Cassia Cinnamon Bark

Description

Fragrant, cinnamon spice is one of the highly prized spices that has been in use since biblical times for its medicinal and culinary properties. This delightfully exotic, sweet-flavored spice stick is traditionally obtained from the outer brown bark of Cinnamomum trees, which when dried, rolls into a tubular-form, known commercially as “quill.”

The cinnamon plant is a small, evergreen bushy tree belonging to the family of Lauraceae or laurel within the genus; Cinnamomum. This novel spice is native to Sri Lankan island but also grow in many other countries such as Myanmar, Bangladesh, India, China, and Indonesia.

Different cultivars of cinnamons exist; however, Sri Lankan variety is regarded as “true cinnamon” and scientifically named as Cinnamonum verum. Traditionally, its inner bark is bruised using a brass rod, which is then peeled off from the tree. In the processing units, this bark is sliced into long stripes, which are then rolled into quills by hand and allowed to dry under the sunlight.

Again from this bark, an aromatic essential oil (makes up 0.5% to 1% of its composition) is extracted. In general, the oil is processed by roughly pounding the bark, macerating it in seawater, and then quickly distilling the whole. The oil features golden-yellow color, with the characteristic odor of cinnamon and very pungent, aromatic taste.

The pungent taste and scent in cinnamon spice is because of the chemical compounds, cinnamic aldehyde andcinnamaldehyde.

Cassia, also known as chinese cinnamon, is a different member of Lauraceae family, and named asCinnamomum cassia. Cassia is coarser, more spicy, and pungent but less fragrant than cinnamon. It is usually substituted for the cinnamon in savory dishes.

Health benefits of cinnamon

• The active principles in the cinnamon spice are known to have anti-oxidant, anti-diabetic, anti-septic, local anesthetic, anti-inflammatory, rubefacient (warming and soothing), carminative and anti-flatulent properties.
• Cinnamon spice has the highest anti-oxidant strength of all the food sources in nature. The total  measured ORAC (Oxygen radical absorbance capacity) value for this novel spice is 2,67,536 trolex equivalents (TE), which is many hundred times more than in chokeberry, apples, etc.
• The spice contains health benefiting essential oils such as eugenol, a phenylpropanoids class of chemical compound, which gives pleasant, sweet aromatic fragrance to it. Eugenol has got local anesthetic and antiseptic properties, hence; employed in the dental and gum treatment procedures.
• Other important essential oils in cinnamon include ethyl cinnamate, linalool, cinnamaldehyde, beta-caryophyllene, and methyl chavicol.
• Cinnamaldehyde in cinnamon-sticks has been found to have anti-clotting action, prevents platelet clogging inside the blood vessels, and thereby helps prevent stroke, peripheral arterial and coronary artery diseases.
• The active principles in this spice may increase the motility of the intestinal tract as well as help aid in the digestion by increasing gastro-intestinal enzyme secretions.
• This spicy bark is an excellent source of minerals like potassium, calcium, manganese, iron, zinc, and magnesium. Iron is required for cellular metabolism as a co-factor and in RBC’s production. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps control heart rate and blood pressure. Manganese and copper are chiefly used by the body as co-factors for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase.
• It also contains very good amounts of vitamin A, niacin, pantothenic acid, and pyridoxine.
• Further, it is also a very good source of flavonoid phenolic anti-oxidants such as carotenes, zea-xanthin, lutein and cryptoxanthin.

Selection and storage

Cinnamon spice can be readily available year-round in the markets, either in the form of sticks (quills) or powdered. Good-quality quills smell sweet aroma, which may be appreciated from a distance.

In the store, buy whole sticks instead of its powder since, oftentimes it may contain adulterated spicy powders or low quality cassia. The sticks should be wholesome, compact, light brown color in Ceylon variety or dark brown in Indonesian variety.

Whole sticks should be stored in cool, dry, dark place, in airtight glass containers for many months and can be milled using hand held mill as and when required. Ground/powder cinnamon spice should be stored inside the refrigerator inside sealed containers and should be used as early as possible since it loses its flavor quickly.

Medicinal uses of cinnamon

• The essential oil, eugenol, has been in therapeutic use in dentistry as a local-anesthetic and antiseptic for teeth and gum.
• Eugenol also has been found to reduce blood sugar levels in diabetics, but further detailed studies required to establish its benefits.
• The extraction from the sticks (decoction) is sometimes used in treating flatulence, and indigestion in traditional medicine.
• The spice is used in traditional medicines to stave off common cold and oxidant stress conditions.
• It is also used as a natural food preservative.

Culinary uses

In order to keep the fragrance and flavor intact, cinnamon spice is generally powdered just before preparing dishes and added at the last moment in the cooking recipes, since prolonged cooking results in evaporation of its essential oils.

• Around the world, cinnamon spice is widely used as a spice. It is principally employed in cookery as a condiment and flavoring base. It is used in the preparation of chocolate and in some kinds of desserts, such as cinnamon-apple pie and cinnamon buns as well as pastries, bagels, sweet rolls, spicy candies, tea, hot cocoa, and liqueurs.
• Cinnamon spice has been in use in the preparation of many popular dishes in Asian and Chinese cuisine since ancient times. Along with other spicy items (masala powder), it is being used in marinating chicken, fish and meats.
• Some Indian vegetarian and chicken curries and rice dishes (biriyani) contain small amounts of ground powder. In the Middle East, it is used in meat and rice dishes.
• It has also been used in the preparation of soups, barbecue sauces, pickling and as one of the ingredients in variety of curry powders.

Safety profile

Uncooked cinnamon spice can cause choking and respiratory distress. Excessive use of the cinnamon stick may cause inflammation of taste buds, gum swelling, and mouth ulcers. Large quantities can cause difficulty breathing, dilate blood vessels, and cause sleepiness, depression, or even convulsions.