Ingredient file // Flavor
Cinnamon
A flavoring spice with unproved health claims
Cinnamon is ground, dried inner bark from several tree species, including cassia and Ceylon cinnamon. In dog food, it adds aroma. Claims about antioxidant protection, blood sugar and preservation go beyond what studies of cinnamon in dogs have shown.
- What it is
- Dried inner bark from cinnamon trees, ground into the fragrant spice used in food.
- Made from
- Peeled inner bark of cinnamon trees
- Main job
- Adds spice aroma
- Typical amount
- Not published
- Watch for
- Loose powder and concentrated cinnamon oil
- Not the same as
- Cinnamon essential oil
Our read // In our catalog
In 1 of every 35 foods we track
Share of foods that list it
3%
72 of the 2,508 foods with an ingredient list on file, from 10 brands. 43 dry dog food, 15 wet dog food, 13 dog food topper.
Each square is 1% of the catalog
Where it sits on the label
Median position 28. In the top five of 1 food, so it is usually a minor ingredient.
Above the salt
Usually listed after the salt, which caps it at roughly 1% of the recipe in 97% of foods.
Price per lb
Median of the cheapest bag price across 35 priced foods, 24% above the catalog. The price is the food's, not the ingredient's.
Who leans on it
29%
of the foods that list it are from Open Farm. 10 brands use it in total.
What it is
How it is made
Spice growers harvest cinnamon shoots for their fragrant inner bark. They remove the coarse outer layer, peel the inner bark, dry it and grind some of it for food makers.5
- 01 // Source Mature shoots Growers cut cinnamon stems when their bark is ready to peel and remove leaves and side branches.
- 02 // Process Scraped and peeled Workers scrape away the brown outer bark, loosen the inner layer and lift it from the wood.
- 03 // Process Shade dried The peeled bark curls as it dries; producers keep the strips clean during drying.
- 04 // Output Ground cinnamon Dried inner bark is milled into powder that a food plant can add to its recipe.
What is in it
Composition, dry matter
35
% crude fiber
One bark sample contained about 35% crude fiber on a dry basis. Cinnamon's small flavoring role means it contributes little fiber to a dog's meal.
Why it is in the bag
What the manufacturer gets
-
01
Adds a familiar aroma
The dried bark has a distinct smell and flavor, so an addition changes the food's scent without serving as a meaningful protein or fiber source.5,6
-
02
Flavor at small cost
Cassia is cheaper and stronger tasting than Ceylon cinnamon. A company tested cinnamon extract in kibble, but that test gives no usual amount for ground bark.2,8
How much A company patent tested 0.25% cinnamon extract alongside 0.25% green tea extract in kibble; it gives no typical amount for ground cinnamon.2
Our read // The claims
What the evidence supports
Strong: controlled studies in dogs agree. Some: small or mixed dog data. Thin: mechanism or lab work only. None: nothing, or the evidence points the other way.
-
Brands say
Cinnamon makes dog food tastier
Outruns the evidence
Evidence
- Strong
- Some
- Thin
- None
A company patent describes a two-bowl test in 25 beagles. The diet with cinnamon and green tea extracts lost to the control, preferred by 34.6% versus 65.4%. The combined test cannot isolate cinnamon's effect.2
-
Brands say
Cinnamon gives dogs antioxidant protection
Outruns the evidence
Evidence
- Strong
- Some
- Thin
- None
Purified cinnamaldehyde showed activity in triplicate laboratory antioxidant tests. A 32-dog study tested a mix of cinnamon, tea and pomegranate extracts, without measuring antioxidant protection from cinnamon alone. Neither shows protection from cinnamon in dog food.1,6
-
Brands say
Cinnamon naturally preserves kibble
Outruns the evidence
Evidence
- Strong
- Some
- Thin
- None
Purified cinnamaldehyde inhibited bacteria in a laboratory disc test. The researchers tested cultures, not ground cinnamon in stored kibble. That result does not show that cinnamon preserves a finished dog food.6
-
Owners say
Cinnamon lowers blood sugar in dogs
Outruns the evidence
Evidence
- Strong
- Some
- Thin
- None
NCCIH says even the human diabetes evidence remains unclear. The 32-dog extract-mixture abstract reports digestive and fecal outcomes, not a blood sugar benefit from cinnamon. A promise for cinnamon in dog food goes beyond the evidence.1,7
-
Owners say
Cinnamon is poisonous to dogs
Outruns the evidence
Evidence
- Strong
- Some
- Thin
- None
Pet Poison Helpline says problems typically require more than 1 teaspoon of powder for most pets, while much less essential oil poses a risk. A small addition to food is a different exposure from an overdose.10
Straight answers
What owners ask
-
Q01
Is it just filler?
