What types of cinnamon are there

Nutrition Evidence Based Ceylon vs. Cinnamon is a very popular spice. Cinnamon is cheap and widely available in most supermarkets. At least, one type is.

This article explains the differences between Ceylon and cassia cinnamon. What Is Cinnamon? Cinnamon is a spice created from the inner bark of the Cinnamomum tree.

Bottom Line: Cinnamon is made from the inner bark of the Cinnamomum tree. Cassia Cinnamon. It originated in Southern China and is also known as Chinese cinnamon. Bottom Line: Cassia cinnamon is the most common variety. Ceylon Cinnamon. Bottom Line: Ceylon cinnamon is a high-quality, highly prized spice. For generations, cinnamon has been prized for its health properties. Bottom Line: Both the Ceylon and cassia varieties appear to have anti-diabetic and blood sugar lowering effects.

Which Has More Health Benefits? Ceylon and cassia likely have slightly different health properties. This is because their essential oil ratios are somewhat different. However, the current published studies have not attempted to make this distinction. Bottom Line: No research has compared the health benefits of Ceylon and cassia cinnamon.

Coumarin is a compound found naturally in several plant species. It can be harmful in large doses. Cassia cinnamon, but not Ceylon, is a very rich source of coumarin. Bottom Line: Cassia contains a lot of coumarin, which can be toxic in large quantities.

Take Home Message. Both Ceylon and cassia are healthy and delicious. Read this next. What Is Saigon Cinnamon? Benefits and Comparison to Other Types. Freshly: A Dietitian's Honest Comparison. Salt: Is It Healthy or Unhealthy? Cinnamon trees are a tropical evergreen in the cinnamomum genus and part of the greater laurel family, which includes bay leaves and even avocados.

There are over plant species in the cinnamon genus, and three of them are important to The Spice House. Scientific name: Cinnamomum verum formerly cinnamomum zeylanicum. This is not to say that other types of cinnamon out there are fake or inferior, but the distinct flavor of Ceylon cinnamon has been preferred over cassia cinnamon for thousands of years. Ceylon cinnamon has a delicately floral and citrusy aroma. It pairs especially well with poached fruits, homemade jams, teas, and coffee.

The flaky bark is commonly used for making tea on its own. Like all ground spices, cinnamon should be purchased fresh and used quickly. This is why we grind all our spices in small weekly batches, so you can cook with the most potent flavors possible. The spice comes from the delicate inner bark of the tree, which grows more like a bush or willow shrub. The harvest is a sustainable process as the limb is cut a foot from the ground, which later grows back for another harvest in years.

Ceylon cinnamon is harvested when the rainy season begins in Sri Lanka. Sap within the tree begins to rise at this time making it easier for the outer bark to be stripped away while the aromatic compounds are also most concentrated. Once stripped away, the thin, inner bark is layered and rolled up together like a cigar before it is cured in partial shade.

Korintje cinnamon is the industry standard for bakers, chefs, and home cooks in the United States for its dependable and pronounced bouquet. In savory cooking, the whole cinnamon stick is often added to a pot of steamed rice or a pan of braised meat. Indonesia produces the most cinnamon in the world, specifically on the island of Sumatra where the western regency of Kerinci is the center of production.

This variety grows on a taller tree than the Ceylon variety. The tree grows to about 49 feet in its natural state but is cut earlier for commercial purposes. It has a thin bark. The leaves are shiny and leathery on top and dull on the underside. The flowers are white with an oval sized fruit which becomes bluish with white spots when ripe. The leaves when crushed are spicy and hot to taste while peeling away the outer bark of the tree yields a very strong cinnamon smell. The biggest advantage of Ceylon Cinnamon also known as Mexican Cinnamon is ultra-low Coumarin levels.

Coumarin in high doses causes liver failure, so for people who take Cinnamon on a daily basis, Ceylon Cinnamon is the preferred choice. For fine desserts Ceylon Cinnamon is an absolute must because it is subtle, smells very mild and is slightly sweeter in taste. It never takes center stage in the recipe but adds a very complex flavor. Although Ceylon Cinnamon smells mild, if you grind and add it to baked goods or Cinnamon French toast for example, the aroma it gives off is a very sophisticated and fragrant.

Most well established recipes that call for Cinnamon came from Europe or the middle east and should use Ceylon Cinnamon. The same applies to any Mexican recipes that calls for Cinnamon. This is because the taste profile of these desserts were designed with Ceylon Cinnamon. Mexico is the biggest importer of Ceylon Cinnamon.

That makes the desserts taste very different.