Cinnamon is a spice obtained from the inner bark of several trees from the genus Cinnamomum and is used in both sweet and savory foods. While native only to the island of Sri Lanka, cinnamon trees are now naturalized in South East Asia.
Pharmacological experiments suggest that the cinnamon-derived dietary factor cinnamic aldehyde (cinnamaldehyde) activates the Nrf2-dependent antioxidant response in human epithelial colon cells and may therefore represent an experimental chemopreventive dietary factor targeting colorectal carcinogenesis. Recent research documents anti-melanoma activity of cinnamic aldehyde observed in cell culture and a mouse model of human melanoma. [Source: Wikipedia]
You average serving is typically a half teaspoon, sometimes a full. How much does a teaspoon of cinnamon weigh? About 2.6 grams. Since the ORAC scale is based off of 100 gram increments, it means the ORAC value of one teaspoon of cinnamon equals 3,417. A half teaspoon would be around 1,708. We discuss the best type of cinnamon for antioxidant benefits in our top 10 superfoods list.
ORAC Source
USDA Database for the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) of Selected Foods, Release 2 - Prepared by Nutrient Data Laboratory, Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center (BHNRC), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) - May 2010