Cinnamon

Shop Available Cinnamon Forms and Sizes Below

Common Names: Cassia Bark, Cinnamon, Cinnamon Twig, Cinnamon Bark, “Medical Saint”, Cinnamounum Ceylanicum, Indonesian Cinnamon, Padang Cassia, Batavia Cassia, Korintje
Botanical Name: Cinnamomum burmanii, Cinnamomum verum, Cinnamonum Cassia
Pin Yin Name: Gui Zhi, Gui, Rou Gui
Cinnamon Dosage: Consult your healthcare provider for your correct dose.
Cinnamon Precautions: Do not use if pregnant or nursing. Consult your healthcare before using if you are taking blood-thinning medications.

Cinnamon Benefits & Information

Cinnamon is an herb most of us are familiar with. Cinnamon is a common spice used in many cuisines to flavor beverages, baked goods, and savory dishes. It also has a long history of medicinal use in both Chinese medicine and Ayurvedic medicine. Cinnamaldehyde and other essential oils provide cinnamon with most of its health benefits. Cinnamon also contains couomarin, a blood thinning substance that may cause liver, lung, and kidney damage if taken in large doses.

There are two types of cinnamon, Cassia and Ceylon. Cassia cinnamon and Ceylon cinnamon have slightly different appearance, taste, and medicinal properties although no distinction is made in the research on cinnamon. Both types proven to provide benefits for the same health concerns. Below is information on the differences between Cassia cinnamon and Ceylon cinnamon.

Cassia Cinnamon

Originated in Southern China (Chinese Cinnamon)
Cassia cinnamon species include Cinnamomum burmannii, Cinnamomum cassia, Cinnamomum loureiroi, and Cinnamomum loureirii.
Cassia cinnamon has a sweet and strong spicy taste.
Cassia cinnamon is commonly used in cooking.
Cassia Cinnamon contains high amounts of cinnamaldehyde and coumarin. Approximately 95% of its essential oils is cinnamaldehyde. Cassia contains about 1% of coumarin.

Ceylon Cinnamon

Originated in Southern India and Sri Lanka
Ceylon cinnamon is referred to as the “true cinnamon”.
Ceylon cinnamon species include Cinnamomum verum and Cinnamomum zeylanicum.
Ceylon cinnamon has a mild, slightly sweet flavor.
Ceylon cinnamon is prized as a spice for baking.
Ceylon cinnamon contains less cinnamaldehyde and coumarin than cassia cinnamon. Approximately 50 – 63% of its essential oil is cinnamaldehyde and it contains about .004% of coumarin.

Antioxidant rich cinnamon offers many health benefits. Research has found that cinnamon contains components that may benefit insulin sensitivity, ease inflammation, promote healthy cholesterol levels, and benefit nerve health. One study found that cinnamon may inhibit the buildup of tau, a substance that is found with the presence of Alzheimer’s disease.

In traditional Chinese medicine cinnamon is used as a tonic for the stomach, to warm the channels, disperses cold, promote urination and ease headache. Studies show that cinnamon may benefit healthy digestion, promotes normal blood glucose levels when used as part of a healthy diet along with exercise, supports cardiovascular health and may benefit joint health. Cinnamon has been found to have anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, antifungal, and antibacterial effects.

Cinnamon can be used as a tea, decoction, and tincture. Cinnamon powder is perfect to make your own fresh filler-free cinnamon capsules. Cinnamon stick, Cinnamon pieces, and cinnamon powder can be used for flavoring beverages and in cooking and baking.

Cinnamon Herb Category: Herbs that Release the Exterior: Warm, Acrid Herbs that Release the Exterior. Herbs that Warm the Interior and Expel Cold
Cinnamon Properties: Cassia: Acrid, Sweet, Very Hot; Ceylon: Acrid, Sweet, Hot
Cinnamon Channels / Meridians: Heart, Lung, Bladder
Cinnamon Naturally Occurring Components: cinnamaldehyde, essential oils, benzyl benzoate, cinnamyl acetate, β-cadinene, calamenene, coumarin