How is cinnamon sold? Real and not real spice

How can you tell the difference between cassia and cinnamon? Just! On the left is cassia, on the right is cinnamon.

There are hundreds of types of cinnamon. But only 4 of their varieties are used for commercial purposes. This Ceylon cinnamon, Chinese Cassia, Saigon Cassia and Indonesian Cassia. Cassia and cinnamon: how to distinguish a “fake” from the original? What are the benefits of cinnamon for the body?

With the exception of Ceylon cinnamon, all others are classified as cassia because they are very similar to each other with only slight variations in color, taste, shape and coumarin content.

All types of cassia cinnamon are hard and have high levels of coumarin, which is known to cause liver damage when consumed above certain levels. Only Ceylon cinnamon is the only soft and brittle variety with ultra low coumarin levels.

Ceylon cinnamon sticks are crumbly, like cigars, with layers of soft, pliable bark. All other cassia cinnamons are very hard, hollow, and have only one rolled layer.

Please note the color difference. Ceylon Cinnamon is lighter in color while Cassia is darker in color.
As a rule, grocery stores sell cassia, which is passed off as real cinnamon. Usually it is either Chinese or Vietnamese cassia. Real cinnamon carries great benefit for health, while the other can cause damage to our liver….
It is a spice that evokes a sense of comfort, provides a delightful ambiance, and brings back some of our most cherished memories...

Real cinnamon and cassia are made from completely different types of wood. True Ceylon cinnamon is typically produced in Sri Lanka, India, Madagascar, Brazil, or the Caribbean, while fake cassia is typically grown in China, Indonesia, or Vietnam.

Another difference is the appearance and taste. While the “cinnamon” that we are used to seeing on store shelves food products, usually dark red-brown in color and quite spicy taste, real cinnamon is much lighter in color and has a sweeter, softer, subtler and rich taste. Finally, the biggest difference is the content of a compound called coumarin. Ceylon cinnamon contains about 0.017 g/kg while other types of cinnamon contain between 2.15-6.97 g/kg coumarin.

This substance acts on the blood and is an anticoagulant. Research has also shown that coumarin is toxic to the liver if we consume more than the recommended amount. daily dose, which is set at 0.1 mg/kg body weight. This means that for a person weighing 68 kg, the maximum permissible daily dose is 6.8 mg. Since one gram of cinnamon can contain between 2.15-6.97mg of coumarin, you can reach this upper limit by consuming about 1/5 teaspoon per day.

If you're looking to add this spice to your diet to improve your health, you'll probably want to take a little more of it... So it's best to look for Ceylon cinnamon (just in case). Your liver does a great job for you, so show it some love by eating the best quality spices!

How to find the best quality real cinnamon?

1. Look for a seasoning that is labeled as:

• Real cinnamon
• Cinnamomum Zeylanicum

2. Buy organic cinnamon to prevent contamination with pesticides and other fillers or preservatives. (Follow the link you can buy real Ceylon organic cinnamon with a $5 discount on your first order)

3. If you buy the bark, real cinnamon is "clumped", the thin bark will be rolled into a circle in layers, rather than a stick with two curls.

4. It is often light brown in color, more loose and fluffy, and easily crumbles and breaks.

5. As a rule, it will be 10 times more expensive. This is not always an indicator :), but in combination with the other differences described above, it can be useful.

What are the benefits of cinnamon for the body?

Benefits of cinnamon for the body

Now that you know the differences between types of cinnamon and how to buy a quality spice, you can consider the incredible health benefits of those nutrients which it contains.

1. It is an excellent source of manganese, which is a micronutrient essential for bone health and proper metabolism of fats and carbohydrates. This super spice also contains fiber to improve digestion, calcium for strong bones, and iron for energy production. A teaspoon of cinnamon powder contains up to 16% of the recommended daily intake of Manganese, 5% fiber, 3% iron and 3% calcium.

3. Research suggests that its anti-inflammatory properties may be protective against neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. This disease is becoming increasingly common throughout the world.

4. If you suffer from prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, cinnamon can be a true savior! Even a small amount, such as ½ teaspoon per day on an empty stomach, can help lower glucose levels. As a result of taking this spice, blood pressure is also normalized.

