Can adding cinnamon to your coffee ☕️ really help you lose weight?

By Evangeline Mantzioris - Program Director of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Accredited Practising Dietitian, University of South Australia

According to some videos currently circulating online, adding a teaspoon of cinnamon to your daily coffee for a week could help you lose weight. Is this another urban legend, or a miracle recipe?


Cinnamon has long been a staple in kitchens worldwide, used to flavor both sweet and savory dishes and drinks.

In recent months, videos—especially on TikTok—suggest adding a teaspoon of this spice to your daily cup of coffee (with perhaps a bit of cocoa for taste). According to proponents, this regimen could help burn fat in just a week. But is there any truth to these claims?

Not all cinnamon is the same

There are two types of cinnamon. Both come from grinding the bark of trees in the Cinnamomum genus, and they contain different active ingredients.


The cinnamon commonly found in supermarkets is usually cassia cinnamon, derived from the Cinnamomum cassia tree. Sometimes called "false cinnamon," this variety has a bitter taste and contains high levels of cinnamaldehyde (up to 95%), the compound responsible for its distinct flavor and aroma.

The other type, Ceylon cinnamon, from Cinnamomum verum, has a sweeter taste and contains about 50 to 60% cinnamaldehyde.

Does cinnamon burn fat?

To determine whether cinnamon consumption could affect waist circumference (an indicator of body fat levels), a literature review was conducted on 35 scientific studies. The findings suggest that doses of cinnamon under 1.5 grams per day (about half a teaspoon) reduce waist circumference by 0.66 inches (1.68 cm). However, consuming more than 1.5 grams of cinnamon per day does not have a significant effect.

A meta-analysis of 21 clinical trials, which included 1,480 participants, also found that cinnamon reduced Body Mass Index (BMI) by 0.40 kg/m² and body weight by 2 lbs (0.92 kg). However, the spice did not change the body fat percentage or lean mass of the participants.

Another comprehensive review of all existing meta-analyses similarly highlighted a modest effect of cinnamon on weight loss. On average, participants lost 1.5 lbs (0.67 kg) and reduced their BMI by 0.45 kg/m².


Overall, from these studies, we can conclude that the weight loss associated with cinnamon consumption is minimal, it takes two to six months to be noticeable, and it doesn't affect body composition.

It's important to point out that the existing scientific studies were conducted mostly on individuals from the Middle East and/or the Indian subcontinent, many of whom had underlying health conditions. So, we can't be sure that the same effect would be observed in people from other regions with different health profiles. Additionally, these studies varied in their duration, ranging from two to six months. The cinnamon doses also differed: some trials administered cinnamon's active compound, while others used powdered cinnamon. The daily doses ranged from 0.36 grams to 10 grams.

Both types of cinnamon were tested, but none of the studies used commercially available cinnamon from the supermarket.

How could cinnamon cause this minor weight loss?

Several mechanisms could explain this modest weight loss.

Cinnamon seems to help glucose (i.e., sugar) enter cells more quickly, reducing blood glucose levels and making insulin more effective.

It also appears to boost fat breakdown, which provides us with energy when needed.

Finally, it may extend the feeling of satiety by slowing the passage of food from the stomach to the small intestine.

What are the risks?

When used as a spice to enhance dishes, cinnamon is generally considered safe.

In recent months, however, both the United States and Australia have issued health warnings about the lead and other heavy metal content found in some cinnamon products. Lead contamination occurs during the growth process, when the metal, present in the environment, enters the plant. Contamination can also happen during harvesting, and some cases are speculated to be due to intentional adulteration.

In addition to pollutants, cinnamon can cause side effects in some individuals, like gastrointestinal discomfort and allergic reactions.

Finally, one of cinnamon's active compounds, coumarin, may be toxic to the liver in some people. Due to this, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has set a limit of 0.1 mg per kg of body weight per day.

Cassia cinnamon contains up to 1% coumarin, while the Ceylon variety contains much less, around 0.004%. Therefore, for someone weighing over 130 lbs (60 kg), two teaspoons (6 g) of cassia cinnamon would exceed the safety limit (to avoid this, the French food safety agency Anses issued a recommendation in 2021 concerning herbal supplements containing cinnamon: they advised that the coumarin intake from supplements should remain under 4.8 mg per day for a 60 kg adult, editor's note).

What about coffee and cocoa?

Many people believe that drinking coffee can help them lose weight. So far, there is no solid scientific evidence to support this claim. Only one observational study has found any link between regular coffee consumption (one cup) and a very slight weight loss: an average of 0.26 lbs (0.12 kg) over four years.

It's worth noting that consuming high-quality cocoa and dark chocolate has also been linked to weight loss, but again, the effect is minimal: between 0.44 and 0.88 lbs (0.2 to 0.4 kg), and only after four to eight weeks of consumption.

What does all of this mean?

While consuming cinnamon may have a minor effect on weight, this effect is very small. Without other lifestyle changes, you're unlikely to notice any significant weight loss.

It's also important to remember that all these scientific studies used cinnamon products that are likely different from what you'll find in stores. The way cinnamon is stored and its shelf life can impact or degrade its active ingredients.

Moreover, consuming more than half a teaspoon of cinnamon per day brings no additional benefits. On the contrary, increasing the dose could heighten the risk of side effects—if you can even tolerate the strong taste of the spice. If you enjoy the taste of cinnamon in your coffee, feel free to add some, but don't expect it to help you lose weight...

And don't think there might be an advantage in eating cinnamon rolls or doughnuts instead of plain ones: the high-calorie content of these treats will far outweigh the very modest effect that the spice may have...

If you're aiming to lose weight, it's better to follow scientifically proven methods that are not only effective but also won't spoil the taste of your morning coffee.