TYPES OF CINNAMON

MEDIA GALLERY

We take a look at the four main types of cinnamon: Ceylon, Cassia, Saigon, and Korintje Cinnamon, and identify them by their color, taste, aroma, and appearance. While there are hundreds of types of cinnamon, only four types or varieties are used for commercial purposes.

Except for Ceylon Cinnamon, Cassia, Saigon, and Korintje Cinnamon are also classified under the Cassia Cinnamon category because they are very similar to each other, with only slight variations in color, taste, shape, and coumarin content.

All Cassia-type cinnamons are hard and have high levels of coumarin, a substance known to cause liver damage, while Ceylon Cinnamon is the only soft and brittle cinnamon with ultra-low coumarin levels."

Most of Europe used Ceylon Cinnamon primarily because it was the first spice brought back by European explorers (Portuguese, Dutch, and British) from their conquests of Ceylon (Sri Lanka) nearly 400 years ago. However, cheaper Cassia has made inroads and come to dominate the market

WHICH CINNAMON HAS LOW COUMARIN

Coumarin is a substance that can cause liver damage or complete failure. Only Ceylon Cinnamon has low levels of Coumarin, while all other varieties of Cinnamon have high levels of Coumarin.

At one stage the German government banned Cassia type Cinnamon. But take a closer look at this university of Mississippi study which shows the high levels of Coumarin in all other types of Cinnamon, except Ceylon Cinnamon.

If you are taking Cinnamon for health reasons, then you must and should switch to Ceylon Cinnamon. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) established a tolerable daily intake (TDI) of 0.1 mg/kg body weight of Coumarin in Cinnamon. Read more about Coumarin in Cinnamon here.

INDONESIAN CINNAMON

SAIGON CINNAMON

Around 70% of North America uses Cassia Cinnamon, with Indonesia being the chief supplier. This is because Cassia Cinnamon is much cheaper compared to Ceylon Cinnamon, which tends to be expensive due to the handcrafted process required for its harvesting and rolling into multiple thin layers. Cassia Cinnamon is characterized by its hard bark, spicy flavor, strong aroma, and sometimes bitter taste

CHINESE CINNAMON

The quality of Chinese cinnamon is not great. While it belongs to the Cassia Cinnamon family, it tends to be more pungent, less sweet, and slightly bitter, possibly due to soil conditions. The quality of cinnamon can vary depending on the soil conditions. Most Chinese cinnamon likely remains in China and is used in many Chinese medications for coughs, phlegm, and other illnesses.

CEYLON CINNAMON

Ceylon Cinnamon grows best in sandy soil. The tree typically reaches a height of about 49 feet in its natural state but is cut earlier for commercial purposes. It has a thin bark, and its leaves are shiny and leathery on the top surface, while the underside appears dull. The flowers of the tree are white, and the oval-sized fruit turns bluish with white spots when ripe. When the leaves are crushed, they release a spicy and hot taste, and peeling away the outer bark of the tree yields a very strong cinnamon aroma.

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.


USES AND IMPLICATIONS

For fine desserts, Ceylon Cinnamon is an absolute must because of its subtle nature, mild aroma, and slightly sweeter taste. It never takes center stage in the recipe but adds a complex flavor. Although Ceylon Cinnamon has a mild aroma, when ground and added to baked goods or Cinnamon French toast, for example, it emits a sophisticated and fragrant aroma.

Most well-established recipes that call for Cinnamon originated from Europe or the Middle East and should use Ceylon Cinnamon. The same applies to any Mexican recipes that call for Cinnamon. This is because the taste profile of these desserts was designed with Ceylon Cinnamon in mind. Mexico is the biggest importer of Ceylon Cinnamon.

However, since the supply of Cassia Cinnamon in the US is overwhelming, most people have been using it instead. This results in desserts tasting very different. Even many Mexican desserts made in the US mistakenly substitute Cassia Cinnamon, which alters the original taste profile of the dessert. Due to its mild and sweet nature, Ceylon Cinnamon allows for the creation of sophisticated layers of flavors that are not achievable with the harsher Cassia Cinnamon.