5. We're all getting older every day (lucky us! :) but incorporating cinnamon into your daily diet can help prevent the signs of aging. This is due to its powerful effect on inflammatory and oxidative processes in the body. Cinnamon is a powerful antioxidant, even better than garlic. The benefits of cinnamon for the body are enormous!

6. Essential oil cinnamon reduces itching from insect bites, repels them, and is also effective for fungal skin diseases and indigestion.

And finally, the main thing

The powdered cinnamon you find in the store was most likely made through an industrial grinding process. To prevent sticking, flour is added several times. Therefore, buying crushed seasoning is highly not recommended. Sometimes they write that you can check the authenticity of cinnamon powder by dropping iodine. If cassia powder - it will become blue. This is a little different. The powder may turn blue if ground seasoning starch was added. Therefore, buy the bark and grind it yourself as needed.

If cinnamon is stored for a long period of time, it nutritional value will be small. Do not store it in the refrigerator or in open containers. Place in a tightly sealed container or jar.

The aroma of cinnamon fills the house with comfort and the soul with peace. The cinnamon flavor is an elegant addition to apple pie, baked chicken and many more culinary delights. Is it just cinnamon?

Not everyone these days is lucky enough to buy real cinnamon. Many people buy cassia, a spice similar to cinnamon. appearance and smell, but not so fragrant, and, most importantly, harmful to health.

What is real cinnamon and fake cinnamon?

True cinnamon, or Ceylon cinnamon, or noble cinnamon, or cinnamon, is part of the bark of an evergreen plant. Cinnamomum zeylanicin, which is native to Sri Lanka and Western India. Ceylon cinnamon is a powerful and expensive spice.

To make real cinnamon, three-year-old shoots are cut off. Cinnamomum zeylanicin, of which only the thin inner layer of their bark is used. The bark is dried in the sun and then rolled by hand into tubes.

Cassia, or false cinnamon, or Indonesian cinnamon, is made from the plant Cinnamomum aromaticum, native to China, Vietnam and Indonesia. And for its production, not three-year-old shoots are cut, but shoots 7-10 years old. And they do not use the inner part of the bark, but the entire bark. This is a cheap spice.

Cassia is less aromatic than true cinnamon and has lower taste qualities. However, its main drawback is the presence of coumarin in it.

Coumarin is an integral part of both true cinnamon and cassia. But in Ceylon cinnamon the concentration of this compound is 0.02 g/kg, and in cassia – 2 g/kg.

Today it is known that a dangerous dose of coumarin for a child is up to school age contained in four small cinnamon cookies, for a schoolchild - six, for an adult - eight.

At regular use Small amounts of cassia cause chronic headaches, dizziness, and possible diarrhea.

The Germans were poisoned with cassia

Not long ago, a scandal broke out in Germany on Christmas Eve. It became known that the lion's share of cinnamon (90%) that arrived in stores before Christmas turned out to be cassia. However, most traditional Christmas confectionery recipes include cinnamon. So, most Germans were simply forced to poison themselves with cassia.

How to distinguish cassia from real cinnamon?

1. The first thing you need to pay attention to is the packaging. If the manufacturer is honest, then the packaging with real cinnamon will say - Cinnamomum zeylonicu m, on the package with fake cinnamon - Cinnamomum aromaticum.

It's very simple. But not all manufacturers play fair with consumers.

2. If you have cinnamon powder, you can check its authenticity using a simple chemical experiment.

Take a teaspoon. Sprinkle some cinnamon powder on it. Add regular iodine to the cinnamon. If iodine turns cinnamon powder blue-black, then it is cassia. If the color is blue, but not so dark, then this is real cinnamon.

3. However, experts still strongly advise purchasing sticks rather than cinnamon powder. Distinguishing cinnamon sticks from cassia sticks is much easier than distinguishing powder, and you can do this right in the store.

