system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: Why is artificial cinnamon in stuff like candy so... not-cinnamon. where does all the spiciness come from?
gpt
Artificial cinnamon flavor is the molecule cinnamaldehyde, which is also the main flavor in real cinnamon. Cinnamaldehyde can be made in a laboratory by changing other kinds of molecules like alcohols. The reason real cinnamon tastes different is that it has many other molecules with different flavors where the cinnamon candy only has one. Cinnamaldehyde is good for fighting fungus and viruses, which is why cinnamon trees make it in the first place.