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Cinnamon has been used for centuries both as a culinary spice and for medicinal and other purposes. The ancient Egyptians included cinnamon in their embalming mixture. Moses combined cassia (cinnamon) and other spices with olive oil to anoint the tabernacle and its furnishings.
Origins
The name cinnamon is derived from a Greek word meaning sweet wood. It’s made from the inner bark of the cinnamon tree—an evergreen of the Laurel family. The rolled bark is allowed to dry, forming a scroll or quill. The quills are then cut into two- to three-inch sticks or ground into powder. The ground cinnamon has a stronger flavor than the sticks and can stay fresh for six months, while the scrolls last longer. Both should be stored in a cool, dark, and dry place. There are two main varieties of cinnamon: Cinnamomum verum (true or Ceylon cinnamon) grown in Sri Lanka and southern India; and Cinnamomum aromaticum (also called cassia), which is grown in China, Indonesia, and Vietnam.
True cinnamon boasts a yellowish-brown color and tends to produce a finer powder than cassia, which is grayish-brown. The cinnamon from Sri Lanka—preferred by Europeans—is milder and sweeter in flavor and costs more. Cassia is the product of choice in the United States. True cinnamon may be blended with cassia.
A Common Flavor
Cinnamon finds use as a flavoring agent in soft drinks, teas, and bakery products such as cereals, granola bars, puddings, pastries, cakes, pies, and doughnuts. It’s often added to oatmeal, toast, candy, hot chocolate, tea or coffee, and chewing gums. The herb is a common ingredient in many Indian curries, as well as in various medicinal formulas to improve their taste and aroma. Cinnamon also adds scents in the perfume industry.
Medicinal Uses
Safety Issues
The distinctive odor and flavor of cinnamon is due to cinnamaldehyde, the major oily constituent of cinnamon bark. Since this can be toxic in large doses, a regular use of substantial amounts of ground cinnamon may prove unsafe. This problem can be avoided by using a water-soluble cinnamon extract in which the active polyphenolic compounds are retained but the oil constituents have been removed.
Cinnamon has been granted GRAS (generally recognized as safe) status as a food additive by the FDA and is not restricted as some other food additives have been. Pregnant women are advised to avoid taking cinnamon oil or large doses of the bark, since high doses can induce abortion.
There have been reports of contact sensitivity to cinnamon oil and bark, and to cinnamaldehyde in toothpaste and perfumes. Lip swelling and oral lesions are reported among frequent users of cinnamon-flavored chewing gums.
Winston J. Craig, Ph.D., R.D., is professor of nutrition at Andrews University, Berrien Springs, Michigan.
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