• When cut, Ceylon cinnamon sticks resemble a roll of papyrus with many curls.
• Ceylon cinnamon sticks are very fragile and have thin walls.
• Ceylon cinnamon sticks are light in color. Both the inside and outside of the sticks have the same color.
• Cassia sticks are quite thick.
• The color of cassia sticks is uneven: light on the outside (they can be dark on the outside), dark or gray-brown on the inside.
• When cut, cassia sticks have fewer curls than cinnamon sticks, often there are no curls at all, and the sticks are almost untwisted or twisted only at one end.

Residents Ancient Greece nicknamed cinnamon impeccable spice“, and they knew a lot about striving for the ideal. In addition to the Greeks, the Egyptians were fans of the spice, including it in a mixture for embalming the bodies of departing pharaohs. IN eastern countries Cinnamon gained popularity as a valuable medicine more than 4,000 years ago, and until the 19th century Europeans used it only in cooking and as a sweetener for bitters. The Portuguese who conquered Ceylon liked cinnamon so much that they obliged the local population to pay an annual tribute with it. Today this spice is a full-fledged component aromatic dishes and drinks, some medicines, and it is also a gentle, warm and natural room scenter.

Cinnamon is obtained by cutting off the inner layer of the bark of the evergreen cinnamon tree, which grows in Brazil, South. China, India, Indonesia, Egypt, Vietnam, Madagascar, Sumatra, and its homeland is Sri Lanka (Ceylon).

The cut bark is dried, and it is rolled into tubes, which are cut into sticks up to 12 cm long. Cinnamon is sold in the form of sticks or ground into powder.

Also sometimes found on the market are dried flowers or clove-like cinnamon tree buds, which give tea and other drinks pure delicate aroma.

How to choose cinnamon

What stores call cinnamon is not always what it is. The most useful and aromatic types of cinnamon are grown in Ceylon.

Cassia (“Indonesian cinnamon”) is often passed off as cinnamon; this is the bark of another variety of cinnamon tree cultivated in China and Indonesia; cassia has slightly different properties. To get high-quality cinnamon, cinnamon shoots that are 2-3 years old are selected, and the thinnest inner layer of bark is cut off.

Cassia is prepared from whole pieces of bark of 7-10 year old trees and quite successfully replaces cinnamon in many cases, however, this spice contains 100 times more of a substance harmful to human health - coumarin, which causes headaches and even hepatitis; this substance is used as rat poison. In 1 kg of noble cinnamon the coumarin content is about 0.02 g, in cassia - 2 g.

Knowing what cinnamon is, it will be easy for you to choose a high-quality spice.

How to distinguish real cinnamon from cassia

1. Most often, it is not the high-grade valuable spice that is sold in ground form, but cassia or other low-grade cinnamon. If you need good spice, check the country of origin: preference should be given to cinnamon brought from Ceylon rather than from China, Indonesia or Vietnam. It is also not recommended to purchase cinnamon from Germany, the USA, or Israel - local production is not established in these countries, and they do not sell cinnamon from Ceylon.

2. True cinnamon is more expensive; the packaging may be marked “Cinnamomum zeylonicum”. Cassia is sometimes labeled as "Cinnamomum aromaticum".

3. The smell of true cinnamon is softer and more noble - soft, warm, sweet. Cassia smells weaker, but rougher and sweeter.

4. As for cinnamon sticks, a noble spice high grade has a delicate uniform light brown color, the color of cassia is not the same inside and outside and has a reddish-brown or gray-brown tint. Real cinnamon sticks are always curled at both ends, forming “ram's horns,” while cassia sticks may be slightly curved or not curled at all.

5. The cut of cinnamon tree is thinner, the thickness of the cuts the best varieties comparable to the thickness of a sheet of paper. Cinnamon is easily crushed and is fragile, while cassia is stronger, thicker (3-10 mm), coarser and breaks into fibers.

6. You can check the quality of the spice at home. To do this, drop iodine onto a stick or a pile of cinnamon powder - cassia will turn dark blue with this interaction, and true cinnamon will turn slightly blue.

Storing cinnamon

Keep the spice in an airtight container at a temperature no higher than 20°C and a relative humidity of no more than 70%. It is better to purchase cinnamon sticks and grind them into powder before use.

