Ah, cinnamon! I sprinkle it into my morning coffee, whip it into delicious homemade ice cream, and even stir it into savory Indian dishes at dinner time.
A lot of folks have made a hubbub about whether or not your cinnamon is real. Their claim is that Ceylon cinnamon is the only true cinnamon, and that Cassia (or Saigon) cinnamon is fake.
They are missing the point. The truth is, both belong the same family of plants (and even the same genus — cinnamomum). And both are similar although the taste is somewhat different.
That said, I do believe there’s such a thing as “fake” cinnamon, and it can impact not only your measure of culinary delight, but also your health.
The differences between Ceylon & Cassia cinnamon
Before I go into describing what I call “fake” cinnamon, let’s bust a myth wide open.
There are no dramatic nutritional differences between the two cinnamons.
Cassia does contain more coumarin, which is a naturally-occurring anti-coagulant (i.e. blood thinner). This has caused some to vilify Cassia because large amounts of coumarin have been shown to cause liver damage in several studies.
Nevertheless, you’d have to be taking large amounts of cinnamon (likely for therapeutic reasons) to even notice the difference between the coagulant cinnamon (Ceylon) and the anti-coagulant cinnamon (Cassia) in a normal, healthy individual.
So, for those of us who are just using cinnamon as a spice, this nutritional difference is moot.
So what makes a cinnamon fake?
It’s all about whether it’s fresh and how it’s processed!
You see, most powdered cinnamon that you buy at the store is manufactured with an industrial grinding process, which tends to dilute the value of nutrients contained in the plant. Sometimes, they even add flour to stop it from caking.
Cinnamon of course is the wood, or bark of the plant, which is ground up in order to consume, and its nutrients are found in its intrinsic oils.
Industrial grinding processes lose many of the oils which contain its nutrients.
Likewise, cinnamon that is stored for long periods of time prior to distribution can also be degraded and lose nutritional value.
It just goes stale, like any other spice, and loses its bite.
Moreover, much of the cinnamon sold in grocery stores and supermarkets is, like much that you can find among mass-marketed brand items, a mystery food.
The bark comes from an unknown source. Who knows how old it is? There is no information about processing and aging factors.
So, if you want the real deal, without any oxidized oils and bitter after taste, you’ve got to grind your cinnamon fresh.
What’s this about taste?
Have you ever noticed the bitter aftertaste in most store bought cinnamon?
If you use real, freshly ground cinnamon, you’ll never experience it again.
Cinnamon that undergoes industrial processing usually has a somewhat bittersweet taste, and the fullness of flavors real cinnamon offers is absent.
Freshly ground cinnamon — ground by our own hand in your own kitchen — retains all its essential oils and nutrients as well as its depth of flavor, which is why many people (myself included!) consider it to be a sweetener in its own right. If you buy it fresh, and grate it yourself, you won’t believe the difference in taste!
Fresh cinnamon is just … better.
The health benefits of cinnamon have been known for a while, which is what makes it a great substitute for other, less healthy sweeteners as well as a real food itself.
Fresh cinnamon has greater nutritional value than store-bought, industrially-processed, old cinnamon.
Cinnamon contains calcium, iron and the mineral manganese, which is also an essential nutrient and used for medicinal purposes.
It’s also an antioxidant, which means that it contains the molecular particles that can inhibit free radicals. Free radicals may contribute to many diseases, including cardiac disease, macular degeneration, cancer, and others.
Due to the nutritional ingredients that are found in real cinnamon, some of its documented health benefits include:
- Anti-clotting actions: According to the journal, Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine (eCAM), studies show that cinnamon is an anti-coagulant.
- Has been shown to help control blood sugar levels: According to a study in the American Diabetes Association journal, Diabetes Care, cinnamon is effective in improving glucose and lipids of people with Type 2 diabetes. The study concludes that the “intake of 1, 3, or 6 g of cinnamon per day reduces serum glucose, triglyceride, LDL cholesterol, and total cholesterol in people with type 2 diabetes and suggest that the inclusion of cinnamon in the diet of people with type 2 diabetes will reduce risk factors associated with diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.”
