Ceylon cinnamon

Cinnamon: Description and origin

Ceylon cinnamon, or true cinnamon, is obtained from the Ceylon cinnamon tree (Cinnamomum verum J. Presl, Lauraceae family), a tree that can grow 10 m tall and grows wild in the forests of Sri Lanka and southern India. Its leaves are elongated, bright and yellowish-green; and it has small white, greenish or purple flowers¹.

Cinnamon is a spice obtained from the peeled bark of the branches of the trees of the Cinnamomum²: the outer bark is discarded and the inner bark is rolled and dried to obtain the cinnamon stick. In cinnamon, in addition to the bark, the leaves, flowers and fruit are used to prepare essential oils for cosmetics and food products³.

Cinnamon: History

Cinnamon bark has been used for thousands of years as a spice. Documents refer to cinnamon being importing to Egypt from China; it is mentioned in the Bible (Exodus and Proverbs) and appears in Chinese texts dating back 4,000 years⁴. In the 16th Century, Portuguese conquerors discovered Ceylon cinnamon in Sri Lanka and introduced this spice into European countries during the 16th and 17th centuries³.

In addition to being used as a spice, cinnamon was also used for embalming in ancient Egypt³ and for digestive, gynaecological and respiratory problems in Ayurveda^{2, 5}. In China, where it is used as a neuroprotective and for diabetes, it is a highly prized plant³.

Cinnamon: Composition

The bark of Ceylon cinnamon contains two main types of compounds: polyphenols and volatile phenols. The polyphenols in Ceylon cinnamon include vanillic, caffeic, gallic and p-coumaric acid. The composition of its volatile compounds varies depending on the part of the plant used. This means that the bark’s essential oil is rich in cinnamaldehyde³.

An important difference between Ceylon cinnamon and Chinese cinnamon (Cinnamomum aromaticum) is coumarin, a molecule that is potentially harmful: while Ceylon cinnamon only contains traces of it, Chinese cinnamon contains a higher concentration, and it is not therefore advisable to consume Chinese cinnamon regularly or in large quantities².

Cinnamon: Benefits

Cinnamon also has anti-diabetic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties⁵.

Cinnamon: Studies

Various in vivo and in vitro studies have demonstrated the multiple beneficial effects of Ceylon cinnamon, such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antibacterial properties; a decrease in cardiovascular disease and stimulation of cognitive functions².

Cinnamon also has hypoglycaemic activity (lowers blood glucose levels) and its use in cases of type 2 diabetes has been investigated in several clinical trials^{6, 7}. In vivo and in vitro testing has demonstrated the beneficial effects of cinnamon extract on diabetes, such as reduced levels of fasting blood glucose, increased HDL cholesterol and a reduction in HBA1c (glycated haemoglobin)^{2, 5}.