Why is cinnamon so spicy?

Red Section Separator Spicy exchange / 2022 Read the full article

Cinnamon has very minimal capsaicin, and rates as a 0 on the Scoville scale... so what makes it spicy?

Cream Section Separator Does cinnamon have capsaicin? Learn more

Cinnamon has high levels of cinnamaldehyde and eugenol. The combination makes cinnamon taste spicy and feel burning in your mouth.

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Other effects

Cream Section Separator Cinnamaldehyde and eugenol cause an intense cough reflex and runny nose — you'll notice this effect if you've ever seen someone try the "cinnamon challenge". Learn more

Some cinnamon candies like Red Hots are spicy because they contain cinnamon oil, which has cinnamaldehyde and eugenol. Other candies, like Atomic Fireballs, don’t actually have any cinnamon-derived ingredients, but instead are made spicy with capsaicin.

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