- May inhibit the formation of Alzheimer’s disease.
- Impairs cancer cells and slows the growth of tumors.
- Works as an antibiotic.
So, how do you get your hands on fresh cinnamon?
You have to buy from a trusted source — a source that discloses harvest dates as well as type of cinnamon (and where it comes from!).
I’ve found that buying cinnamon sticks from the store can be a risky business.
That’s because the sticks come with no harvest dates, so I don’t know how old they are.
Half the time, I wind up with sticks that are so stale they just crumble and splinter apart when I try to grate them.
So, I’ve taken to sourcing my cinnamon from one of my sponsors, Cinnamon Hill. They sell the finest fresh Ceylon sticks from Sri Lanka and Saigon sticks from Vietnam, so you get a choice of the two best types in the world. That’s “real cinnamon” and it’s the only place you can buy it.
Not only is the harvest date marked on each box, but each individual cinnamon stick is wrapped separately preserve it’s freshness and flavor. They’ve just taken delivery of the Summer harvest in Vietnam so their stock is really fresh.
Plus, I snagged a really beautiful British-made wood handled cinnamon grater from them. They’ve designed it specially for fresh cinnamon. (A microplane doesn’t work with fresh cinnamon).
I now keep the cinnamon and grater on my table. Seeing it and holding it always inspires me to grate fresh cinnamon onto everything: fruit, oatmeal, ice cream, hot chocolate, coffee, smoothies, you name it!
Shhh. I’m going to tell you one of my secrets to happiness.
It’s super simple. You can start today.
I cultivate Beauty.
One of my heroes, farmer and agrarian poet Wendell Berry, once wrote, “If a thing is ugly, I think we need to ask questions about it. How did it get that way? What else is wrong?”
This particularly hits home when I think about our food system, which is so bent on efficiency, economies of scale, and and utility that it has become an ugly mar on our landscape. (Seriously, what’s uglier than a factory farm????)
Truly beautiful food comes from a beautiful food system, and it’s downright redemptive.
One of my other heroes, Russian Orthodox author Fyodor Dostoevsky claimed, “Beauty will save the world.”
I believe that.
It’s why I put on pleasing music and light incense before doing the dishes. I take a chore that almost always despairs me — cleaning dirty, smelly dishes — and redeem it by transforming my experience of it into something beautiful.
It’s also why I don’t have cooking utensils made of plastic or other synthetic materials.
I want to hold real wood when I cook.
This cinnamon grater?
BEAUTIFUL.
The folks at Cinnamon Hill are genuine Food Renegades and take pride in producing real food. They’ve also created an authentically beautiful way to experience it.
Want to know more about real cinnamon, how it’s harvested, and how it can benefit your health?
(You should click here for the full scoop from Cinnamon Hill.)
And don’t forget.
When you’re ready to be wowed by experiencing the difference of real, fresh cinnamon, you can click here to buy a package of fresh cinnamon sticks & grater.
 |
I like your idea of keeping everything beautiful and it seems that cinnamon and this grater are a good place to start!
Thanks!
For this reason, I try to make sure that even the most utilitarian of my possessions are beautiful.
(The link didn’t take me to the combo pack.)
Which kind do you prefer of the two Cinnamon Hill offers? This looks wonderful and I gotta try it!
I started with the Original Cinnamon Lovers Starter Pack. It comes with one box of each kind of cinnamon and the grater and ceramic holder.
Is there no other grater I can use? This one looks wonderful but is really expensive.
You can use a coffee/spice grinder, but a normal microplane doesn’t work.
Abu Jacob
Ok thanks!
I use a mortar and pestle to grind my cinnamon…
But you got two important aspects wrong. The cassia bark does not have the same health benefits as Cinnamomum verum and the cassia bark from Vietnam is sprayed with insecticides and fungicides.
