It happens that life goes on as usual, in everyday work, household chores, everyday affairs and duties - in a word, measuredly routine. And suddenly, unexpectedly and out of place, it smells on you of something barely perceptible, but so familiar, almost forgotten, and will make your heart beat faster and more joyfully. And now you are already in captivity of happy memories of carefree youth and those rare moments of life that remain with you forever and give strength in its most difficult moments.
Such is the aroma of a magical spice familiar to everyone from childhood, for the possession of which battles and battles were fought many centuries ago, because of it they lost their heads, they took her as an assistant, winning the hearts of impregnable beauties. Today, its sweet, woody, enchanting smell of Christmas is an indispensable attribute of European winter holidays.
It is believed that the aroma of the bark of this plant warms the body and soul, drives away the feeling of loneliness, tightness and fear, gives inspiration, awakens creative imagination, envelops the homely warmth of a family hearth.
We think many have already figured out the intrigue. Of course, this is real cinnamon.
Where does cinnamon grow
An evergreen, elegant tree growing in the Asian tropics, the bark of which the local population has long used to obtain this spice, even in the Ancient World aroused the coveted interest of European sailors and spice hunters. In the Middle Ages, it only strengthened, and the area of cinnamon production expanded significantly.
The highest quality real cinnamon in our time is obtained in. By the way, it was here, in the 16th century, that Portuguese travelers discovered dense cinnamon forests along the shores of the Ceylon Islands and became monopolists in the precious spice trade. But not for long - the Dutch claimed the cinnamon island, followed by the British.
Sri Lankan real cinnamon, also called "noble" or true, is made from the thinnest soft yellowish or brown bark, has a pleasant aroma and an unusually sweet, warm and pleasant taste.
Now these trees are for commercial purposes grown in Sumatra, Brazil, Egypt, even Vietnam and many other places. But Ceylon cinnamon remains unsurpassed to this day.
Her name can be found in the Bible Cinnamon is one of the most ancient spices ever known to people. She is mentioned many times in the Bible.
Cinnamon is also mentioned in Chinese manuscripts from 2800 BC. Until now, she enjoys special respect in this country as a symbol of immortality.
In Egypt, this spice was known as early as 1500 BC. The researchers found that it was added to the embalming mixture because it has high antibacterial properties.
Cinnamon and cassia
Actually there are four types of cinnamon. But on our shelves, the most frequent guest is cassia, and therefore we will compare these two species.
Ceylon real cinnamon(cinnamomum zeylanicum) is quite expensive and of very high quality. It has an unusually sweet, warm taste, with a slight burning aftertaste and a pleasant aroma. Experts define it as the best among the types of this spice, it is also called kinam or noble (true) cinnamon. She is the most precious.
Chinese cinnamon or cassia(cinnamomum cassia), although it has an identical composition, it is not exactly cinnamon, but rather its closest relative, which is extracted from the Chinese cinnamon tree. It has a more pronounced taste, sharper and more burning, because it is also called fragrant.
Cassia should be treated with caution. She is contains coumarin(Cumarin), which large quantities substance hazardous to health. It is also contained in real cinnamon, only the scales are different. In Ceylon cinnamon, it is only 0.02 g / kg, in Chinese - 2 g / kg. So Cassia is not to be abused.
How to distinguish cinnamon from cassia
Cassia is usually darker and harder than the real one, since when it is obtained, not only the inner, delicate layer of the bark of Chinese cinnamon is used, but also the outer one, which is cut off from the real one. The tubules, respectively, are thicker - 2-3 mm. And in terms of structure, such cinnamon will more resemble a dried tree.
How to test cinnamon with iodine
In supermarkets, cassia is often passed off as noble cinnamon. But at home it is easy to check. Actually, it turns out the presence of starch. When exposed to iodine on true cinnamon, you will get a slight blue effect, while cassia powder or sticks will turn a dark blue color.
How to choose cinnamon
It should also be borne in mind that real cinnamon is generally often faked, using its popularity around the world. Therefore, it is better to buy cinnamon in tubes, rather than ground cinnamon. And one more hint - read who produces this spice. Cinnamon produced in England, France and Holland most often meets the quality requirements.
Where is cinnamon added?
It would not be an exaggeration to say that in our time it can be found in any kitchen. And the use of cinnamon is incredibly diverse.
