Description: Cinnamon is a spice obtained from the inner bark of several tree species from the genus Cinnamomum. Cinnamon is used mainly as an aromatic condiment and flavouring additive in a wide variety of cuisines, sweet and savoury dishes, breakfast cereals, snack foods, tea and traditional foods. The aroma and flavour of cinnamon derive from its essential oil and principal component, cinnamaldehyde, as well as numerous other constituents including eugenol. Cinnamon is the name for several species of trees and the commercial spice products that some of them produce. All are members of the genus Cinnamomum in the family Lauralee. Only a few Cinnamomum species are grown commercially for spice. Cinnamomum verum is sometimes considered to be “true cinnamon”, but most cinnamon in international commerce is derived from the related species Cinnamomum cassia, also referred to as “cassia”. In 2018, Indonesia and China produced 70% of the world’s supply of cinnamon, Indonesia producing nearly 40% and China 30%.
Health Benefits:
- Cinnamon is full of antioxidants
- Cinnamon may cut the risk of heart disease or stroke
- Cinnamon has full of anti-Inflammatory Properties
- Cinnamon has a powerful anti-diabetic effect and lowers blood sugar levels
- Cinnamon spice is one of the ingredients in Indian cooking.
Locations of harvest:
Time period of harvest:
Harvest process: When a cinnamon tree is around two years old, cultivators coppice, or cut back, the plant to the size of a stump and cover it with soil. This technique causes it to grow like a bush, with new shoots emerging out of the sides by the following year. It’s these shoots that are used to make cinnamon. Once cut, the shoots are stripped of their bark and the peels are set out to dry in the sun. As this happens, the bark naturally curls into quills (sticks). Once dried, the quills can be cut into sticks and packaged according to a set of shared qualities.