No, it's flavorBark contains about 35% crude fiber on a dry basis, but cinnamon is added for aroma in small amounts. It supplies too little fiber to carry the recipe's fiber needs. Flavor is its job.2,4,5
-
Q02
Does cinnamon mean the Ceylon kind?
NoThe word cinnamon does not identify its species. Cassia is common in North America and carries more coumarin than Ceylon cinnamon. Unless the bag names a type, treat the type as unknown.7,9
-
Q03
Why is it near the end?
Small additionIngredient lists run from most to least by weight. A spice near the end contributes little to the recipe's nutrition. Read the main protein and fat ingredients above it when judging the food.12
-
Q04
Should I sprinkle on more?
Skip itA flavoring amount on a label is no reason to add spoonfuls. Larger powder exposures can irritate the stomach and airways. Keep cinnamon essential oil away from your dog; it is far more concentrated.10,11
Who uses it
Brands, best sellers and the company it keeps
Top brands, by foods that list it
Usually listed with, share of the foods that list it
- Pumpkin 53%
- Flaxseed 51%
- Dried Plain Beet Pulp 32%
- Natural Flavor 29%
- Coconut Oil 29%
- Potatoes 26%
- Chicken Fat 25%
- Chicken 24%
- Brown Rice 24%
- Chicken Meal 24%
- Beef 22%
- Menhaden Fish Meal 22%
On the shelf
Foods that list it
72 foods in our reviews list it. Here are some of them.
Show 59 more
Blue Boo Bars Pumpkin & Cinnamon Crunchy Dog Treats13.5% proteinHalo Elevate Kettle Cooked Chunky Healthy Grains Chicken & Salmon Stew w/ C Wet Dog Food32.5% proteinHalo Elevate Dog Kettle Cooked Chunky Healthy Grains Duck and Beef Stew with Carrots, White Potatoes, and Brown Rice Can Wet Dog Food32.5% proteinOpen Farm Pasture-Raised Lamb Ancient Grains Dry Dog Food28.9% proteinWellness Core Digestive Health Chicken - Dog Wet Dog Food54.5% proteinWellness Core Digestive Health Beef Wet Dog Food54.5% proteinWellness Core Bowl Boosters Hearty Toppers Beef & Green Beans Recipe in Savory Bone Broth Dog Food Topper35.0% proteinWellness Core Digestive Health Lamb Wet Dog Food54.5% proteinOpen Farm Digestive Health Wild Pollock Recipe Dog Food Topper31.1% proteinThe Honest Kitchen Pumpkin Pour Overs Chicken Dog Food Topper30.0% proteinThe Honest Kitchen Pumpkin Pour Overs Salmon Dog Food Topper30.0% proteinThe Honest Kitchen Slow Cooked Chicken One Pot Stew Wet Dog Food50.0% proteinNulo FreeStyle True Boost Meatball Mixers Beef & Turkey Recipe Dog Food Topper32.3% proteinMerrick Slow-Cooked BBQ Braised Beef Wet Dog Food44.4% proteinMerrick Lil’ Plates Petite Pates Lamb Wet Dog Food36.4% proteinMerrick Classic Healthy Grains Kitchen Comforts Beef Tips & Rice Stew Wet Dog Food44.4% proteinMerrick Backcountry Grain Free Hero’s Banquet Wet Dog Food50.0% proteinMerrick Grain Free Pappy’s Chunky Pot Roast Wet Dog Food44.4% proteinMerrick Lil’ Plates Petite Pates Beef Wet Dog Food36.4% proteinMerrick Grain Free Big Texas Chunky Steak Tips in Gravy Wet Dog Food44.4% proteinMerrick Lil’ Plates Small Breed Texas Steak Wet Dog Food44.4% proteinMerrick Lil’ Plates Small Breed Surf & Turf Wet Dog Food47.2% proteinOpen Farm RawMix Grain-Free Chicken & Turkey Dry Dog Food33.3% proteinOpen Farm RawMix Grain-Free Whitefish Dry Dog Food33.3% proteinOpen Farm Large Breed RawMix - Grain Free Large Breed Dry Dog Food33.3% proteinOpen Farm Ancient Grains RawMix Wild Ocean Fish & Ancient Grains Dry Dog Food34.4% proteinOpen Farm Dry Puppy Food Salmon Puppy Food with Ancient Grains Dry Dog Food30.0% proteinOpen Farm RawMix Tide & Terrain Ancient Grains Dry Dog Food33.3% proteinOpen Farm RawMix Large Breed with Ancient Grains Dry Dog Food32.2% proteinOpen Farm