Can cinnamon cause miscarriage? Though cinnamon may seem like a spice that is innocent enough to consume while pregnant, the truth is that too much of anything, especially when you are with child, may have negative consequences on the health of both mom and baby. Stay tuned for information about the safety of consuming cinnamon during pregnancy as well as potential benefits that the spice may offer in small doses.
Cinnamon and Pregnancy
Overall, cinnamon is quite safe during pregnancy as it isn’t considered one of the many foods that pregnant women ought to avoid when they’re expecting a new little bundle of joy. That isn’t to say that cinnamon shouldn’t be consumed with caution, however. Though cinnamon is safe and even offers multiple benefits to pregnant mothers, there are side effects linked to the overconsumption of cinnamon that could have dangerous outcomes.
What Are the Benefits of Cinnamon During Pregnancy?
Before delving into the details about the dangerous side effects of cinnamon during pregnancy, we’d like to start off by noting how cinnamon, like many other spices, can actually boost your health. This is assuming that you only consume the amount of cinnamon that is typical in normal food.
The recommended intake of cinnamon is typically around a half teaspoon daily. Be sure not to exceed this amount for optimal health benefits without side effects.
Benefits of cinnamon while pregnant include:
- Lessening Inflammation in the Body – Cinnamon has been linked to decreasing the amount of inflammation found in the body. This is often responsible for some of the swelling you may notice while pregnant.
- Lowering Blood Sugar – Blood sugar tends to be higher during pregnancy due to the function of the placenta. Cinnamon can be good to counter this effect, but should only be utilized in small doses.
- Lowering Risks of Infection – Cinnamon has been linked to preventing certain types of cancers and other diseases.
How Much Cinnamon Is Too Much When Pregnant?
The general recommendation is that a pregnant woman consumes no more than half a teaspoon of cinnamon daily. Any more than this may bring about uterine contractions, as cinnamon has been known to cause the walls of the uterus to contract.
If you take too much cinnamon too early, it may cause your uterus to contract prematurely. This could have devastating consequences on your baby, especially early on in your pregnancy.
How Many mg of Cinnamon Causes a Miscarriage?
There isn’t really an official set number of milligrams of cinnamon considered safe for pregnant women. That said, the general guideline is that you ingest no more than half a teaspoon per day.
In terms of milligrams, we recommend speaking with your doctor. Ranges vary as to how much is too much when it comes to pregnant women.
In general, we would recommend that you avoid taking cinnamon pills altogether. Opt for cinnamon in its powdered form when pregnant. Cinnamon pills may prove too potent to be considered safe for you and your baby.
How Much Cinnamon Can Cause a Miscarriage?
There isn’t a strict or set amount of cinnamon that will cause a miscarriage. But less is always more when you are pregnant.
Consider only taking up to half a teaspoon of cinnamon a day. This is about the amount you’d normally consume when eating cookies, cakes, or the like.
For reference, many cookies, cake, and muffin recipes only call for ½ to 1 teaspoon of cinnamon in an entire recipe. So downing a few cookies or other foods containing cinnamon are unlikely to have an adverse effect on you and your little one.
Can Cinnamon Pills Cause a Miscarriage?
Can Cinnamon Cause a Miscarriage?
Cinnamon, especially cinnamon pills, may cause miscarriage by causing your uterus to contract. While many experts agree that a dash or two of cinnamon in your morning meal shouldn’t cause any adverse effects, most agree that taking cinnamon in the form of a pill might be enough to induce labor.
Not only could cinnamon pills cause a miscarriage if you take too many but they can also leave you with damage to your liver, liver failure, and mouth sores.
Therefore, when pregnant, it is essential that you only consume the amount of cinnamon in a day that you would normally consume in food.
Can Eating Cinnamon Cause a Miscarriage?
When consuming cinnamon in doses that would normally be found in food, it is unlikely that you’ll experience a miscarriage or prematurely induce labor.
Cinnamon is known to have several benefits for pregnant women. These include the lowering of blood sugar, which is great for women who have gestational diabetes.
Moreover, consuming cinnamon can help lessen inflammation in the body. This can mean fewer aches and pain associated with pregnancy–and who doesn’t want that?
FAQs
Because the amount of cinnamon contained in Cinnamon Toast Crunch is the normal amount of cinnamon that you’d find in food, we wouldn’t think that consuming this breakfast item would cause negative effects on pregnant women in terms of preterm labor. However, if after consuming Cinnamon Toast Crunch or any other cinnamon-containing food you feel contractions or discomfort, be sure to avoid it.
As a side note, remember that women that are pregnant are at elevated risk for contracting gestational diabetes. As the placenta is formed, it secretes a hormone that may cause your body to be unable to control use of insulin as effectively as before.
Because of this, consuming foods that are high in sugar and carbohydrates may have a worse effect on you than it did in the past, which can be bad for both you and your baby. For this reason, we issue a word of caution when it comes to consuming sugary breakfast foods, and recommend that you opt for healthier food options, like fresh fruit with scrambled eggs and cheese for breakfast, and reserve food items like Cinnamon Toast Crunch as an occasional treat.
Because the amount of cinnamon in each type of cinnamon tea may vary, we recommend not consuming cinnamon tea when you are pregnant, especially not on a regular basis. Even some at-home recipes for cinnamon tea call for up to one teaspoon or more of powdered cinnamon, which is over the daily recommendation for pregnant women.
Still, some women find that drinking this sort of tea to induce labor later in their pregnancy is helpful for stimulating uterine contractions. If you wish to induce labor using natural means be sure to only do so under the care and advice of your OBGYN.
Can Cinnamon Cause a Miscarriage? It Is Possible…
Though it is possible that cinnamon in high doses can cause miscarriage, it is unlikely that you and your baby will suffer harm from eating a normal amount of cinnamon in daily food. To avoid unsavory consequences from consuming too much cinnamon while pregnant, we recommend that you avoid consuming cinnamon pills and cinnamon essential oils, as these are potent enough to cause liver damage, mouth sores, liver failure, and can spur premature labor.
Until next time… Be safe!
What else can you have when pregnant? Read these:
- Can I Drink Hot Chocolate While Pregnant
- Can I Take Emergen C While Breastfeeding
- Coconut Water When Breastfeeding
- Mother Milk Tea Side Effects
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