Cinnamon Powder, Ceylon (Sweet) (Organic)

Bulk Herbs: Ceylon (Sweet) Cinnamon Powder (Organic)
Cinnamomum verum

Format: Powder
Size: 1 oz package

Also known as: Cinnamomum zeylanicum, True Cinnamon, Sweet Cinnamon, and Ceylon Cinnamon

Farming Type: Organic
Origin: Sri Lanka

The quest for cinnamon was one of the major factors that led the Europeans to explore the world in the 15th century. Cinnamon’s value during this time cannot be overstated. In the 1st century C.E., Pliny the Elder wrote that 350 grams of cinnamon was equal to 5 kilograms of silver, or about 15 times the value of silver per weight. Cinnamon comes from the Laurel tree, a tropical evergreen that grows at low altitudes and needs a moist, hot climate to thrive. Cinnamon bark comes in sticks, or quills. When peeled from the tree, they naturally roll up, are then threaded on a string, and air-dried indoors, as direct sunlight would dry them out too quickly and they would lose flavor.

The difference between sweet cinnamon and cassia cinnamon is quite apparent; sweet cinnamon quills will have a layered look to them, as if several were rolled together, while cassia will appear as one thick piece of bark. Sweet cinnamon is also lighter in color and, as the name implies, sweeter in flavor. Cinnamon quills have a long, almost indefinite shelf life, whereas cinnamon powder loses its flavor over time. Sweet cinnamon can contain up to 4% oil, including cinnamaldehyde, eugenol, and trans-cinnamic acid; however, it is usually lighter in oil content and sweeter-tasting than Cassia Cinnamon. It also contains phenolic compounds, tannins, catechins, calcium, iron, mucilage, resin, natural sugars, and traces of coumarin. Due to its incredible value, sweet cinnamon was used for centuries as a spice of the aristocracy and the wealthy.

During the Middle Ages, it was used as a meat preservative due to its antibacterial and antifungal qualities, and to mask the stench of “aged” meats more effectively than salt. When choosing cinnamon for your own use, be forewarned that the quills of cassia are next to impossible to grind, the flavor usually being extracted by boiling. Sweet cinnamon quills are much easier to use in any recipe and are quite easy to grind. Almost everyone knows the virtues of using cinnamon in baking, but there are many other uses being rediscovered or invented every day.

Cinnamon sticks are used in some cocktails as stirring sticks, and the also added to a traditional mulled wine recipe. Middle Eastern and Asian recipes make liberal use of cinnamon in their main dishes, curries, stews, biryanis, and as a marinade for beef and lamb. Cinnamon tea also makes a wonderful digestive aid after dinner, and cinnamon sticks can even be used in pickling as a new way to spice up an old recipe.

NOTE: The German Commission E has noted that some people are, in fact, allergic to cinnamon, with side effects ranging from allergic skin reactions to mucosal reactions. It is not recommended for medicinal use during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

For educational purposes only. The Food and Drug Administration has not evaluated this information. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.