Let's say Portuguese and Mexicans don't imagine strong coffee without a cinnamon stick in a cup. They are absolutely sure that coffee will invigorate much more effectively if you add a cinnamon stick and half a teaspoon of grated chocolate to it.
AT Spain the same stick can be found in gin and tonic.
Classically cooked stuffed eggplant or Greek lamb stews are simply unthinkable without cinnamon.
In countries Mid East and Southeast Asia Cinnamon is used when cooking meat instead of black pepper.
Well, what about French Christmas is associated with the warm aroma of cinnamon gingerbread.
Few people know, but Russia with cinnamon, milk soups, pancakes, cereals and jellied fish(!), in Transcaucasia put in soups (for example, in kharcho) and lamb pilaf. AT Belarus flavored soaked cranberries, and on Ukraine used for pickling cucumbers and salting watermelons.
Now we use cinnamon to flavor drinks, marinades, cookies, buns and sweet dishes made from cottage cheese and fruits, add it to vegetables and fruit salads, in poultry, pork and lamb dishes.
Cinnamon powder is added only at the very end of cooking (no more than 10 minutes before the end), since with prolonged heat treatment, cinnamon will give the dish an unpleasant bitterness.
Highly interesting taste cinnamon gives yogurt, fermented baked milk, kefir.
Cinnamon: contraindications
real cinnamon should not be used during pregnancy, it can provoke a miscarriage. In addition, and the tendency to allergic reactions should be used with caution.
Cinnamon in medicine
Let's throw back the curtain of time again. In medieval Europe, there was no better cure for impotence and anemia than hot wine with cinnamon, this drug was boiled in an iron vessel and on fire from special wood.
Hindus used a mixture of cinnamon with pomegranate juice as effective remedy from poisons.
Chinese merchants medicinal herbs Cinnamon has been prescribed for centuries for bloating and to improve digestion. It is used to make home remedies for diarrhea and morning sickness.
In Arabic medical treatises, you can find recipes for lotions with a decoction of cinnamon for nervous tics, convulsions, and weakness.
The benefits of cinnamon
Modern day research says real cinnamon can be wonderful prophylactic against such diseases of the century as diabetes. It is believed that it improves the body's ability to respond to insulin and normalizes blood sugar levels, as well as improves blood circulation.
In general, this wonderful plant has useful action for a whole range of ailments.
Well, for example, cinnamon water wash eyes with conjunctivitis, inflamed wounds. A five-minute steam inhalation of cinnamon and sage will help with a cold, and gargling with a toothache or sore throat. A mixture of cinnamon with ginger and honey added to black tea will speed up.
Infusion of cinnamon with honey is good for postpartum recovery, and some women in labor even feel increased flow of breast milk.
Cinnamon helps with most gastrointestinal problems, and with complex treatment it can even help to cope with an ulcer.
AT aromatherapy she has no equal. If you are depressed, your confidence in your own perfection has evaporated somewhere and it has become lonely and uncomfortable, inhale the magical cinnamon aroma - and hope and faith in yourself will return again and give you new creative energy and vitality.
Cinnamon: use in traditional medicine
Pour a cinnamon stick with a glass of boiled water (so as not to calculate the degrees, and they should be 92 Celsius, you can simply remove the water from the fire, as it boils, and count to twenty), insist for half an hour, remove the cinnamon, add a spoonful of honey. Drink in small sips after meals. This recipe is considered in the East as a universal remedy for all diseases.
How to lose weight with cinnamon
Healthy harmony is today's brand. There is no such young beauty who would not want to lose a couple of kilograms, or even more. How many recipes and tips, what a variety of diets, special programs and useful products offered from TV screens! The goal is to make us even more beautiful and attractive.
Recently, the list of products for weight loss has been replenished with cinnamon. Nutritional studies have shown that as little as a quarter teaspoon of real cinnamon, eaten with meals, helps to absorb sugar more efficiently and lower blood sugar levels.
This is important because high level blood sugar leads to the formation of more and more fat deposits. Cinnamon can also be used in place of sugar as it has a naturally sweet taste.
Cinnamon is obtained by cutting off the inner layer of the bark of an evergreen cinnamon growing in Brazil, South. China, India, Indonesia, Egypt, Vietnam, Madagascar, Sumatra, and his homeland is Sri Lanka (Ceylon).