Thank you for the posting that important correction, I use a LOT of cinnamon. Other than plain water, iced cinnamon “tea” is my sole beverage, so it truly does matter to me whether I’m getting the “real thing”. Pooh-poohing the issue serves no one’s interest other than that of the sellers.
It really helps if you go there and see the manufacturing processes.
Single Man’s Kitchen The cinnamon that Cinnamon Hill sources from Vietnam isn’t grown with pesticides (or even fertilizers). Also, as I pointed out in my post, the nutritional differences between the two are moot if you’re only ingesting cinnamon as a spice. They only become noticeable if you’re taking cinnamon therapeutically in really large quantities. (By large, I’m speaking of studies that were done where participants ingested something along the lines of 15 tsp per day.) This frees those of us just using it in cooking to appreciate the subtle differences of flavor between the two and use the versions that are most complimentary to what we’re eating.
You forgot one glaring downside of cassia cinnamon, the aspect of coumarin which you completely omitted from this article. Coumarin is toxic to the liver. It actually caused my son to become jaundice with just a few sprinkles of the cassia cinnamon, an amount that should have been negligible. It would change his liver enzyme levels and was causing his liver not to function properly. To me, cassia cinnamon, with 1200% more coumarin than Ceylon cinnamon will always be a “fake” cinnamon that has the ability to jeopardize health. Had there not been an article by one of the other natural/holistic pages I follow pointing out that coumarin in cassia cinnamon can have negative implications to the liver my son may have had irreversible liver damage.
Here is a link to one article I read, although it is not the initial one that made me look deeper into the coumarin aspect of cassia cinnamon.
http://www.benefits-of-honey.com/ceylon-cinnamon.html
Jenny Smith Did you read the article? I did discuss the coumarin content of cassia, and concluded that it’s a non issue for healthy individuals who are not trying to take cinnamon in therapeutic doses.
Of the two Cinnamon Hill offers, which do you prefer? What’s the difference in taste?
I did read it, twice actually and completely missed it. I went back and found it, but you completely downplay the dangers of coumarin, which can effect people even in “non-therapeutic” small doses that are typically found in food. My son was/is healthy. A non-therapeutic dose, literally a couple dashes was all it took of the coumarin to cause his physical color, his eye color, and his liver enzymes to become erratic and his doctor was seriously concerned that he potentially had a dangerous liver disease. He had previous routine bloodwork and his liver enzymes had never been off until after I started adding cinnamon to his smoothies for its health benefits and for taste when we switched over to paleo, at the time I had no clue there were 2 types of cinnamon. So to say it is a “non-issue” in regular doses typically found in food or cooking to otherwise healthy individuals is dangerous and can give people a false sense of security and not take into account it could be affecting their health negatively. Even the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health do not classify it as “safe” only “likely safe”. They also suggest avoiding it during pregnancy, breast feeding, surgery, people with known liver damage, and diabetes because it can be “likely unsafe”.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/1002.html
Jenny Smith: Thank you for posting. I was unaware of this possibility. I can remember when celiacs were told they were rare cases. So, I listen to the proverbial canaries as I don’t care to look at my food in “dosages”.
As I was just at Mountain Rose Herbs placing an order for cinnamon;it should be noted that many are just plain allergic to it in any dose at all. No different than any other food. So, a sprinkle would cause a reaction. They post the caution:
Precautions
It has been noted by the German Commission E that some people are in fact allergic to cinnamon, with side effects ranging from an allergic skin reactions to mucosa.
Jenny Smith I think that based on your son’s reaction, he’s one of the rare kinds of people who, according to the studies done, is sensitive to coumarin. The rest of us aren’t. Our livers respond differently to it than your son’s.
