Pure Ceylon Cinnamon
Cinnamon is known as one of the first traded and most popular spices from the ancient world. It belongs to the family Lauraceae and there are more than 250 species and sub species. The expensive and rare cinnamon variety is known as “Ceylon cinnamon” which is native to Sri Lanka. Due to unique chemical properties over other varieties, Ceylon variety has high reputation and demand in the world.
Ceylon cinnamon contains more than 80 chemical components. Cinnamaldehyde is the essential component of the bark and eugenol is the main component found in the cinnamon leaf oil.
This valuable spice has been noted as the most beneficial among the rest in the spice industry. Besides being a spice in nature, it was used as medicine, medical production, perfume production as well as soft drinks. Currently, cinnamon is widely used in pharmaceutical industries, bakeries and cosmetic industries throughout the world.
Types of cinnamon
According to the physical location and chemical characteristics, cinnamon is divided into few main categories. There are significant physical and scientific different among them. But, all of those different varieties are commonly available in the global market as ‘cinnamon’.
- Ceylon cinnamon (True/ Pure cinnamon) – Cinnamomum zeylanicum syn. Cinnamomum verum, Cinnamomum zeylanicum blume
- Cassia
- Chinese cassia (Chinese cinnamon) – Cinnamomum cassia syn. C. aromaticum
- Vietnamese cassia (Saigon/ Vietnamese cinnamon) – Cinnamomum loureiroi
- Indonesian cassia (Korintje Cinnamon) – Cinnamomum burmannii
Ceylon cinnamon and Cassia are the main specie types traded in the international market under the term of ‘Cinnamon’. Both are belonging to the family Lauraceae. Cassia cinnamon contains different sub varieties come from different countries. Chinese cassia, Vietnamese cassia and Indonesian cassia are the major spices belongs to the term of ‘Cassia’ .