The cut bark is dried, while it is rolled up into tubes, which are cut into sticks up to 12 cm long. Cinnamon is sold in the form of sticks or ground into powder.
Dried flowers or carnation-like buds of the cinnamon tree are also sometimes found on the market, giving tea and other drinks a clean, delicate aroma.
How to choose cinnamon:
What stores call cinnamon isn't always true. The most useful and fragrant types of cinnamon are grown in Ceylon.
Cassia (“Indonesian cinnamon”) is often given as cinnamon, this is the bark of another variety of cinnamon tree cultivated in China and Indonesia, cassia has slightly different properties. To get high-quality cinnamon, shoots of cinnamon 2-3 years old are selected, and the thinnest inner layer of the bark is cut off.
Cassia is prepared from whole pieces bark of 7-10 year old trees and quite successfully replaces cinnamon in many cases, but this spice contains 100 times more of a substance harmful to human health - coumarin, which causes headaches and even hepatitis, this substance is used as rat poison. In 1 kg of noble cinnamon, the content of coumarin is about 0.02 g, in cassia - 2 g.
Knowing what kind of cinnamon happens, it will be easy for you to choose a quality spice.
How to tell real cinnamon from cassia.
1. Most often, it is not a high-grade valuable spice that is sold in ground form, but cassia or other low-grade cinnamon. If you need a good spice, check the country of origin: you need to give preference to cinnamon brought from Ceylon, and not from China, Indonesia or Vietnam. It is also not recommended to purchase cinnamon from Germany, the USA, Israel - these states do not have local production, and they do not sell cinnamon from Ceylon.
2. True cinnamon is more expensive, the package may be marked "Cinnamomum zeylonicum". Cassia is sometimes labeled as "Cinnamomum aromaticum".
3. The smell of true cinnamon is softer and nobler - soft, warm, sweet. Cassia smells weaker, but coarser and sweeter.
4. As for the cinnamon sticks, the high-grade noble spice has a delicate, uniform light brown color, the color of cassia is not the same inside and out, and has a reddish brown or gray-brown hue. True cinnamon sticks are always twisted at both ends, forming "ram's horns", cassia sticks may be slightly curved or not twisted at all.
5. The cut of cinnamon wood is thinner, the thickness of the cuts the best varieties comparable to the thickness of a paper sheet. Cinnamon is easily crushed and brittle, while cassia is stronger, thicker (3-10 mm), rougher and breaks into fibers.
6. You can check the quality of the spice at home. To do this, drop iodine on a stick or slide of cinnamon powder - cassia will turn dark blue with this interaction, and true cinnamon will turn slightly blue.
Cinnamon storage:
Store the spice in an airtight container at a temperature not exceeding 20°C and relative humidity not exceeding 70%. It is better to buy cinnamon sticks and grind them into powder before use.
Cinnamon shelf life:
In sticks, the spice retains its usefulness for 12 months, the optimal shelf life of ground cinnamon is six months.
Useful properties and contraindications of cinnamon.
Therapeutic effect:
Cinnamon stimulates, invigorates, improves mood, removes depression, restores strength, improves memory, coordination and attentiveness.
It improves the circulation of fluids and thins the blood, lowers cholesterol, cleanses the liver and choleretic system.
Cinnamon is used to strengthen the heart, prevent strokes and heart attacks.
The use of cinnamon relieves a runny nose, cough - dry and with phlegm, removes mucus from the nose, removes congestion and congestion in the sinuses. It can relieve a sore throat, relieve headaches, colds, cure flu and bronchial asthma.
A large amount of cinnamon causes uterine contractions. The spice helps to recover in the postpartum period and increases the flow of milk. It's traditional Indian remedy to reduce the risk of re-pregnancy immediately after childbirth up to 20 months.
In addition, cinnamon freshens breath, relieves muscle spasms, relieves colic, helps with indigestion, facilitates digestion, removes gas accumulation, and helps to normalize weight. By the way, cinnamon is recommended to be used with ginger for those who want to lose weight - the remedy normalizes the digestive tract, soothes nervous system and reduces appetite.
What is useful cinnamon with honey?
In combination with honey, cinnamon shows its useful qualities to a greater extent. The main thing is to choose a truly healthy quality honey.
These components of the flu remedy: 1 tbsp. boiled water should be brewed with 0.5 tsp. with a pinch of black pepper, let it brew, use inside with honey.
