Content Of Cinnamon

At present there are more than hundreds of varieties of cinnamon used in Worldwide. Out of all the varieties of cinnamon Ceylon cinnamon is identified as the most consumer healthier and rare cinnamon. Ceylon Cinnamon also called as real Cinnamon or true cinnamon.

Types of Cinnamon

Ceylon Cinnamon

Ceylon cinnamon (Cinnamomum Zeylanicum) is a tree native to Sri Lanka which produces the highest-grade pure cinnamon. This variety is more popular in much of Europe, Latin America, Mexico, the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia. Indian curries and desert recipes of the lighter variety that call for cinnamon are typically referring to Ceylon cinnamon. Ceylon Cinnamon is the sweetest and mildest tasting and the lightest in colour.

It’s also three to four times more expensive than the other varieties. Ceylon Cinnamon has less coumarin than the other varieties, and is often recommended above others by the alternative health community and many conventional doctors as well, due to the fact that coumarin can cause liver damage in high dosages.

There are several varieties of Ceylon cinnamon produced in Sri Lanka. Following are some of the unique diversities of Ceylon cinnamon that can be found in Sri Lanka.

Panni Miris Kurudu
Thitta Kurudu
Veli Kurudu
Sevel Kurudu
Naga Kurudu
Penirasa Kurudu, etc.

Most of the Ceylon cinnamon is produced in southern districts such as Galle, Matara, Hambantota. Cinnamon production can take numerous forms like Quills, Feathering, Chips, Bark oil, Leaf oil, etc.

Cassia Cinnamon (Chinese Cinnamon)

It can get a little confusing here since all three non-Ceylon varieties are often referred to as cassia cinnamon. The Chinese Cinnamon is often referred to as cassia cinnamon. In other words, Cassia cinnamon may refer to Chinese cinnamon or it may refer to one of the other non-Ceylon cinnamons. Saigon cinnamon or Korintjr cinnamon. Today, Tung Hing, the Chinese cinnamon is mostly grown in China and Vietnam. This variety is spicy, bitter and very intense.

Saigon Cinnamon

Known as Vietnamese cinnamon or Vietnamese cassia, Saigon cinnamon’s scientific name is Cinnamomum Loureiroi. It comes from an evergreen tree indigenous to Southeast Asia. Saigon cinnamon is closely related to Chinese cinnamon. Saigon cinnamon has around 1-5% essential oil content and 25% cinnamaldehyde in the essential oil, which is the highest of all the cinnamon species.

Saigon cinnamon’s bark is similar to that of Tung Hing, but with a more pronounced and complex aroma. In Vietnamese cuisine, Saigon cinnamon bark is an important ingredient in many dishes including pho, the well-known noodle soup.

Saigon cinnamon has a volatile oil content of around 7%, which gives it a very bold and robust flavor that is ideal for cooking and for use in sauces.

Korintje Cinnamon

Fragrant Korintje cinnamon is as intense and spicy as Chinese cinnamon, but it is also a bit smoother. Korintje cinnamon from Indonesia accounts for most of the cinnamon imported into the U.S. Although lacking the depth of Chinese cinnamon, the flavour is smoother. Korintje cinnamon is a common choice for commercial bakeries in North America because of its good flavor and lower cost.

Ceylon Cinnamon (true Cinnamon) Vs Cassia

There are significant differences between true cinnamon and cassia. In terms of flavor, analytical profile, physical properties, and visual appearance they are different. Although they are commonly referred to as “Cinnamon”, both varieties have its own variance. The major differences are summarized below.

Item	Ceylon Cinnamon	Cassia
Botanical Origin	Cinnamomum Zeylanicum	Cinnamomum Cassia C. burmannii C. loureirii
Main producing countries	Sri Lanka Madagascar Seychelles	Indonesia China Vietnam
Flavours	Mild, Subtle, delicate, flowery, complex, lively, warm and sweet	Intense, harsh, simple, sweet, slightly bitter, astringent and mucilaginous. Lacks liveliness and complexity of cinnamon
Physical Properties	Rich, light golden yellow/brown buff colour Form into complex “quills” comprising layers of thin bark, like paper, packed inside a single strip of bark and rolled into the form of a tube. Delicate, fragile	Uniform dark brown colour Thick bark, coarser, single layer of bark rolled into a simple stick or quill. Very hard.
Analytical profile	Up to 2% essential oil Bark oil maximum cinnamic aldehyde content 80%, eugenol content 10% Low to zero coumarin content ( Generally less than 15mg/kg in the bark)	Up to 4% essential oil Bark oil is up to 90% cinnamon aldehyde, only trace amounts of eugenol High coumarin content (up to 4400 mg/kg in the bark)

There are hundreds of varieties of Cinnamon, but there are only four varieties used for commercial purposes. The cinnamon known as “true cinnamon” is Ceylon cinnamon. This is the only variety that many other countries refer to as cinnamon. Other varieties are known as cassia.

Other cinnamon varieties, which are much more common in North America, are easier to produce and less expensive than Ceylon cinnamon. Cassia (Chinese) cinnamon, Saigon cinnamon, and Korintje are typically all lumped in together and referred to as cassia cinnamon, though they are each distinctively different. Each of these three closely related spices is much stronger and more pungent than Ceylon cinnamon.