For the rest of us, they’ve done research comparing just how much cassia cinnamon we’d have to ingest to surpass the tolerable daily intake level. From Cinnamon Hills’ FAQ, we get this summary: “The UK Food Standards Agency, in a study published on 26 January 2011, did some research to compare actual coumarin intake levels to the Tolerable Daily Intake. They surveyed three groups: adults, children and South Asians (because of their more spicy diet – coumarin is also found in other curry spices such as garam masala as well as cinnamon). They concluded that, on average, adults had an average dietary exposure of 0.0018 mg per kg of body weight per day (ie less than two hundredths of the TDI), children 0.0015 (less still) and South Asians 0.022 (just over one fifth of the TDI). Even in the most extreme cases, at the 97th percentile of the South Asians group (just imagine how spicy that diet must be!) exposure was 0.076 mg per kg of body weight per day ie still well within the TDI.”
According to this 2012 study, “children could reach the tolerable daily intake by consuming 3-4 cinnamon star cookies (reported coumarin level of 88 mg·kg−1) of a typical weight 5 g, while an adult would need to eat approximately 10 cookies to reach the upper limit”. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3385612/
We use cinnamon on our oatmeal, in breads, pastries, etc, and I would not promote the levels of coumarin in cassia as a “non-issue”, even in healthy individuals.
I like Penzeys “house blend” cinnamon for everyday use because it has a nice balance of flavors, and I trust Penzeys’ products. It has never had a bitter aftertaste even after a year on the shelf and seems to go stale _very_ slowly compared to other cinnamons I’ve used. Sadly, I can’t use very much cinnamon because both Ceylon and cassia cinnamons slow the digestive system (that’s how it can help lessen blood sugar spikes, by delaying the exit of food from the stomach) and I already have gastroparesis. Which is a bummer because cinnamon is one of my favorite flavors, but it doesn’t take much to have a noticeable effect on my gastric motility (while ginger can increase gastric emptying and thus counteract the cinnamon, it’s one of the few things that gives me vicious heartburn). 🙁 http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/p-penzeyspenzeyscinnamon.html?id=GNYYTtCJ
Very informative article written with intelligence and wit. I esp like the incense and music idea
I got very, very sick last year and had to go to a walk in clinic. They told me I had e-coli!! And gave me a prescription for a medication. It did help me but not completely (took away the horrendous cramps) I looked up natural ways of curing e-coli and CINNAMON was the #1 killer of e-coli!. I went to a health shop and bought pure cinnmamon extract and immediately began to get well!
I’m okay with stale, old store cinnamon, since I tend to have an allergic reaction to the “fresher” kind. I guess I can handle the old stuff 😉
What a beautiful post! I clicked just to see if you mentioned where to find that gorgeous cinnamon grater. You rarely disappoint! Thank you for starting my day off on the path to seeking the beauty in all things.
You’re so welcome, LJ!
Cinnamon is also antiviral, antibacterial, antispasmotic, and antifungal. That said, this would be on my dream list. That’s a lot of money for most of us.
It is. Maybe it could go on a wish list for a special-occasion present?
This sounds like something lovely to do. And cinnamon is wonderful in a million different ways…in foods, as a tea…just oodles.. But at the prices these folks want for their product, I am afraid it takes it out of the reach for many of us. I, personally, buy cinnamon by the pound. And use it up quickly..it is one of the most used spices in my kitchen.
The dangers of coumarin is real, and occurs in some indoviduals (who dont know that they are vounerable), especially if used by small children on porridge etc. Current research suggest that some countries population are in danger of eating too much (some age groups) and thats why EU has restricted The use in food. So it is false security, to say it just isnt that dangerous.. Because sensitive individuals dont know they are sensitive. Especially tea gives teens a high dose of coumarin..
Maja, thank you. Very key points, indeed.
Indeed, thank you for setting the record straight,
great info, too bad I’m allergic to cinnamon
great tool idea, love it! India or indian store, but I get the bark not what’s shown.
Great article. I use Ceylon cinnamon already ground that my local health food store ordered in request and love it. If I understand correctly, there’s a distinct difference in the thickness of Ceylon sticks which is a thinner darker bark than Saigon. I also read some time ago that this thickness had to do with what part of the tree the bark came from. Please check your first bulletin point in the article, you say cinnamon is a “coagulant” and I think you might mean it to say it’s an “anti-coagulant”.
to avoid fakes, sadly you have to switch to heirloom and have it organic.