For colds, coughs and congestion respiratory tract take inside a mixture of half the volume of cinnamon with 1 volume of honey.
For weight loss, it is recommended to drink an infusion of spices with honey on water on an empty stomach, waking up and at night.
By mixing honey with cinnamon in a ratio of 4:1, you get a natural mask for the treatment of skin rashes.
Contraindications:
From the use of spices you need to refrain from bleeding, epilepsy, nervous exhaustion and increased blood pressure. Cinnamon should not be consumed by pregnant women.
Dosage:
In dishes and drinks put from half to 1 tsp. per 1 kg or 1 liter.
How to use cinnamon?
Grinding cinnamon sticks into powder is best just before use: lightly fry them in a dry frying pan, grind them in a coffee grinder or mortar and then put them in dishes and drinks - this way the sticks will crumble better and give more taste and aroma. Another way is to lightly fry the sticks in the right vegetable oil before the fragrance.
Grinding cinnamon sticks into powder is best just before use: lightly fry them in a pan with or without oil, grind them in a coffee grinder or mortar and then put them in dishes and drinks - this way the sticks will crumble better and give more taste and smell.
Lay cinnamon should be 7-10 minutes before the readiness of a hot dish, for example, buns. In cold, such as salads or curd masses spice is placed before serving.
The sweet warm taste and aroma of cinnamon allows you to put it in a wide range of dishes, including preserves and jams, compotes and jelly, liqueurs, punches, coffee, tea and chocolate drinks, sweet pilafs, jelly, mousses, pies, curd pastes. The spice is great for salads made from carrots, cabbage, corn, cucumbers, spinach, quince, pears, vegetable side dishes and marinades, for example, with zucchini, tomatoes, red pepper.
Cinnamon perfectly emphasizes the taste of apples, balancing the natural sourness inherent in their taste in pies, salads, and baking. The aroma and taste of spices are perfectly combined with citrus fruits such as tangerines, lemon, orange, creating a holiday mood.
Cinnamon with kefir:
Kefir, being a nutritious dietary fermented milk product, perfect for unloading days. By adding cinnamon to it - half a teaspoon per glass - you make this drink more beneficial for digestion and promote weight loss. Kefir with cinnamon is great for fasting days or as a snack.
Cinnamon is also called the dried bark of a tree, which is widely used as a spice (spice). Cinnamon-spice comes on sale sometimes in the form of pieces of bark rolled into a tube, and more often in ground form. Cassia and cinnamon how to distinguish a "fake" from the original?
Cassia and cinnamon how to distinguish?
In appearance! On the left is cassia, on the right is cinnamon.
There are hundreds of types of cinnamon. But only 4 of their varieties are used for commercial purposes. These are Ceylon cinnamon, Chinese cassia, Saigon cassia and Indonesian cassia. Cassia and cinnamon how to distinguish a "fake" from the original? What are the benefits of cinnamon for the body?
With the exception of Ceylon cinnamon, all others are classified as cassia because they are very similar to each other with only slight variations in color, taste, shape and coumarin content.
All types of cassia-cinnamon are hard and have high levels of coumarin, which is known to cause liver damage when consumed in excess of certain doses.
Only Ceylon Cinnamon is the only soft and brittle variety with ultra low levels of coumarin. Ceylon cinnamon sticks are crumbly, like cigars, with layers of soft, pliable bark. All other cinnamon cassias are very hard, hollow and have only one rolled layer.
Pay attention to the difference in color. Ceylon Cinnamon is lighter in color while Cassia is darker in color.
Typically, grocery stores sell cassia, which is passed off as real cinnamon. Usually it is either Chinese or Vietnamese cassia. True cinnamon has huge health benefits, while the other one can cause damage to our liver….
It's the spice that evokes comfort, provides a delightful atmosphere, and evokes the best of our most cherished memories...
Real cinnamon and cassia are made from completely different types of wood. Ceylon real cinnamon is usually produced in Sri Lanka, India, Madagascar, Brazil, or the Caribbean, while the fake cassia is usually grown in China, Indonesia or Vietnam.
Another difference is appearance and taste. While the "cinnamon" we're used to seeing on grocery store shelves tends to be dark reddish brown and quite spicy taste, true cinnamon is much lighter in color and has a sweeter, softer, subtler, and richer flavor. And, finally, most big difference is the content of a compound called coumarin. Ceylon cinnamon contains about 0.017 g/kg while other types of cinnamon contain between 2.15-6.97 g/kg of coumarin.
