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Cinnamon - Family Lauraceae
Cinnamomum
Common name
Properties
Cinnamomum verum
Presl (syn. C.
l i
N )
True or Ceylon cinnamon
Sri Lanka cinnamon
M i
i
Very thin, light yellow brown
smooth bark, less dense,
bl t t
hi hl
zey an cum ees
ex can c nnamon
more crum y ex ure, g y
fragrant aroma, more
aromatic in flavor
Lower levels of coumarin
C. cassia Presl (C.
aromaticaum)
Cassia, Chinese cinnamon,
“Cassia lignea”
Cassia ‐ Much stronger and
harsher flavor than Ceylon
i
di
t li ht
C. burmannii Blume
Indonesian cassia, Korintje
cinnamon, Pandang cinnamon
c nnamon, me um o g
reddish brown, hard and
woody, thicker bark;
spicy/spice sweet/spicy bitter
C. loureirii Nees
Vietnamese cassia, Saigon
cinnamon, Vietnamese
cinnamon
C. tamala (Buch.‐
Ham.) Nees & Eberm.
Indian cassia
Uses
•
Food
–
Culinary spice for flavor and aroma
–
Food preservative and antioxidant
–
Source of nutrients – manganese, iron, calcium, dietary
fiber
•
Traditional medicine
–
Effective against fungal, bacterial and viral infections
–
Have antispasmodic properties
–
Useful for diabetes, hypercholesterolemia and
inflammatory conditions
•
Dietary supplements