Cinnamon shelf life

In sticks, the spice remains useful for 12 months; the optimal shelf life of ground cinnamon is six months.

Useful properties and contraindications of cinnamon

Therapeutic effect

Cinnamon stimulates, invigorates, improves mood, relieves depression, restores strength, improves memory, coordination and attentiveness.

It improves the circulation of fluids and thins the blood, lowers cholesterol levels, cleanses the liver and choleretic system.

Cinnamon is used to strengthen the heart and prevent strokes and heart attacks.

Consuming cinnamon relieves a runny nose, cough - dry and with phlegm, removes mucus from the nose, removes congestion and congestion in the sinuses. It can soothe a sore throat, relieve cold headaches, cure flu and bronchial asthma.

Large amounts of cinnamon cause uterine contractions. The spice helps to recover during the postpartum period and increases milk flow. This is a traditional Indian remedy to reduce the risk of recurrent pregnancy immediately after childbirth up to 20 months.

In addition, cinnamon freshens breath, relieves muscle spasms, relieves colic, helps with indigestion, facilitates digestion, removes gas accumulation, and helps normalize weight. By the way, it is recommended to use cinnamon with those who want to lose weight - the product normalizes the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, calms nervous system and reduces appetite.

What are the benefits of cinnamon and honey?

When combined with honey, cinnamon reveals its useful qualities to a greater extent. Main -

These components of the flu remedy: 1 tbsp. Boiled water needs to be brewed 0.5 tsp. with a pinch of black pepper, let it brew, consume internally with honey.

For colds, coughs and congestion respiratory tract Take orally a mixture of half the volume of cinnamon with 1 volume of honey.

For weight loss, it is recommended to drink an infusion of spices with honey and water on an empty stomach, upon waking up and at night.

By mixing honey and cinnamon in a 4:1 ratio, you get a natural mask to treat skin rashes.

Contraindications

You should avoid using the spice if you have bleeding, epilepsy, nervous exhaustion, or high blood pressure. Cinnamon should absolutely not be consumed by pregnant women.

Dosage

Add half to 1 tsp to dishes and drinks. per 1 kg or 1 liter.

How to use cinnamon

It is best to grind cinnamon sticks into powder immediately before use: lightly fry them in a dry frying pan, grind them in a coffee grinder or mortar and then add them to dishes and drinks - this way the sticks will crumble better and give more taste and aroma. Another way is to lightly fry the sticks until fragrant.

It is best to grind cinnamon sticks into powder immediately before use: lightly fry them in a frying pan with or without oil, grind them in a coffee grinder or mortar and then add them to dishes and drinks - this way the sticks will crumble better and give more taste and smell.

Add cinnamon 7-10 minutes before a hot dish, such as buns, is ready. In cold dishes, such as salads or curd masses the spice is added before serving.

The sweet warm taste and aroma of cinnamon allow it to be added to a wide range of dishes, including preserves and jams, compotes and jelly, liqueurs, punches, coffee, tea and chocolate drinks, sweet pilafs, jellies, mousses, pies, curd pastes. The spice is great for salads made from carrots, cabbage, corn, cucumbers, spinach, quince, pears, vegetable side dishes and marinades, for example, with zucchini, tomatoes, red pepper.

Cinnamon perfectly emphasizes the taste of apples, balancing the natural sourness inherent in their taste in pies, salads, and when baked. The aroma and taste of the spice combine perfectly with citrus fruits such as tangerines, lemon, orange, creating a holiday mood.

Cinnamon with kefir

Kefir, being a nutritious dietary product, is perfect for fasting days. By adding cinnamon to it - half a teaspoon per glass - you make this drink more beneficial for digestion and promoting weight loss. Kefir with cinnamon is great for fasting days or as a snack.

In the article we discuss cinnamon. You will learn how cinnamon grows and where to buy aromatic spice. We will tell you how to take the spice to treat colds, lower blood sugar levels, and normalize blood pressure. By following our tips, you will learn how to prepare masks for skin and hair based on it at home.

Ceylon cinnamon is an evergreen tree of the Laurel family (lat. Lauraceae). The Latin name is Cinnamomum verum. True cinnamon or cinnamon is the dried part of the bark that is used as a seasoning.