This substance acts on the blood and is an anticoagulant. Studies have also shown that coumarin is toxic to the liver if we consume more than the tolerable daily dose, which is set at 0.1 mg/kg body weight. This means that for a person weighing 68 kg, about the maximum allowable daily dose- 6.8 mg. Since one gram of cinnamon can contain 2.15-6.97mg of coumarin, you can reach this upper limit by consuming about 1/5 teaspoon per day.
If you are going to add this spice to your diet to improve your health, then you will probably take a little more of it ... So it is better to look for Ceylon cinnamon (just in case). Your liver does a great job for you, so show it your love by eating the best quality spices!
How to find the best quality real cinnamon?
1. Look for a seasoning that is labeled as:
real cinnamon
Ceylon cinnamon
Cinnamomum Zeylanicum
Ceylon cinnamon
Real organic cinnamon
2. Buy organic cinnamon to prevent contamination from pesticides and other fillers or preservatives.
3. If you buy bark, real cinnamon is "sticky", the thin bark will be rolled into a circle in layers, not a stick with two curls.
4. Often it is light brown in color, more loose and fluffy, easily crumbles and breaks.
5. It will, as a rule, be 10 times more expensive. This is not always an indicator :), but in combination with the rest of the differences described above, this can be useful.
powdered cinnamon, that you find in the store, most likely was made using industrial process grinding. Flour is added several times to prevent sticking. Therefore, buying chopped seasoning is highly discouraged. Sometimes they write that you can check the authenticity of cinnamon powder by dropping iodine. If cassium powder - it will turn blue. This is a little different. The powder may turn blue if starch has been added to the ground seasoning. Therefore, buy the bark and grind it yourself as needed.
If cinnamon is stored for a long period of time, it nutritional value will be small. Do not store it in the refrigerator and open containers. Place in a tightly sealed container or jar.
Share this information with your friends!
Fragrant cinnamon is one of the highly valued spices that has been used since biblical times and is valued for its healing properties. The spice is time-tested and has found its application not only as an addition to pastries, second courses and desserts, but also as remedy from many digestive problems.
For example, I use cinnamon as effective remedy to combat flatulence. I do not like to drink pills, and cinnamon is a natural medicine, besides, it helps me fight excess weight.
Difference between Cassia and Ceylon
Store-bought cinnamon is the crushed bark or small sprigs of an evergreen cinnamon tree native to Sri Lanka and southern India.
Among the four main types of cinnamon (which is sold in stores), the two most common are Ceylon and Cassia. But Cassia is the so-called "fake" cinnamon, the bark of a related spicy-aromatic tree, not natural. And it is with it that the shelves of our stores are now clogged.
Ceylon cinnamon is recognized as one of the highest quality and sweetest in taste. It has a lighter brown hue and a rich aroma. In the form of sticks, Ceylon is more fragile and crumbles easily, since only the inner layer of the bark is cut.
Fake cinnamon (Cassia) is darker in appearance, with a reddish tinge. Its smell leaves a bitter tart aftertaste. Cassia tubules are thicker and hard to grind (before putting them in your home coffee grinder, just try to break them into a few pieces to prevent electrical damage).
What to do if the store can not smell and touch the cinnamon directly?
Pay attention to the product packaging. It should indicate the type of plant itself, but if it is missing, you should look at the country of origin. If China, Vietnam or Indonesia are listed as such, you are holding Cassia, if Sri Lanka - Ceylon cinnamon (cinnamomum verum).
Of course, it is advisable to buy spice in the form of sticks and grind it yourself at home. For Ceylon cinnamon, this procedure is absolutely safe.
The cost of Ceylon cinnamon is about 10 times higher than that of Cassia.
How to check the quality of ground cinnamon at home?
You can check the authenticity of cinnamon with iodine. Need to drop on a small amount of bought spices a drop of iodine. True cinnamon powder will hardly change its color, while Cassia bark spice powder will take on a dark blue hue.
