True Ceylon Cinnamon Vs Cassia

Did you know that there are two kinds of Cinnamon in the world where one is healthy and true and other one is respectively unhealthy and fake?

Yes there are. True Cinnamon also known as Ceylon Cinnamon which is native to the South Asian island Sri Lanka is the one and only True Cinnamon in the world. And the fake cinnamon or it is called as Chinese Cinnamon or Cassia Cinnamon is the second one. These two varieties have identical features where we can identify Ceylon Cinnamon from Cassia Cinnamon easily.

In Sri Lanka, Ceylon Cinnamon is produced using the bark of the tender shoots of the plant ‘Cinnamomum verum’ which are mainly cultivated in South and Central region of the country. The thin bark is then dried in the sun and rolled together by hand into long "quills", which are later graded and cut into custom sizes. Cassia Cinnamon is produced using the bark of the plant ‘Cinnamomim cassia’ which is mainly cultivated in Tropical Forests in Southern China. The strips of the inner bark are dried in the sun and curl up naturally forming thick shards. Identically Ceylon Cinnamon bark is thin and rolled using few dried barks to a quill where Cassia Cinnamon has a single curled bark when dried.

When it comes to the flavours True Cinnamon has a medium sweet taste, but rather it enhances the perception of sweetness in other ingredients. This makes it perfect for sweet bakes and desserts, and for drawing out sweet notes in savoury dishes. Cassia Cinnamon has a sweet, warming taste, but it is bitter and lacks the floral and citrus notes of True Cinnamon. Its deeper, spicier and has a less subtle flavor.

The absence of Coumarin in True Cinnamon and presence of Coumerin in Cassia is the main reason which emphasizes True Cinnamon is much healthier than Cassia Cinnamon. Coumarin is a flavouring substance which is contained in relatively high concentrations in Cassia Cinnamon. In especially sensitive persons, even comparatively small quantities of coumarin can cause temporary liver damages and increase the risk of cancer.

Also True Cinnamon sticks has a lighter brown and fragile appearance with a smooth texture and easy to snap or break while Cassia Cinnamon's bark is darker, thicker and more loosely coiled and harder to snap or break.

In the world market most of the ground cinnamon contains Cassia Cinnamon than True Cinnamon where True Cinnamon powder is majorly produced and exported from Sri Lanka.