Ceylon cinnamon, as this tree is also called, grows in Western India and on the island of Sri Lanka. The plant prefers humid tropical and subtropical climates.

To produce real spices, only the inner layer of the bark of young shoots is used. They are dried in the sun, then rolled into tubes. The spice has a characteristic smell.

How to distinguish cinnamon from cassia

The real spice is often confused with cassia. This tree is cultivated in Indonesia, China and Vietnam. A spice similar to cinnamon is obtained from the bark of seven-year-old trees. For its production, the entire bark is used, so the resulting tubes are thicker.

The light one on the left is cinnamon, the dark one on the right is cassia.

This spice has a delicate aroma, sweetish, slightly hot taste. The thickness of the dried bark is 1-2 mm. The spice has a rich composition, which provides a high healing effect.

Cassia is less aromatic and has a sharper taste. The wall thickness of the tube is from 3 to 10 mm. A characteristic feature of the Chinese spice is its grainy grain and reddish-brown color, which is why it is called red cinnamon. When infused, real spice does not form mucus.

How to spot a fake

Distinctive features of this spice:

• appearance - real spice sticks are tightly twisted and resemble papyrus in appearance;
• structure - spicy sticks are thin, fragile, unlike cassia;
• color - real spice has a light brown color, cassia is darker, to reddish brown;
• price - Ceylon spice is much more expensive than a fake;
• marking - y natural cinnamon: Cinnamomum zeylonicum, in cassia: Cinnamomum aromaticum.

Useful properties and contraindications of spices

The benefits of spices and possible harm for health lie in its composition. It contains coumarin, which in overdose causes severe headaches, dizziness, and liver problems. If the spice consumption norm is not observed, severe nervous agitation is observed. Doctors recommend consuming no more than ½ teaspoon per day.

Since ancient times it has been used in medicine as a medicine for colds, hypertension and diabetes mellitus. It is widely used in cooking and perfumery for its unusual, pleasant aroma.

This famous spice has a characteristic aroma that lifts your spirits and has antidepressant properties. It stimulates the production of the joy hormone and normalizes brain activity.

The spice is useful for diabetes. Its regular use reduces blood sugar levels, promotes cell renewal, and rejuvenates the body. It is more often used for type 2 diabetes.

The spice is used for hypertension. It normalizes blood circulation, reduces blood pressure, cleanses blood vessels. Cinnamon helps to recover from a stroke and eliminates tremors in the limbs.

The spice is good for gastrointestinal tract. It normalizes digestion, improves appetite, and removes bad cholesterol.

Recipes with spices are used for weight loss. It improves metabolism, normalizes the functioning of the liver and gallbladder, breaks down fat, preventing its deposition.

Cinnamon with honey effectively helps with colds, flu, ARVI. The product has an antibacterial effect and eliminates the symptoms of the disease, but it is not recommended for use at high body temperatures.

Who benefits from the spice?

The benefits of spice are equally important for men and women. The pleasant aroma is used as an aphrodisiac. It enhances attraction, lifts your spirits, and fills you with energy.

Despite large number beneficial properties, the spice has a number of restrictions on its use. The spice is unsafe for women early stages pregnancy. It causes contractions of the uterus, which can cause miscarriage.

The spice is useful for school-age children. It helps increase concentration and brain activity. With regular use of the spice, memory improves and fatigue decreases.

Elderly people can also benefit from including the spice in their diet. It has a beneficial effect on the condition cardiovascular system, cleanses blood vessels, strengthens them and cleanses the blood of harmful cholesterol and higher level glucose. The spice is used to prevent thrombosis, heart attacks and strokes.

For more information about the beneficial properties of the spice, watch the following video:

Contraindications to the use of spices:

• high body temperature;
• low blood clotting;
• renal and liver failure;
• increased acidity of gastric juice;
• individual intolerance.

How to take cinnamon

As we have already said, it is necessary to monitor the rate of spice consumption. For example, for a preschooler, 4 cinnamon cookies can provoke side effects in the form of dizziness and abdominal pain. For a school-age child this dose is 6 pieces, and for an adult - 8.