The difference between natural and fake cinnamon
Colour
1. (cinnamon) - light brown
2. (cassia) - red-brownTaste
1. Soft, sweetish
2. Rich, bitterSmell
1. Pleasant, spicy-sweet
2. Sharp, burning-saturatedStick structure
1.Fragile, easy to crumble
2.Rigid, hard to breakSediment during brewing
1. Jelly-like, red-brown
2.Resinous, taupe
The benefits and harms of cinnamon
But external differences are not everything! Cassia contains a very high level of coumarin (1200 times higher than allowed) in its composition, which is very harmful to the liver and kidneys, especially when regular use into food. By the way, rats are successfully poisoned with coumarin (aka rat poison) in Russia, and it’s not at all necessary for an animal to eat it, it’s enough to lick or sniff it.
In addition, scientists have found that real cinnamon has an antimicrobial effect, slows down the growth of fungal and yeast microorganisms, regulates blood sugar levels, improves memory, and promotes the removal of excess salts.
Delicious and no calories Tips for a sweet tooth: how not to gain weight from ice cream. Can it be eaten for breakfast or dinner.
Application and storage
Cinnamon sticks are widely used in cooking and baking. They add a new trend to the flavor of already known and familiar dishes: ice cream, mashed potatoes, salads.
You can brew strong coffee, cover its surface with a thin circle of white ice cream, and hoist it in the center, like a mast cinnamon stick and sprinkle with grated chocolate ... there is hardly a person who can resist the temptation to try such a dessert.
The spice can also be used cosmetic purposes: 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 2 teaspoons raw honey make the skin tone lighter and velvety.
Like other spices, cinnamon loses its strength and flavor over time, so it's best to store it in an airtight container, in a cool place, away from sunlight and heat. In the right place, the shelf life should not exceed 5 years for sticks and 3 years for ground powder.
With very rare use, you can safely use a fake spice, but with constant use - only natural Ceylon cinnamon. Do not save on health, it is easy to spend it, but there is nowhere to buy it!
Questions from readers:
- Why is cinnamon bitter, burning? Is the spice itself sweet? Or was I given a fake?
Almost any natural herb, spice, or spice will taste bitter at high concentrations. Usually for cooking we use a small amount of spice for the whole dish, and here half a spoon per glass of boiling water! Of course, after such a concentration, a bitter aftertaste will remain.
- Does mucus form when brewing natural cinnamon?
Yes a little. In Cinnamomum aromaticum (ours - Cassia), the starch content is much higher, therefore, the turbidity of such a drink is much greater. In Cinnamomum zeylonicum (in our natural cinnamon) there is less starch, respectively, and less turbidity. I generally keep quiet about ground cinnamon from store bags. Anything goes in there...
- My cinnamon after iodine turned into chocolate color. This is fine ?
Yes. Cinnamon, when tested with iodine, can change color from light brown to dark chocolate. Cassia, due to content a large number starch, turns dark blue.
- I don’t like the taste of cinnamon tea, how can I interrupt the sweetness?
“... Sticks ... powders ... It's a dark matter. Such a heated discussion shows that one must not only have a competent "theory" (and not rumors), but also be an experienced practitioner.
From my experience (I bought ground cinnamon from different packers). In Auchan, for example, Haas sachets say so: “supreme cinnamon” and, it seems, just “cinnamon” (2016). The price and weight varied significantly.
Various initial providers were also written (which is rare!). The packets have been preserved, I will find them, I can publish them. I bought both out of curiosity.
Cinnamon of the "highest quality" has such an aroma that the mere smell lights up the blood and lifts the mood. The other is insipid, dusty, dusty, with a slight hint of cinnamon smell.
Then I didn’t know about craftsmen-imitators and thought that it was domestic talents that were passed off as ground cinnamon oak bark(brown one!).
The second iodine test experiment, already with attached photos.
On the silver platter on the right is Haas cinnamon of the "highest" quality, it is light, as if diluted, with a persistent strong smell of cinnamon.
On the left - cinnamon of the firm "Farsis" (still the same famous Mytishchi region, supplier of "colonial goods" of our time). This is a brownish powder of a slightly coarser grinding, the smell is five times weaker (very faintly perceptible), and with a hint of almonds. Perhaps this is the same "coumarin". In my memory, the smell of coumarin remained from the emerald tincture of the fragrant spikelet - you will not forget this!
So, the iodine test only moistened both powders, they darkened (the “highest” quality cinnamon darkened more), but did not turn blue. After half an hour (while I was downloading the photo and writing this comment), the powders dried up, but the moistened "higher" cinnamon turned dark dark brown, and the lower, odorless, returned almost to its original color. Like this."
there are statements that the presented cinnamon is cassia, life-threatening (supposedly four cookies can be poisoned).