Thanks so much for this eye-opening post!! I love cinnamon and thought I was doing the right thing by buying Simply Organic’s brand of ground cinnamon … but I just ordered the pack from Cinnamon Hill with a box of each type of cinnamon, a grater and a cup to store it in. Can’t wait to try “real” cinnamon!
I was the same way!! You won’t regret trying it fresh. It’s sooooo sweet, not bitter at all.
This sounds an awful lot like a dig at another blog who wrote a blog post with the opposite name.
And, you go on to mention your sponsor, so you have something to sell.
Melinda, I did not think the article had any undertones of a ‘dig’ as you say. It was clear and informative. There is a difference between ‘having something to sell’ and doing the footwork to find a superior product. Kristen has shared valuable (IMO) info with us about a spice we commonly use and has not left us hanging as to where we can get it. Know better = do better. It would be disappointing if she gave the info and then left us to our own devices. Sure, she may receive a ‘kickback’ as it were. I’m okay with that and consider it a TY for doing the ‘work’ for us. Just some thoughts from a fellow reader. Cheers!
Kristen, My husband just ordered the Original Cinnamon Lovers Starter Pack for us after I told him about reading your post on real cinnamon from Cinnamon Hill. Keep up the good work. You are not a villain giving out false information and the same shoe does not fit everybody(no two people are alike). The world is full of people with tunnel vision. Thanks again. Viva La Cinnamon.
I loved this article, your writing is inspiring!
It gives me a new perspective for thinking about chores and how to make them more enjoyable.
Great info about the cinnamon!
I read this post right after waking up;only to
be reminded of how just saying the word beautiful
gives me an awesome feeling! haha :). Thanks for
the article.
Hi Kristen, I appreciate your dedication to our happiness and nutrition. Thank you. I have a question about the cinnamon that you source from Vietnam and Sri Lanka. You mentioned that they are all wrapped individually. Can you tell me what they are wrapped in? Is it plastic?
Thanks 🙂
Yes. It is plastic. (I know it’s less than ideal, but really *all* food packaging is. AND I’m buying something obviously NOT LOCAL, so I’ve already compromised on that bit anyway…)
Thanks for being beautiful Kristen, and doing things beautifully. And wow, that grater is so nifty.
FYI, your “standard disclosures” link is broken.
Kristen, thanks so much I always enjoy your posts so much and you have taught me a lot. I just wanted to tell you that I ordered cinnamon from Cinnamon Hill about a month ago after this post. It arrived in a pretty very handy cardboard container with 5 sticks individually wrapped. I couldn’t wait to open one–so I did. It had absolutely no fragrance and was brittle. I was shocked!! So I opened another one and low and behold the same thing. I’m thinking maybe because of your post they got overrun. But I would have rather waited than have them send me old cinnamon. I felt guilty thinking they are probably a small company so I didn’t want to send it back or complain. I just thought you should know.
All the best
Patricia
Hi Kristen,
I also ordered after your recommendation, I have the same problem as Patricia, brittle and won’t grate it splinters all over the place. I have sent them an e-mail to ask them what is what. I will report back when I find out…I love the grater, but it doesn’t work so perhaps the cinnamon is old? Dunno….
Nancy
Just an update…Rupert is sending me some more cinnamon from the current harvest…so I will keep you posted on my results.
Patricia, I recommend that you e-mail them…
Nancy
Thank you so much for this! Excellent read, and I learned something new today! Pinned!
You’re welcome, Jaye!
Time to go shopping
Are you saying that Cinnamon hill is the only placde to buy real cinnamon? I can get real cinnamon many places.
No, Mary. I’m just saying you need to buy from a trusted source. Cinnamon Hill is a company I trust.
Hi, I am a bit confused by your picture. From what I have researched, REAL cinnamon is shaggy and crumbly like a cigar or rolled up parchment paper and cassia is tight and hard like a pencil…..like your pictures show. Is your picture of the cinnamon sticks and the grater supposed to show true cinnamon? Is my shaggy, crumbly, cigar-like cinnamon sticks the same as what you have written about? I thought I knew the difference, and now I feel that I’m back to step 1.
