From the Research
Coumarin can be obtained from various foods in your diet, with the richest natural sources being cinnamon (particularly Cassia cinnamon), tonka beans, sweet clover, woodruff, and vanilla grass. To maximize coumarin intake from cinnamon, choose Cassia cinnamon (the more common, less expensive variety) rather than Ceylon cinnamon, as Cassia contains significantly higher coumarin levels 1. Other foods containing smaller amounts of coumarin include:
- Strawberries
- Cherries
- Apricots
- Licorice However, it's essential to consume these foods in moderation, as excessive coumarin intake can potentially cause liver damage in sensitive individuals 2. The European Food Safety Authority recommends limiting daily coumarin intake to 0.1 mg per kilogram of body weight. Coumarin gives these foods their distinctive sweet, vanilla-like aroma and flavor through its natural chemical structure. While coumarin itself doesn't have anticoagulant properties, it's structurally related to warfarin, a medication used as a blood thinner 3. Recent studies have also explored the metabolic activation and deactivation of dietary-derived coumarin, highlighting the role of cytochrome P450 enzymes in rat and human liver preparations 4. Overall, a balanced diet that includes moderate amounts of coumarin-rich foods can provide potential health benefits while minimizing the risk of adverse effects.