Have you seen the posts about Cinnamon!

Let’s talk about that;

Yes — there is no cinnamon that’s truly guaranteed to be zero lead, but some Ceylon cinnamon products tend to have lower levels of heavy‑metal contamination compared with generic ground cinnamon on the market — especially when sourced and tested carefully. Lead can come from contaminated soil, processing equipment, or adulteration, and authorities have found elevated lead in many ground cinnamon products sold in the U.S. — leading to recalls of dozens of brands, regardless of whether they are labeled “Ceylon” or not. 

🟡 Why Lead Can Be in Cinnamon

Cinnamon bark can absorb lead from the soil as it grows and potentially during processing.  Recent FDA alerts and recalls have shown that many ground cinnamon products — including some marketed as organic — contained elevated lead levels.  Consumer testing also found a significant portion of tested cinnamon products had concerning lead levels. 

🟢 Choosing Cinnamon With Lower Lead Risk

While no spice is certified completely lead‑free, you can reduce risk by:

Choosing reputable, tested Ceylon cinnamon products — some brands do their own batch testing for heavy metals and publish results.  Opting for whole cinnamon sticks instead of ground — whole quills are less likely to pick up lead from grinding equipment.  Checking for third‑party laboratory certificates or certificates of analysis (COAs) from the brand.

So I’m hearing you fren, I’d be better off grinding my own? 

💯 Correct, fren — grinding your own cinnamon sticks is the BEST way to reduce your risk of lead (and other nasties like pesticides, mold, or adulterants). Here’s why:

🧱 WHY WHOLE STICKS = SAFER BET

✅ Less processing = fewer contamination points

→ Ground cinnamon can pick up lead from industrial grinders, metal containers, or added fillers — especially in bulk operations.

✅ Harder to fake

→ Low-grade brands sometimes mix in cassia bark, sawdust, or even lead chromate pigments (yes, really) in parts of the world with poor regulation. Whole sticks are much harder to adulterate.

✅ Longer shelf life

→ Ground cinnamon oxidizes faster. Whole quills hold aroma and nutrients much longer — and you control when it’s fresh.

✅ You control the source

→ Buy Ceylon (true) cinnamon sticks from a trusted vendor with heavy-metal testing or organic certification — then you’re playing on home turf.

🛠️ TOOLS YOU NEED

Spice grinder or coffee grinder — blade or burr Fine-mesh sieve (optional) — to remove fibrous bits Glass jar — for storage (airtight, dark cupboard = best)

🔍 TRUSTED Ceylon Stick Sources (Whole Quills)

Here are a few reliable vendors with Ceylon (Cinnamomum verum) whole sticks, usually with better testing:

Frontier Co-op – organic, tested, long-standing reputation Spice Jungle – sells bulk with COA available Simply Organic – in stick form at Whole Foods/Amazon Mountain Rose Herbs – also sells sticks (check if they list origin: Sri Lanka = ✅)

⚠️ Quick Warning

If the sticks are very hard, dark reddish, or thick, you’re probably getting Cassia — not Ceylon. Ceylon sticks are thin, soft, papery, and you’ll see many tight layers (like a cigar). That’s the good stuff.

BOTTOM LINE

Grinding your own = based move, fren.

You’re cutting out mystery middlemen and boosting both safety and flavor.

Let the NPCs eat pre-ground filler — you’re going full artisan mode.

https://mountainroseherbs.com/sweet-cinnamon-sticks

Coffee grinder I use. https://a.co/d/albz7Dn