Organic Ground Ceylon Cinnamon

Description

Ceylon Cinnamon, Cinnamomum Zeylanicum (sometimes also classified as Cinnamomum verum), is from the family Lauraceae (the laurel family) and other members of this family include bay laurel and avocado.   

Native to the island of Sri Lanka (formerly called Ceylon). Sri Lanka is located just southeast of India. Ceylon Cinnamon also grows naturally in southwestern India, in the Tenasserim Hills of Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) and on the tiny African island of Seychelles (located east of Kenyan and northeast of Madagascar).

Ceylon Cinnamon is also known as yook gway (Chinese), cannelle (French), ceylonzimt (German), cannella (Italian), canela (Spanish), "true cinnamon", "sweet cinnamon" or "Mexican cinnamon" .

History and Cultivation

Cinnamon has been in use by humans for thousands of years as far back as 2,000 BC where the Egyptians used it during the embalming process. Cinnamon was also mentioned in the Old Testament in proverb 7:17 where it was written "I have sprinkled my bed with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon ".
 
Among ancient nations Cinnamon was held in such high esteem that it was considered a gift worthy of monarchs and was more valuable than gold.

There are records of Ceylon cinnamon being a highly sought after spice during Roman times. The Arabs controlled the cinnamon trade through hard to navigate land routes and commanded a high price for it. During the Middle Ages Cinnamon was only available in very limited amounts which made it a status symbol among the elites. Because of its exclusive nature it also became coveted by the rising middle class. Because of this high demand Arab spice traders kept its location a closely guarded secret until the 1500’s. The first mention of Ceylon Cinnamon being cultivated in Sri Lanka was by the Persian encyclopedist Zakariya Ibn Muhammad al-Kazwini in approximately 1270.

During the early 1500s Queen Isabella of Spain commissioned several explorers including Christopher Columbus and Gonzalo Pizarro to find sea routes to bring in spices back to Spain. Because both of these Spanish explorers sailed west to the New World neither was able to find the source of cinnamon.

In the late 1510’s Portuguese traders landed on Ceylon island and discovered cinnamon. They made trade deals with the Kingdom of Kotte to import Ceylon Cinnamon and this allowed the Portuguese to control the Ceylon Cinnamon trade for the rest of the century and into the early parts of the 17th century as well. In 1638 the Dutch overthrew the Portuguese and controlled the Ceylon Cinnamon supply for the next 150 years. Legend has it that a Dutch captain claimed that "The shores of the island are full of it and it is the best in all the Orient. When one is downwind of the island, one can still smell cinnamon eight leagues out to sea." The British defeated the Dutch in the 4th Anglo-Dutch war in 1784 but once the 1800’s began cassia cinnamon was rising in popularity, with its lower cost and similar taste, which drastically curtailed the demand and the price for Ceylon Cinnamon collapsed.  

It takes Ceylon cinnamon trees 3-5 years before they are able to produce a high enough quality bark for harvesting. Once the trees have reached this initial stage of maturity the bark is harvested twice a year which takes place after each of the two rainy seasons, as rain-soaked bark is easier to remove from the trees.

The bark of the Ceylon tree is smoother and thinner than that of the cassia and the highest grade cinnamon is harvested from the trunk while the branches produce a lower quality cinnamon. The Negombo district on the island’s western coast grows the highest quality Ceylon Cinnamon in the world.

While over 90% of Ceylon is grown in Sri Lanka it is also cultivated in Mexico, South America, Seychelles (an island east of Africa and north of Madagascar), Madagascar and India.

Depending on the time of year our Organic Ceylon Cinnamon may be harvested in Sri Lanka or India where the soil, significant rain and tropical climate provide ideal growing conditions.

When and Where to Use

Ceylon Cinnamon is used generously in English, Central American, Mexican, South American and South Asian cooking. Throughout Europe and Mexico, Ceylon is also the preferred cinnamon. In Mexico, it is referred to as "canela".

In Great Britain, Ceylon is found mostly in sweeter dishes like fruitcakes, pastries and stewed fruits. In India and Sri Lanka it is a key spice in fiery curries, aromatic biryanis, the spice blend Garam Masala, pickles and teas. In Latin America it's found in chocolate beverages and in Mexico it plays a starring role in multiple signature moles.

Ceylon Cinnamon is usually the preferred cinnamon of choice in dishes where there aren’t multiple powerful flavors competing with one another. Ceylon is favored by discriminating bakers and cooks in making cinnamon ice cream, custards, dessert syrups, Dutch pears, steamed pudding and stewed rhubarb.

Ceylon Cinnamon balances well with vegetables and fruits such as carrots, onions, spinach, apples, apricots, blueberries, cherries, and oranges.

Ceylon Cinnamon also pairs well with the spices allspice, black pepper, cardamom, cloves and ginger.

Flavor Profile

Ceylon Cinnamon's flavor is quite different from the better known Cassia cinnamon. Unlike the spicier, bolder Cassia cinnamon, Ceylon Cinnamon features a deeply complex yet subtle flavor that is warm and sweet with hints of citrus and cloves.

Ceylon cinnamon's subtler flavor is owed to its lower concentration of cinnamon oil (generally 1-2% by weight), while Cassia cinnamon typically comes in at 2-6% by weight.

Medicinal Benefits?

Cinnamon has been reported to have some medicinal benefits (new window). Dr. Richard Anderson, the leading scientist at the Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center has found that some cinnamon compounds may improve the body's ability to process insulin which improves blood glucose levels. These findings hold great promise, especially for those with diabetes.

Both Cassia and Ceylon Cinnamon contain coumarin, a natural flavoring found in plants. Studies have linked high coumarin intake to liver damage in a small number of sensitive people.     
German scientists analyzed 91 cinnamon samples purchased from stores in Germany. Their research confirmed that cassia cinnamon has the highest levels of coumarin, while Ceylon Cinnamon had significantly lower levels. On average, cassia cinnamon sticks contained 18 times more coumarin than Ceylon sticks and cassia cinnamon powder contained up to 63 times more coumarin than Ceylon cinnamon powder. At one stage the German government banned Cassia type Cinnamon.

This University of Mississippi study has also found high levels of coumarin in all other types of Cinnamon, except Ceylon Cinnamon.

Helpful Hints

If you’re a fan of Ceylon Cinnamon we also carry non organic Ceylon Cinnamon Sticks (approximately 3” long).

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