Organic Cinnamon Sticks (Cassia)

Our organic cinnamon sticks are the whole form of the warm, fragrant spice favored in many fall and winter baked goods. Cassia cinnamon is the most commonly used cinnamon in the world. Cinnamon sticks can be easily grated and added to everyday meals for a fresher flavor. They can also be used whole to stir around in warm drinks like apple cider or hot cocoa.

The cinnamon tree "Cinnamomum" is bushy evergreen tree of the laurel family "Lauraceae". The cinnamon tree is native to Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon), the neighbouring Malabar Coast of India, and Myanmar (Burma) and is also cultivated in South America and the West Indies.

Cinnamon is used to flavour a variety of foods, from confections to curries to beverages, and is popular in bakery goods in many places. Essential oil is distilled from the bark fragments for use in food, liqueur, perfume, and drugs.

Cinnamon is loaded with powerful antioxidants, such as polyphenols. In a study that compared the antioxidant activity of 26 spices, cinnamon wound up as the clear winner, even outranking "superfoods" like garlic and oregano. In fact, it is so powerful that cinnamon can be used as a natural food preservative.

Cinnamon was once more valuable than gold. In Egypt it was sought for embalming and religious practices. In medieval Europe it was used for religious rites and as a flavouring. Later it was the most profitable spice in the Dutch East India Company trade.

How is cassia cinnamon made?

• Cinnamon is made by cutting the stems of cinnamon trees. The inner bark is then extracted and the woody parts removed.
• When it dries, it forms strips that curl into rolls, called cinnamon sticks. These sticks can be ground to make cinnamon powder.
• The distinct smell and flavor of cinnamon are due to the oily part, which is very high in the compound "cinnamaldehyde".

What is the difference between cassia cinnamon & ceylon cinnamon?

• Both varieties come from the "Cinnamomum" tree family. Cassia from "Cinnamomum cassia" and ceylon from "Cinnamomum verum".
• Ceylon is tan-brown in color and contains many tight sticks with soft layers. These features provide a highly desirable quality and texture. It is less common and costs about 50% more than cassia cinnamon. Approximately 50% to 63% of its essential oil is "cinnamaldehyde", which is quite low compared to cassia. This explains its milder aroma and flavor.
• Cassia is dark brown-red in color with thicker sticks and a rougher texture. It is the type most commonly consumed around the world. Approximately 95% of its essential oil is "cinnamaldehyde", which gives cassia a very strong, spicy flavor.