Farmstead Duck Grain-Free Dry Dog Food33.3% proteinOpen Farm RawMix Great Plains Grain-Free Dry Dog Food33.3% proteinOpen Farm RawMix Tide & Terrain - Grain Free Dry Dog Food33.3% proteinOpen Farm GoodGut Wild-Caught Salmon Dry Dog Food33.3% proteinOpen Farm Ancient Grains RawMix Open Prairie Recipe-Ancient Grain Dry Dog Food34.4% proteinOpen Farm Ancient Grains New Zealand Venison with Ancient Grains Dry Dog Food28.9% proteinOpen Farm Ancient Grains Front Range Ancient Grains for Dogs - RawMix Dry Dog Food32.2% proteinOpen Farm Front Range RawMix for Dogs - Grain-Free Dry Dog Food33.3% proteinOpen Farm Farmer’s Table Pork Ancient Grains Dry Dog Food28.9% proteinOpen Farm Ancient Grains High Protein Puppy Dry Dog Food28.9% proteinOpen Farm Epic Blend Salmon & Superfood Grain-Free Dry Dog Food33.3% proteinOpen Farm Epic Blend Chicken & Superfood Grain-Free Dry Dog Food33.3% proteinWellness CORE Digestive Health Large Breed Chicken & Brown Rice Dry Dog Food33.3% proteinWellness Core Digestive Health Age Advantage Chicken Brown Rice Dry Dog Food30.0% proteinCanidae Under the Sun Grain-Free Chicken Recipe Dry Dog Food27.8% proteinCanidae Under The Sun Grain-Free Lamb Recipe Dry Dog Food27.8% proteinWellness Core Digestive Health Whitefish & Brown Rice Dry Dog Food33.3% proteinWellness Core Digestive Health Small Breed Chicken & Brown Rice Dry Dog Food36.7% proteinWellness Core Digestive Health Chicken & Brown Rice Dry Dog Food33.3% proteinStella & Chewy’s Grass-Fed Beef Broth Dog Food Topper33.3% proteinStella & Chewy’s Cage-Free Chicken Broth Dog Food Topper75.0% proteinStella & Chewy’s Bountiful Bone Broth Grass-Fed Beef Recipe Dog Food Topper33.3% proteinStella & Chewy’s Bountiful Bone Broth Cage-Free Chicken Recipe Dog Food Topper75.0% proteinStella & Chewy’s Marie’s Mix-Ins Wild-Caught Salmon & Pumpkin Recipe in Tuna Bone Broth Dog Food Mixer31.3% proteinStella & Chewy’s Marie’s Mix-Ins Cage-Free Chicken & Pumpkin Recipe in Chicken Bone Broth Dog Food Mixer37.5% proteinStella & Chewy’s Marie’s Mix-Ins Grass-Fed Beef & Pumpkin Recipe in Beef Bone Broth Dog Food Mixer37.5% proteinHolistic Select Adult Health Large & Giant Breed Dry Dog Food26.7% proteinHolistic Select Puppy Health Grain-Free Anchovy, Sardine & Chicken Meal Recipe Dry Dog Food35.6% proteinHolistic Select Weight Management Grain-Free Chicken Meal & Peas Recipe Dry Dog Food28.9% proteinHolistic Select Grain-Free Small & Mini Breed Puppy Health Dry Dog Food38.9% proteinOur read // On the bag
Treat it as flavor and judge the food
Cinnamon near the end of an ingredient list is there for aroma, not nutrition. Check the protein, fat and main ingredients above it; they matter more to the recipe. Leave cinnamon health claims out of the decision, and keep loose powder and essential oil away from your dog.
On labels as
Other names for this
Manufacturers do not all use the same wording. These all mean the same thing.
Sources
What we read
Checked September 1, 2026.
- 1 PSI-20 Herbal extract supplementation as a functional ingredient in modulating canine gut microbiome and biomarkers of gut health.
- 2 EP3525597A1 - Compositions and methods of pet food
- 3 Proximate Composition and Mineral Analysis of Cinnamon
- 4 MammalBase - Proximate Analysis of CINNAMOMUM BARK
- 5 Post Harvest Technology
- 6 Medicinal attributes of major phenylpropanoids present in cinnamon
- 7 Cinnamon: Usefulness and Safety
- 8 Commission finds fraud and potential safety issues in cinnamon on the EU market
- 9 FAQ on coumarin in cinnamon and other foods
- 10 Nutmeg And Cinnamon Toxicity
- 11 When Pumpkin Spice is Not So Nice
- 12 What’s in the Ingredients List?