I didn’t read thru the comments so if this has mentioned already I apologize.
Your article failed to mention that all spices in the U.S. are radiated. So any nutritional or healing benefits are zapped out of them.
If you want to use herbs and spices as they were put on this earth for be mindful of where they come from. What kind of processing they go thru. Watch out for GMO’s and don’t believe everything that says organic.
If it comes in a tin can it’s been radiated.
With the Internet at our fingertips, natural herbs are easily obtainable. And educated yourself, trust your gut and live a long and happy life!
L
“All Spice in the U.S. are radiated.”
First of all I think you meant irradiated or exposed to radiation. If that is indeed what you meant it would be interesting to hear what evidence you have to make such a claim.
Also…
“Foods which have been irradiated, no matter how they are grown or produced, cannot be labeled as USDA certified organic.”
Penzeys Spices is a place that I get my spices. They have five different cinnamons and yes, they all are different not just because of processing but also due to the region. It’s pretty neat to smell them all side by side.
Yes, Penzeys is fantastic! I love their 4-cinnamon blend, mmmmmmmm. They’re my go-to for most of my spices and their prices are very reasonable. They’ve always been wonderful about including something new to try in every order, too – a full jar, not some chintzy little baggie with a teaspoon of spice.
Great article…informative and logical. Can you tell me what cinnamon is used in the Cinnabon rolls? That said, how would the Ceylon cinnamon fare in home made rolls vs the Cinnabon variety? Just curious as I like home made cinnamon rolls but nothing I have tried tastes and has the pungent odor of the Cinnabon rolls. Thanks, Ray
Does it bother you that these are individually wrapped, in plastic and are a contributor to unnecessary waste?
I need to buy the ceylon cinnamon stick,i don’t know where to buy it and am in nigeria.
I am very leery of foods now a days and I would truly
love to start learning more about real food. I do try to
read labels and choose foods that are not GMO and
make sure they are organic…but how do I really know?
how do I get real cinnamon, I base in Awka Anambra state (Nigeria)
Wanted to know if Clover Valley cinnamon is a good product, real cinnamon from Ceylon.
Is sundown naturals cinnamon a Ceylon product is cassia product? Which is a true cimmamon and has the least carsinageans?
I bit the bullet and bought both Ceylon cinnamon and cassia from Cinnamon Hill. I also purchased the oak handled grater. I am very discerning, and share the sentiments of this site.
I was very exited to receive my parcel with its very lovely boxes, beautifully printed and well packaged. I worked out that there are approximately 22 grams of Ceylon cinnamon in the £10.00 box
I must be paying a very heavy price for those lovely printed boxes, as my previous delivery of organically certified Ceylon cinnamon, contained 250 grams for £13.50. I can see nor smell or taste any noticeable difference in the two products.
I am getting ten times the amount from my previous supplier who I will now return to. I really expected to be able to notice even a little difference for such a highly priced product.
Obviously at ten times the cost I was hoping for more than just a little differnce. I am astonished at the audacity to charge so much more for what is in fact no more than I already had.
I really wanted there to be a difference but I think I am just paying for an up market website with glowing accolades where the product doesn’t merit the astronomical and exorbitant price tag.
These blogs are always interesting to read with their many and varied comments on the topic being discussed. One of the greatest benefits of them, however, is that they show the need (for the discerning reader of course) for everyone to do their own thorough research on the given subject, as blogs are nothing more than a compilation of opinions and ideas of each contributor, not necessarily fact except as to how it relates to that specific individual. Taking comments at face value can be very dangerous.
Thank you for the detailed information on cinnamon.
