Cinnamon
Cinnamon
Botanical name - Cinnamomum zealanicum Blum.
Family - Lauraceae
Cinnamon was one of the first traded spices of the ancient world. Cinnamon was a popular spice in the ancient Arab world and Arab traders have paved the way for Cinnamon to travel a long distance through the spice route to the European market. The Ceylon Cinnamon or true Cinnamon, which is indigenous to Sri Lanka, is the dried bark of cinnamomum zealanicum, which belongs to the family Lauraceae. Cinnamon bark is largely available in the form of quills and making quills is unique to Sri Lanka. Quills are made by rolling the pealed bark and join several of them together to get a pipe like structure in the required length. Other than that pieces of bark are available as chips, quillings or featherings. Cinnamon is unique plant which has essential oil in leaves, bark and roots but chemical composition of them are completely different from each other. Cinnamon grown and produced in Sri Lanka has acquired long standing reputation in the international market due to its quality, colour, flavour and aroma.
Cinnamon is mostly used in cooking and baking. Cinnamon is a versatile spice which can be added to any food item such as salads, confectionaries, beverages, soups, stews and sauces.
Difference between cinnamon and cassia?
Its vital to note that, even though inevitably related, cinnamon and cassia are not obtained from the same plant. They should be treated as separate foods, both from a nutritional and a health standpoint.
In Scientific perspective, there is only one True Cinnamon, which is most commonly called "Ceylon Cinnamon," and comes from the plant cinnamomum zeylanicum. The term "cassia" never refers to Ceylon Cinnamon but rather to other species of cinnamon, cinnamomum cassia (alternatively called Cinnamomum aromaticaum)
Ceylon cinnamon is typically more expensive than any of the cassia versions, and it is also the Ceylon Cinnamon more closely carries the potential health benefits involving blood sugar regulation.
True Cinnamon and Cassia are also not similar in their coumarin content. Coumarins are naturally occurring plant components that can have strong anticoagulant properties. Excessive intake of coumarins over a prolonged period of time can pose health risks. While the level of naturally occurring coumarins in Ceylon cinnamon appears to be very small and lower than the amount that could cause health risks, the level of naturally occurring coumarins in the cassia cinnamons appears to be higher and may pose a risk to kidney, liver and lungs of individuals, if consumed in substantial amounts on a regular basis. For this reason, organizations like the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment in Berlin, Germany have recommended that large amounts of the Cassia Cinnamon be avoided.
So if you are an avid cinnamon lover and likely to consume large amounts of Cinnamon, we recommend Ceylon Cinnamon (True Cinnamon) as your best choice.
Grades
• Alba
• Continental - C5 sp./ C5/ C4 /C3/C2/C1
• Mexican - M5 sp. / M5 /M4
• Hamburg - H1 / H2 / H3
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Specifications for cinnamon quills
| Commercial designation of grades and qualities | Diameter of quills Max mm | Number of whole quills (1050mm) per kg min | Extent of foxing1 % max2 | Minimum length of quills in a bale Mm | Pieces of tube & broken pieces of the same quality per bale max % (m/m) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Alba |
6 |
45 |
Nil |
200 |
1 |
|
Continental C5.Sp C5 C4 C3 C2 C1 |
6 10 13 16 17 19 |
35 31 24 22 20 18 |
10 10 10 15 20 25 |
200 |
1 |
|
Mexican M5.Sp M5 M4 |
16 16 19 |
22 22 18 |
50 60 60 |
200 |
2 |
|
Hamburg H1 H2 H3 |
23 25 38 |
11 9 7 |
25 40 60 |
150 |
3 |