In North America, when cinnamon is used as an ingredient or sold on the shelves as simply “cinnamon”, it is typically Korintje or cassia (Tung Hing).

Item	Ceylon	Cassia	Korintje	Saigon
Other Names	Cinnamomum Verum, Sweet Cinnamon, True Cinnamon, Mexican Cinnamon, Cinnamomum Zeylanicum	Chinese Cinnamon, Tung Hing	Padang Cassia, Indonesian Cinnamon	Vietnamese Cassia, Vietnamese Cinnamon
Scientific Name	Cinnamomum Verum	Cinnamomum Aromaticum	Cinnamomum Burmanni	Cinnamomum Loureiroi
Country of Origin	Sri Lanka (90%), India, Madagascar, Brazil, and the Caribbean	China	Indonesia	Vietnam
Taste	Mild, sweet	Spicy, bitter	Spicy, pugant	Spicy, slightly sweet
Color	Light to medium reddish brown	Dark reddish brown	Dark reddish brown	Dark reddish brown
Aroma	sweet, complex	Intense, pungent	Intense, spicy, pungent	Spicy
Price	Expensive	Cheap	Cheap	Medium
Coumarin	0.017 g/kg	0.31 g/kg	2.15 g/kg	6.97 g/kg

Nutrition Facts - Cinnamon, ground

Item	Nutrient	Unit	1Value per 100 g	1 tsp = 2.6g	1 tbsp = 7.8g
Proximate	Water	g	10.58	0.28	0.83
	Energy	Kcal	247	6	19
	Protein	g	3.99	0.1	0.31
	Total lipid (fat)	g	1.24	0.03	0.1
	Carbohydrate	g	80.59	2.1	6.29
	Fibber, total dietary	g	53.1	1.4	4.1
	Sugar	g	2.17	0.06	0.17

Minerals	Calcium, Ca	mg	1002	26	76
	Iron, Fe	mg	8.32	0.22	0.65
	Magnesium, Mg	mg	60	2	5
	Phosphorus, P	mg	64	2	5
	Potassium, K	mg	431	11	34
	Sodium, Na	mg	10	0	1
	Zinc, Zn	mg	1.83	0.05	0.14

Vitamins	Vitamin C, Total ascorbic acid	mg	3.8	0.1	0.3
	Thiamin	mg	0.022	0.001	0.002
	Riboflavin	mg	0.041	0.001	0.003
	Niacin	mg	1.332	0.035	0.104
	Vitamin B-6	mg	0.158	0.004	0.012
	Folate, DFE	µg	6	0	0
	Vitamin B – 12	µg	0.0	0	0
	Vitamin A, RAE	µg	15	0	1
	Vitamin A, IU	IU	295	8	23
	Vitamin E	mg	2.32	0.06	0.18
	Vitamin D (D2 +D3)	µg	0.0	0.0	0
	Vitamin D	IU	0	0	0
	Vitamin K(phylloquinone)	µg	31.2	0.8	2.4

Lipids	Fatty acids, total saturated	g	0.345	0.009	0.027
	Fatty acids, total monounsaturated	g	0.246	0.006	0.019
	Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated	g	0.068	0.002	0.005
	Fatty acids, total trans	g	0	0	0
	Cholesterol	mg	0	0	0

Amino Acids, Other	Caffeine	mg	0	0	0

Source - United States Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service.

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Why Ceylon Cinnamon

Natural cinnamon contains a chemical called coumarin, a natural plant chemical that acts as a blood thinner. This chemical is present in much higher concentrations in cassia than in Ceylon cinnamon. It is contraindicated for anyone taking prescription blood thinners. Coumarin has also been shown to be toxic to the liver and kidneys, and it may also be carcinogenic.
One of the significant feature of Ceylon Cinnamon is it include very low level of coumarin (0.0004%) But cassia cinnamon has high level of coumarin (5%). It is identified high level of Coumarin cause liver failure which lead to ban Cassia Cinnamon in Europa.
Ceylon cinnamon would make your food taste better as it gives underlying flavor of citrus and spice. The sweet, savory taste that is rich and it adds a subtle flavor that can be obtained by no other form of cinnamon. Ceylon cinnamon is sweeter when compared to harsher flavor of cassia cinnamon.
Cinnamon is used for regulate blood sugar, aid in digestive health, it keep your bones healthy and keep your nerves steady too. As Ceylon cinnamon being the purest form of cinnamon, it will not affect any side effects when used for above mention purposes.
Ceylon Cinnamon contains various active components, including cinnamaidehyde, which is a regulator of receptor gene and enzyme known as AMP – activated protein kinase to prevent these cells from becoming mature adipocytes. This results in decrease in weight gain.
Ceylon Cinnamon has an amazing property that Cassia Cinnamon lacks to possess. Ceylon Cinnamon acts as a natural preservative, where it keeps food fresh for 4-5 days.
Ceylon Cinnamon is absolutely organic and pesticide free. Pesticide affects the central nervous system, internal organs and finally the function of the body. It is identified that Cassia Cinnamon could cause pesticides.

Legend of Divine – Ceylon Cinnamon from Sri Lanka

Legend of Divine – Ceylon Cinnamon from Sri Lanka

Legend of Divine – Ceylon Cinnamon from Sri Lanka