I had used store bought cinnamon always. 2 years ago I recieved an autistic gentleman into my home who has had high blood sugars his whole adult life. I recieved him because his provider b4 me has taken his blood sugars to a dangerous level very quickly and he needed a health conscious home to live in. I researched as much as I could online and an article I read claimed that the combination of raw honey and real cinnamon greatly reduces sugars in the blood. Within 4 months not only did his blood sugars reduce to a 5.7 but something unexpected also happened. He aslo had a history of chronic bad breath, enough to make anyone wince when in range. All of a sudden, we had a realization that his breath was clean pleasant. In the last few months it has gotten as bad as it ever had been b4. Ive spent hundreds of dollars trying to find the same honey (as our original fella retired). Not giving any notice o the cinnamon I’d given him. I willing to bet the difference has been in the cinnamon all along. Thank you so much for this vital information.
Looks more like sneaky advert for Cinnmon Hill trying to masquerade as a genuine informative article on benefits of cinnamon !
I have AFib and on a blood thinner. Is cinnamon safe for new?
YOU are missing the point. it is NOT just about the similar flavour.
The coumarin which you so easily dismissed is so harmful, that just 2 large cinnamon buns can and will cause liver damage.
It is like saying that nighshade berries are red and are from the same family as tomatoes, so we should substitute them for tomatoes.
I think not.
If you blog is popular, you are wielding the power to influence your readers who trust your judgment.
Regarding the “fake” vs “real” cinnamon, I grew up in a country where the real cinnamon was used and when I came to North America I had no idea that for the sake of quick buck I was sold harmful substance.
If you don’t know what it is about it is ALWAYS about the money:
some clever folks found that they can make more profit by selling vanillin instead of real vanilla, glucose syrup instead of honey and cassia cinnamon instead of the real thing.
Because the cassia cinnamon trees grow faster, bigger, etc – you can harvest more bark = more money.
even you are selling the bad stuff.
Shame.
Please think before you pronounce to the whole world that we should ignore our livers for the sake of cheaper.
Joanna, You’re absolutely right! Sadly, blogging is just a way to earn money by linking to and endorsing products. Not a good place for information. They will always find the ”research links’ to support the sale. It’s done in the same way as big pharma. They only publish the tests they pay for to prove it’s okay.
Hi Joanna, I’m Rupert from Cinnamon Hill who offers the fresh cinnamon featured here. As well as selling fresh Ceylon and Saigon cinnamon we farm Ceylon cinnamon in Sri Lanka. I do understand your concern that Saigon cinnamon is not true cinnamon and should properly be called cassia not cinnamon but the fact is that everyone in the US calls it cinnamon and that’s not going to change. We offer a choice of fresh Ceylon and Saigon cinnamon so that people can try them both if they wish and make up their own minds as to which they prefer. Personally I prefer the scent of fresh Ceylon cinnamon and, as a Sri Lanka resident, I’m always happy when customers choose Ceylon cinnamon but either way I respect their choice. As to the coumarin content of Saigon cinnamon, you are quite right to point out that it’s much higher than in Ceylon cinnamon but you exaggerate the risks. Please see here for as objective a view as I can write https://cinnamonhill.com/blog/cinnamon-coumarin-health-issue/ My view is that Sri Lanka is making a mistake by harping on about the coumarin issue and would do much better to emphasise the superior scent and taste of true Ceylon cinnamon. With best wishes, Rupert
What a great read, thank you!!!!!
This is. Clearly an advertisement for one of his sponsors…
Cinnamon is a spice, spices are stimulants. There is speculation that they may be used as medicine the nutrients in them can be found in real food which converts to good blood.Please look up and measure your knowledge with the originator of health on this planet and you will never ever go wrong i promise. EGW writings then go to counsels on diet and foods or ministry of healing or counsels on health or do a word search put the word spices in there or cinnamon, very precious superior and reliable information Bark is not food let alone real food. Learn how foods should be free of spices and the truth about their harmful effects.Learn how these things were written over 100 years ago and why. Over 100 years before even any scientist thought of vitamins and minerals how it was written. Learn how and why the world is discovering the writings of EGW regarding health to be correct and award winning. Search and dig for important answers on many other subjects, and you, i promise will find priceless treasure. It will be the most important thing for you and your family you have ever found for ever, i promise.
