The Folklore. Cinnamon drifts in with the season, warming the senses and marking the holiday season with its fragrant, festive flair. One of the oldest spices known, cinnamon has been coveted as a medicine, flavoring, embalming agent, and preservative. So common to households today, it was once quite rare and sought after. This ancient and once very dear spice has more than earned its weight as a beloved ingredient in traditional holiday dishes as well as its health promoting properties.
The Facts. Cinnamon comes from the brown inner bark of several trees from the genus, Cinnamomum, in the laurel family. Several species are sold as cinnamon, but Ceylon, or “true
cinnamon,” and Cassia (also called Chinese and Saigon) are most common. They are available as dried tubular sticks or ground powder. The oils in the bark contain cinnamaldehyde among other substances that give cinnamon its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. A one teaspoon serving of ground cinnamon provides 22% DV (Daily Value, based on 2,000 calories/day) for manganese, which helps maintain normal blood sugar levels and strong bones.
The Findings. Due to cinnamon’s antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, and anticancer effects, it has been researched in the forms of cinnamon bark, oil, and bark powder for its role in human health. Many studies have investigated links into its potentially beneficial effects in diabetes, arthritis, arteriosclerosis, and Alzheimer’s disease. Further research is exploring evidence for cinnamon against cancer, inflammation, heart disease, and neurological disorders (Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, 2016). According to a review of studies published in a 2016 Iranian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences, cinnamon may be effective in reducing complication of metabolic syndrome, such as lowering blood pressure and blood glucose levels.
The Finer Points. Ceylon and Chinese cinnamon are very similar, but Ceylon is a bit sweeter and more refined. Look for Ceylon in spice stores, ethnic markets, and online. Cinnamon’s pungent, sweet scent is the best freshness indicator. Cinnamon sticks store up to a year in a tightly sealed glass container in a cool, dark place, twice as long as stronger flavored ground cinnamon. A lovely enhancement to both sweet and savory foods and beverages, cinnamon is easily simmered in tea, cider, and milk, sprinkled into dough and batter for breads and baked goods, and mixed into beans and curries for a unique ethnic flair.
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