Health Benefits of Cinnamon

Scientific name: Cinnamomum Verum
Other names: True cinnamon, Ceylon cinnamon, Cassia
Part used: Leaves, bark, flower, fruit and seed

Origins & Properties

Cinnamomum Verum is a small evergreen tree belonging to the family Lauraceae, native to Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka still produces 80–90% of the world’s supply of C. verum.

Cinnamomum Verum trees are 10–15 meters tall.

The leaves are ovate-oblong in shape and 7–18 cm long. The flowers, which are arranged in panicles, have a greenish color and a distinct odor. The fruit is a purple 1-cm drupe containing a single seed.

Common Uses

Cinnamon is used mainly as an aromatic condiment and flavoring additive in a wide variety of cuisines, sweet and savory dishes, breakfast cereals, snack foods, tea, and traditional foods.

Cinnamon has a long history of use in traditional medicine as a digestive system aide.