Cinnamon challenge

The cinnamon challenge is a viral internet food challenge. The objective of the challenge is to film oneself eating a spoonful of ground cinnamon in under 60 seconds without drinking anything, then upload the video to the Internet. The challenge is difficult and carries substantial health risks because the cinnamon coats and dries the mouth and throat, resulting in coughing, gagging, vomiting and inhaling of cinnamon, leading to throat irritation, breathing difficulties, and risk of pneumonia or a collapsed lung.

The challenge has been described online since 2001, and increased in popularity in 2007, peaking abruptly in January 2012 and falling off almost as sharply through the first half of that year, then tapering off almost to its previous level by 2014. By 2010, many people had posted videos of themselves attempting this challenge on YouTube and other social networking websites. The cinnamon challenge continues to be active, with Twitter mentions peaking at nearly 70,000 per day in January 2012. It is similar to the saltine cracker challenge, which involves ingesting at least six saltine crackers (also known as soda crackers) within 60 seconds without drinking anything, the Gallon challenge, and the Banana Sprite challenge.

The stunt can be dangerous. There is a risk of gagging on the cinnamon, especially if it forms a clump and clogs one's airways. Accidental inhalation of cinnamon can seriously damage the lungs by causing inflammation and leading to infection. The usual result of this stunt is "a coughing, gagging fit involving clouds of cinnamon" which "leaves some people gasping for air". Sometimes those performing the stunt may gag or cough and accidentally exhale the cinnamon through their noses, coating their skin and mucous membranes in cinnamon. As cinnamon is rich in the compound cinnamaldehyde, the challenge often results in considerable irritation, discomfort, burning, or itching of the affected nasal tissue and nostrils. On YouTube, people have been seen "coughing, choking and lunging for water, usually as friends watch and laugh." Vomiting is also known to have occurred.

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