Which Cinnamon Is Good For You | Ceylon | Cassia | Saigon | Korintje

Cassia, Saigon and Korintje Cinnamon are 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 Cinnamon have a hard thick bark 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 this was the first spice European explorers (Portuguese, Dutch and British) brought back from their conquests of Ceylon (Sri Lanka) nearly 400 years ago. But cheaper Cassia has made inroads and has come to dominate the market.

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

Around 70% of North America uses Cassia Cinnamon. Indonesia is the chief supplier of Cassia Cinnamon. This is because it is much cheaper than Ceylon Cinnamon which tends to be expensive because of the hand crafted process needed to harvest it and roll it in multiple thin layers. Cassia Cinnamon is a hard bark that is spicy, smells pretty strong and sometimes bitter.

SAIGON CINNAMON

This is another Cinnamon which has gained in popularity recently. Originating in Vietnam this cinnamon admittedly makes a good first impression in terms of sheer aroma and taste. It tends to be even more spicy and strong and sweet at the same time. It’s a little more expensive than Cassia Cinnamon but has the highest levels of Coumarin.

CHINESE CINNAMON

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

CEYLON CINNAMON

Ceylon Cinnamon grows best in sandy soil. The tree grows to about 49 feet in its natural state but is cut earlier for commercial purposes. It has a thin bark. The leaves are shiny and leathery on top and dull on the underside. The flowers are white with an oval sized fruit which becomes bluish with white spots when ripe. The leaves when crushed are spicy and hot to taste while peeling away the outer bark of the tree yields a very strong cinnamon smell.

The biggest advantage of Ceylon 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.

HEALTH USES AND IMPLICATIONS

The most potent form of Ceylon Cinnamon is of course the Ceylon Cinnamon Bark Oil, followed by the sticks and then the powder. Yes you can ingest high quality Ceylon Cinnamon Bark Oil. Adding 1-3 drops of the Bark Oil to tea, coffee or our signature Ketocino drink which you can make at home, has excellent benefits. Why? Because it has extremely high levels of Cinnamaldehyde (approximately 76.8%) the magical ingredient that makes Cinnamon so special. It is fairly spicy hot and also has an earthy sweetness to it without any sugar.

For those who do not like spicy hot, then Cinnamon sticks are a good solution. Of course using them short of boiling it into Ceylon Cinnamon stick tea or adding to stews, it is not the most practical for busy people. That means the Ceylon Cinnamon powder is a good choice, providing convenience albeit without the same levels of potency as the Bark Oil.

USE IN RECIPES

However because the supply in the US is overwhelmingly Cassia Cinnamon, most people have been using Cassia Cinnamon. That makes the desserts taste very different. Even many Mexican desserts made in the US erroneously substitute Cassia Cinnamon, which ruins the original taste profile of the dessert. Because Ceylon Cinnamon tends to be mild and sweet, it lends itself to creating sophisticated layers of flavors that is not possible with the harsher Cassia Cinnamon.