2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29
We all love the aroma of cinnamon, especially at Christmas. There are some kind of cinnamon, but today I will dwell in more detail on two and tell you what it is the difference between Ceylon cinnamon and cassia.
Ceylon cinnamon is much more loved, preferred and appreciated than cassia. This is due to the fact that Ceylon cinnamon has a much more delicate and delicate aroma than cassia and has much more valuable properties.
Ceylon cinnamon is also called real cinnamon. In most cases, however, cinnamon cassia is sold in stores. This is due to the fact that cinnamon itself is a very difficult and expensive process.
Now we will find out how it can to distinguish cinnamon cassia from Ceylon cinnamonto be able to buy really better and more useful cinnamon properties.
Not everyone can distinguish real cinnamon from cassia and not everyone manages to get it. You have to be very careful, because cassia is also a fragrant spice and looks a lot like cinnamon in appearance, but it does not have such a strong aroma as Ceylon and most importantly, it can harm our health.
Ceylon cinnamon, the real one, or as it is also called noble cinnamon, is an evergreen bark that grows in Sri Lanka and the West Indies. This type of cinnamon is quite expensive. It is from a botanical family with several other plants, from which many similar but not identical spices are extracted. All these plants have long stems with fragrant bark, which are used in cooking, as well as in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.
How to recognize real cinnamon from cinnamon cassia
Through iodine
The chemical composition of Ceylon cinnamon and that of cinnamon cassia is different. If you buy cinnamon powder and want to know whether it is real or cassia, you only need a few drops of iodine. If you drip iodine on Ceylon cinnamon, it will hardly change color. However, if you drop it on cinnamon cassia, its color will become dark blue.
Read the packaging
To distinguish real cinnamon from cassia, you must first look at the packaging. If the cinnamon is real, then on the package will be written - Cinnamomum zeylonicum, and on the package in which the cinnamon is fake - cinnamomum aromaticum.
See the shape of the sticks
It is advisable to buy cinnamon in the form of sticks, not powder. This is because it is much easier to distinguish real from fake cinnamon if it is on sticks and you see their shape. The sticks of real cinnamon look like papyrus with many curls. These same rods have very thin walls and are very fragile. They have a very light color. Their color is the same, both outside and inside.
On the other hand, the cinnamon sticks are quite thick. Their color is uneven - the outside is light, maybe dark, and the inside is dark or gray-brown. When you cut them, you will see that they have fewer curls than the real one, and sometimes they are missing.
Features of Chinese cassia
There is another type of cinnamon cassia and it is called Chinese cassia. This is one of the varieties of cinnamon, which has a much less pronounced taste and useful properties. It is grown in China, Vietnam and Indonesia. A thin layer of bark is removed from the inside of the tree. This is a fake spice similar to cassia, which is the most common type of cinnamon in the store network.
Characteristics of Ceylon cinnamon
True cinnamon or Cinnamomum ceylancum is harvested in Ceylon. It is also a dried bark of cinnamon tree, which grows at an altitude of 1000 meters above sea level. When you cut cinnamon, use knives made of copper to avoid its oxidation.
Ceylon cinnamon is a very valuable and rare spice that has no contraindications.
The differences between the two types of cinnamon - Ceylon and cassia, can be seen with the naked eye - they have different tubes that have different structure, color and smell.
Benefits of cassia and real cinnamon
Both types of cinnamon can be used to treat and prevent certain types of diseases, as well as in cooking. They have quite similar beneficial properties, but we must say that real cinnamon has a very strong effect on our body, namely:
- speeds up blood circulation;
- fat burning;
- controls and normalizes cholesterol levels;
- strengthens the body's immunity;
- has antiseptic and antioxidant properties.
Between both types of cinnamon there is a very important difference - in the composition of cinnamon cassia has coumarinwhich is poisonous. If used in small quantities, it does not harm the body, but its restriction in our menu is recommended and mandatory. If you see cinnamon in the store at a low price, then it is certainly cinnamon cassia. The real spice is very expensive.
And now, if you have got enough aromatic cinnamon, take a look at these cinnamon cakes and choose one to prepare to feel how your whole home is filled with comfort. If it suits you better, take a look at our recipes for cinnamon biscuits.
Recommended:
The Difference Between Long Grain, Short Grain And Medium Grain Rice
The rice is one of the most useful cereals. It is rich in complex carbohydrates (75% - 85%) and protein (5% - 10%), which are the main source of energy for the body. That is why it is so widely used. However, its preparation proves to be a difficult task for many.
What Is The Difference Between Plain Cream, Whipped Cream, Sour Cream And Confectionery Cream?
The cream is one of the most commonly used ingredients in cooking. Everyone uses it to make delicious meals. It is used in the preparation of sauces, creams, various types of meat and of course - pastries. It is often the basis of various creams, cake trays and icings and is a mandatory part of any other sweet temptation.
The Difference Between Cumin And Cumin
Sometimes similar names mean completely different things and this is especially important for cooking. Although cumin and cumin have the same root and although both are spices and quite fragrant (but in a different way), there is definitely a difference.
The Difference Between Ammonia Soda And Baking Soda
In essence, ammonia soda and baking soda are chemical leavening agents. They act mainly in an acidic environment. The effect of both is similar. This makes them interchangeable. Which type of leavening agent to use is a matter of both taste and the recipe itself.
The Difference Between Black And Green Olives
Olives were cultivated by man more than 7,000 years ago, and today are almost a mandatory element of every table. They are grown in different parts of the world - some more traditional such as Italy, Spain and Greece, others - more unusual as Switzerland.
