Cinnamon is one of the most popular spices. The Ceylon cinnamon variety is not only delicious, it is also considered to be particularly healthy. But is that really true?
Ceylon cinnamon is obtained from the bark of the Ceylon cinnamon tree. The tree originally came from Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) – hence the name. Today, however, Ceylon cinnamon is also grown in other regions of South Asia, such as the Seychelles and Madagascar.
Although Ceylon cinnamon is probably the best-known type of cinnamon, we mainly get the Chinese variety Cassia cinnamon in this country. Because it is cheaper and has a stronger aroma. If you buy cinnamon sticks, you can recognize real Ceylon cinnamon by the fact that the sticks are fine-leaved and consist of several thin layers.
How healthy is Ceylon cinnamon?
The interesting components of cinnamon are the essential oils, of which the cinnamon bark contains up to four percent. The so-called cinnamaldehyde has the largest share in this. This substance gives Ceylon cinnamon and the other varieties their characteristic aroma. The remaining components of the essential oils are partly different for the two types. This applies, for example, to these two substances:
Eugenol: While Ceylon cinnamon contains up to ten percent of the substance, cassia cinnamon contains almost zero. Eugenol is one of the polyphenols that are known as cell-protecting antioxidants. A study on cell cultures and rats confirms that eugenol has an antioxidant effect. However, the study does not show whether this substance also has a positive effect on the human body. Nor can she explain how eugenol works in conjunction with the other ingredients in Ceylon cinnamon.
Coumarin: Here it’s the other way around: according to Foodwatch, cassia cinnamon contains about 200 times more coumarin than Ceylon cinnamon, and Stiftung Warentest came to a similar conclusion. The substance is considered liver-damaging if you ingest too much of it. Cassia cinnamon contains so much that you already reach the recommended maximum limit with two grams of it per day.
Since Ceylon cinnamon contains significantly less coumarin than cassia cinnamon, it is healthier, at least in larger amounts.
There are many studies that have examined cinnamon itself and have found different positive effects – for both varieties. The following two reviews summarize some study results:
A 2014 review cites studies concluding that cinnamon is anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antibacterial. It is also said to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s. However, just as in the case of eugenol, human clinical trials are lacking.
Another review looks at studies looking at whether cinnamon can lower blood pressure. The available studies seem to confirm this, but the authors of the review come to the conclusion that there are too few studies to clearly demonstrate an antihypertensive effect.
Overall, there is a lot of evidence that both Ceylon and Cassia cinnamon are healthy, even if there have been too few clinical studies to date. Because it contains a lot of coumarin, you should only use it very sparingly – especially if children are eating with you.