It is amazing, after reading this article, I tried out a few sources, real cinnamon is actually sweet!!!
True cinnamon has a dominant, sweet, pleasant aroma and taste that can rob ones heart while cassia is pungent and has a sharp strong smell and taste.
Hi! Thank you for sharing this informative post. However, I think you missed to elaborate more on the health benefits of “true” cinnamon, which is very important, especially for those who are looking to boost their health through their diet.
Wrong, so WRONG about the cinnamon
I add 2 whole organic cinnamon sticks to my coffee every single morning. The flavor is 1000% different then store bought. I am very excited to learn more trough your article! Thank you!!
Thanks but your way of explaining this made determined to get the Ceylon variety, even at higher cost.
I see from a number of verified purchaser comments on Amazon that those who bought look alike — even look alike names to Fronteir, were disappointed, even disgusted, with their purchase.
Yes various cinnamons are “in the same family” but if that’s true, why not just get the ridiculously cheap Wal Mart cinnamon which tastes just fine! I own at least 8 shakers of that stuff, and like it, like the taste.
No need to spend three to six times as much get the same thing elsewhere right?
Since it’s so hard to find a seller that is blunt and candid, I will either pay the big money (to me) or just use Wally World cinnamon.
Sorry to hear your explanation of the differance between the two types of cinnamon. As their is a differance between them.
Cassia a cheaper and thicker bark has a higher amount of toxins in it that in large usage can harm the liver, nice to know!
for some reason, my PC is not submitting my email for the mailing list to join food renegades.
I strongly suspect it is my own privacy settings.
read your page. very interesting to think about in today’s commercial environment.
thanks
Thank you for the great information. I’ve been using organic ground cinnamon (McCormicks) with honey as a coffee sweetener for years but really didn’t know much about the product, how it’s processed or the different types… I just liked the taste. This article was very informative and helpful… thank you. I’ll be sending my order for cinnamon sticks and grater.
PS: I’ve been in the food Industry for many years and I am a food Renegade. Look forward to hearing from you.
Cheers,
John
There is no verifiable scientific evidence to support these claims of “ground at home is better than ground in a factory”. None.
And think about it – if mechanical scraping/grinding removes nutrients, do you really believe mechanical scraping/grinding in different locations will change that?
Thank you for the information. I bought some cinnamon sticks at at local mom and pop store that came in a regular plastic container with no label, but I feel that somehow they’ve been sprayed with some chemical; because when I bite into them they are terribly sweet with a strange aftertaste. I wonder if this has happened to anyone else?
Wow!
Wow! I think I am in love! Thank you for a wonderful guide thru the journey of healthier existing and living your life!
I would like to know if Great Value Ground Cinnamon, (Walmart product) is what TYPE of cinnamon? Is it Cassia cinnamon or Ceylon cinnamon? The product information list this item as “Native to Sri Lanka.” It does NOT say exactly what type of cinnamon it is. I have been trying to find this information because Ceylon cinnamon is better than Cassia cinnamon. Do the fact that Cassia cinnamon has courmarin compound.
I would like to say thank you for your help and cooperation in this matter.
Martin G.
I just discovered your BLOG. Unfortunately, Cinnamon Hill closed their online store as of April 15, 2022. Do you know of an equivalent source of cinnamon?
I have the same question. Any updates for a cinnamon source?? It is nearly September 2022 (since there are no dates on the comments).
Cinnamon Hill does not sell cinnamon sticks on their website any longer as of 5/2022
You have no idea what you’re talking about only real cinnamon icome from Ceylon the other one is tree bark even a taste is entirely different and how it looks like. Regular cinnamon contains poison that is why regular cinnamonis junk plus regular cinnamon wreck my stomach only the Ceylon Cinnamon is good.
It is the end of 2023, and as of yet, has no one found a suitable replacement for Cinnamon Hill or even where to get one of their graters? Last comment looking for cinnamon was dated for 2022. Thanks!