Why Choose Ceylon Cinnamon

Why Choose Ceylon Cinnamon

Ceylon Cinnamon from Sri Lanka is widely regarded as the safer, more refined, and more authentic form of cinnamon compared to Cassia. While both are used as spices, they are not the same botanically or chemically, and the differences significantly affect safety, taste, and quality.

Nearly 95% of the world’s Ceylon Cinnamon still comes from Sri Lanka, where it has been cultivated for centuries. A much smaller amount is grown in Madagascar, but it is rarely exported due to lower quality and limited production. Within Sri Lanka itself, the highest quality Ceylon Cinnamon is produced in the southwestern region of the island, where unique soil composition and climate conditions create ideal growing conditions. Attempts to cultivate it widely in other regions have had limited success, making this area especially important for true Ceylon Cinnamon production.

Because of its origin, rarity, and distinctive characteristics, Ceylon Cinnamon is often referred to as “true cinnamon” or real cinnamon.

  • 1. ULTRA LOW COUMARIN

    As diabetes reaches epidemic proportions many diabetics, rightly or wrongly are eating Ceylon Cinnamon. Ceylon Cinnamon has low Coumarin levels of 0.02% compared to 0.4 - 0.8% for Cassia type Cinnamon. Even at levels of 0.4 - 0.8% Coumarin is considered dangerous to your liver.

    Ceylon Cinnamon however can be consumed on a daily basis without undue concerns. Having said that, you should only consume moderate levels of even Ceylon Cinnamon. Too much of anything can cause toxicity in our body.TheUS national Health service claims you should not take more than 6g of Cinnamon per day for 6 weeks or less. That seems a reasonable precaution.

  • 2. SWEETNESS

    Ceylon Cinnamon tends to be slightly sweeter with notes of citrus and clove. It has no sugar however. The slight sweet taste of Ceylon Cinnamon is an advantage if you, like many diabetics drink or eat cinnamon on a daily basis. For example when you make some te de canela with Ceylon Cinnamon you will find that it is surprisingly sweet. Without sugar. But the sweet taste has another advantage. It works very well with fine desserts. The blend of Ceylon Cinnamon creates a very sophisticated taste profile without the need for so much sugar.

  • 3. MAKES THE BEST CINNAMON OIL

    Ever wonder why Cassia cinnamon oil is so cheap and Ceylon Cinnamon Oil is relatively expensive? This is because Ceylon Cinnamon Oil is much harder to extract.

    The Ceylon Cinnamon Bark Oil resides in the thin inner bark of the Ceylon Cinnamon tree. It has to be peeled very carefully and then steam distilled. There is only about 1% oil in this thin sliver of bark. But once you extract it you have one of the most exotic essential oils known to man. All you need is 1-3 drops either for aroma or to add to a drink. It is that powerful.

    Significantly free of contaminants especially Coumarin (see Cinnamon compounds list here) it has some very powerful health benefits that the FDA bans us from telling you about. No wonder it is the first and only choice for the World's best food manufactures like Coca Cola to the French perfume industry.

  • 4. FLAVOR

    Shouldn't Cinnamon taste strong and flavorful you ask? Quite the contrary. A strong Cinnamon taste might work for a few overtly Cinnamon tasting recipes, but the vast majority of recipes would be better off with Ceylon Cinnamon.

    This is because Ceylon Cinnamon never takes center stage. Like salt, it is an ingredient that adds to the whole to create a more complex flavor. In fact you would be hard pressed to know that Cinnamon was used in many Asian curries or European baked recipes. But without Ceylon Cinnamon those recipes would be dull insipid affairs. Cassia Cinnamon by contrast is very spicy and often detracts from the main flavor of any recipe.

    In Sri Lanka, the home of Ceylon Cinnamon, it is added to many curries to create a savory taste. Mexican recipes which makes extensive use of Ceylon Cinnamon came from Spain which in turn discovered Ceylon Cinnamon nearly 400 years ago. That means many of these European Cinnamon recipes have had centuries to create multi layered flavors with subtle combinations of Cinnamon and other spices.

  • 5. CRUMBLY AND EASIY TO GRIND

    Ceylon Cinnamon sticks are rolled like a cigar with slivers of paper thin Cinnamon bark, It is very fragile and crumbly. That means it is easier to grind into fresh Ceylon Cinnamon powder. Good chefs know fresh Cinnamon powder makes a huge difference to any recipe. Grinding the hard Cassia Cinnamon is likely to break your grinder. Try our Ceylon Cinnamon powder, which is cool ground into a fine 100 mesh powder to retain more of the natural oils in Cinnamon.

  • 6. FRAGRANCE


    Ceylon Cinnamon has an amazing aroma. Try some Ceylon Cinnamon French Toast made with the Ceylon Cinnamon powder. You will suddenly realize how much better it is. The whole house will waft in a truly intoxicating scent. Or boil a Ceylon Cinnamon stick into tea. The aroma is particularly good in the Ceylon Cinnamon Bark Oil because it has the highest levels of Cinnamaldehyde, the compound that makes that characteristic Cinnamon smell.

WHAT IS 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.

READ MORE ABOUT COUMARIN