But, judging by the fact that Ceylon true cinnamon is difficult to get, and the financial costs are not profitable for producers, they put cassia in cookies (pretzels, oatmeal) and gingerbread. Such goodies in my family are eaten by "tons" and no one has been poisoned yet. I don’t know who benefits from blackening cassia, but I want to put everything in its place by comparing cinnamon and cassia using the biological names of plants.
Types of cinnamon: looking for cassia
The cinnamon plant itself (more precisely, cinnamon) belongs to the laurel family (it even has leaves similar to lavrushka) and has 300 species! Even applies to cinnamon. Ceylon cinnamon (or "natural") is called Cinnamomum zeylanicum. It was she who was awarded the title of the highest quality (a millimeter thick, the color of coffee with milk, fragile, like parchment). The second most common is the Chinese ("fake", simple, fragrant, Indian) cinnamon - cassia (in the quality analysis, it is designated by number 2).
Cassia Cinnamomun Cassia (aromaticum or Chinese cinnamon) is the most famous ancient spice. She is mentioned in the Bible (Ezekiel, Psalms). Until the 16th century, Europeans cultivated it and did not doubt its quality, because. the other (Ceylonese) was not known. There were no cases of poisoning, as it has not been observed to this day. The tale about 4 cookies is a scare, a fiction of an inflamed brain, spread across the network with the speed of the wind. Below there will be a video in which all types of cinnamon are “crumpled” and brought to a common denominator - “this is cassia, which is dangerous for the health of children.”
Cinnamomun loureiroi (saigonicum) - Vietnamese cinnamon and burmannii - Indonesian cinnamon (GOSTs for which are not registered) - refer specifically to cinnamon, and not to cassia, despite the similarity in appearance (thickness, difficulty to break, appearance of the bark). They gained popularity due to their cheapness.
Differences between cassia and cinnamon
In my opinion, it is not correct to talk about the differences between cinnamon and cassia, because the appearance and texture of Ceylon cinnamon is not repeated by any other cinnamon bark. It is advisable to talk about the differences between Ceylon cinnamon and all others, including cassia.
Before comparing, I note that the word cassia (Cássia) is another plant that is not related to cinnamon, but rather to legumes. It has 70 species, but does not even have a remote resemblance to cinnamon and is not used as a spice. Maybe when talking about useful properties cassia (for example, a laxative), they mean it.
Even if the label in Latin is not indicated on the package, it is not difficult to distinguish cinnamon from cassia (more precisely, a Ceylon stick from others): its color and taste are more delicate, fragility is similar to shortbread cookies, there are no signs of mossiness (growths). The structure of the Ceylon stick resembles a roll toilet paper- it is also tightly twisted in layers (see photo: cassia and cinnamon). The sticks of other cinnamon are twisted inward on both sides, resembling ram's horns, or on one side in a spiral, but not so tightly due to the thickness of the bark. The thinness of the "Ceylon sissy" is due to the fact that it is prepared from young three-year-old shoots, while the "rude" cassia (and other types of cinnamon) is harvested from the bark of trees that have reached the age of seven to ten.
The main concern on the basis of which they make an assumption about the dangers of cassia (especially for child's body) - the presence of a significant amount of coumarin, 1200 times higher than the norm. But, as suggested in the comments, with coumarin, not so much is released for poisoning.
And here is the promised video: “Caution! fake cinnamon» - watch it from a critical position of knowledge.
10 thoughts on Cinnamon and Cassia: Revealed”
Yeah interesting! I learned a lot of new things: I did not know that Cassia existed. I used cinnamon bags occasionally, for baking, without thinking about its harm. now I will know that ground "cinnamon" in bags is not safe. Thank you!
This is the first time I hear about Cassia. Thanks for so useful information. I love cinnamon and use it often in baked goods. But I buy in the form of a powder in sachets. It is problematic and expensive to find in sticks, because we use a lot of cinnamon. What to do now? Refuse bags?
Normally. everything is educational. I love cinnamon in any form: cinnamon rolls, cinnamon coffee. There is even tea, though in bags with cinnamon and bergamot. Now I know for sure that I buy cassia in transparent bags at exorbitant prices. Alas.
