featured an unexpected ruler–Eugenius, who only ruled the Western Roman Empire from 392 to 394 CE.
I listened to the entire History of Rome podcast back in the day, so I know I’ve heard of Eugenius before. I just don’t remember anything about him.
When Christianity was becoming increasingly dominant in the Roman Empire, Eugenius attempted to restore pagan practices and traditions. His brief reign was marked by conflict and political instability. Eugenius primary opponent–Eastern Roman Emperor Theodosius I–eventually defeated Eugenius during the Battle of the Frigidus in 394 AD. Eugenis was then executed and Christian authority in the empire began to consolidate.
Theodosius! Now, that’s a name I know. And now we know what happened to Eugene.
By the way, digging up old coins in Europe can be hazardous, as we learn that “the Luxembourg Army Mine Action Service helped with the dig due to the danger posed from several World War II-era explosives and munitions that are buried nearby.”
Even Indiana Jones might need to watch his step!
The ill-fated Emperor Eugenius. Image: C. Nosbusch/INRA via PopSci
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Ceylon vs. Cassia — Not All Cinnamon Is Created Equal
Cassia cinnamon — the cheap stuff, and what you’re most likely to find at your grocer.
Cassia cinnamon comes from the Cinnamomum cassia tree, also called Cinnamomum aromaticum.
Cassia cinnamon is considered lower quality. It is very cheap and is the type most commonly consumed around the world. Almost all cinnamon found in supermarkets is the cassia variety.
Unfortunately, cassia cinnamon is a rich source of a compound called coumarin, which isn’t good:
In rodents, coumarin is known to cause kidney, liver and lung damage. It may even cause cancer. In humans, there are isolated incidents of similar effects.
Ceylon cinnamon — the good stuff.
Ceylon, or “true cinnamon,” is native to Sri Lanka and southern parts of India.
It’s made from the inner bark of the Cinnamomum verum tree.
Ceylon is tan-brown in color and contains many tight sticks with soft layers. These features provide a highly desirable quality and texture.
Ceylon cinnamon is less common and has long been prized as a cooking spice. It is quite expensive compared to the more common cassia variety.
Ceylon cinnamon does not contain high levels of coumarin. Which is good. Both varieties of cinnamon have health benefits and taste good, but if you’re consuming a lot of cinnamon, or taking cinnamon supplements, make sure you go for the Ceylon cinnamon.