For diabetes

The spice is especially useful for type 2 diabetes, when additional insulin is not needed. According to research by American scientists, spice reduces blood sugar levels by 25-30%. There are no special instructions for using the spice. Must not exceed daily norm. Fragrance powder added to main dishes, sauces, desserts. It is often combined with coffee, tea and other drinks.

From pressure

The spice is used to normalize the functioning of the cardiovascular system. It lowers blood pressure and strengthens blood vessels. The spice is consumed in combination with kefir, tea, honey and pure form by brewing it with water. Drinks are drunk 2-3 times a day, taking into account the daily intake of spices. The treatment course is up to 2 weeks.

For colds

Combining the spice with honey helps with colds.

Ingredients:

1. Honey - 1 tablespoon.
2. Cinnamon - ½ teaspoon.

How to cook: Mix the ingredients.

How to use: Take the resulting mixture on an empty stomach, 1 teaspoon.

Result: The product relieves sore throat, has an antimicrobial effect, and strengthens the immune system. The recipe is used for sore throat, bronchitis, ARVI.

Cinnamon for weight loss

The spice is used for weight loss. With its help they cook low calorie dishes and drinks that improve metabolism, break down fat, and ensure satiety for a long time.

The spice is used externally. Cinnamon oil is added to anti-cellulite creams, baths, and body wraps.

Kefir with cinnamon for weight loss

Spice with kefir - effective remedy for weight loss without fasting. This cocktail improves metabolism, prevents fat deposition, and dulls the feeling of hunger.

A nutritious drink can partially replace your main meal. Reviews from nutritionists indicate that people who lose weight most effectively replace dinner with a drink or drink it an hour after eating.

Ingredients:

1. Cinnamon powder - 1 teaspoon.
2. Kefir - 250 ml.
3. Ground ginger - ⅓ teaspoon.
4. Red pepper - on the tip of the knife.

How to cook: Beat kefir with a blender, add dry ingredients, mix until smooth.

How to use: Drink 1 glass of cocktail 20-30 minutes before meals. In this case, food portions should be reduced. The recipe is not suitable for people with gastrointestinal diseases.

Result: The drink leaves you feeling full for a long time and promotes weight loss. The first results are noticeable after a week of use. In a month you lose 4 kg of excess weight.

Cinnamon with honey for weight loss

Cinnamon infusion with honey

Ingredients:

1. Cinnamon - 3 gr.
2. Lemon - ½ pc.
3. Ginger - 10 gr.
4. Honey - 15 ml.
5. Water - 100 ml.

How to cook: Cool boiled water up to 50 degrees, add ginger and cinnamon, stir. Cover with a lid, insulate with a towel, and let sit for half an hour. Squeeze out lemon juice, mix with honey, add to the infusion.

How to use: Take ½ cup of the product on an empty stomach.

Result: Reviews from those who have lost weight say that the infusion keeps you feeling full for a long time. The first results are noticeable after a week of use.

Water with cinnamon and honey

To prepare a drink with cinnamon and honey, use water at a temperature of no higher than 50 degrees. Under the influence of more than high temperature the beekeeping product loses its beneficial properties. Reviews from those losing weight say that the drink helps to get rid of extra pounds in a short time.

Ingredients:

1. Water - 250 ml.
2. Cinnamon - 7 gr.
3. Honey - 20 gr.

How to cook: Boil water, cool slightly, add spices. Cover with a lid and leave for at least 30 minutes. Add honey to warm liquid and stir.

How to use: Take ½ glass 2 times a day: in the morning on an empty stomach and in the evening, half an hour before bedtime. The course of treatment is from 2 to 8 weeks.

Result: The drink normalizes digestion, removes waste and toxins from the body, and prevents fat deposition.

Cinnamon for face

Cinnamon is often used in cosmetology - added to face masks. The spice stimulates blood circulation, improves cell nutrition, and saturates them with vitamins. After the procedure, the skin may turn slightly red. The reaction passes quickly.

The spice rejuvenates, tightens, and cleanses the skin. The rich composition improves the general condition of the epidermis, making it more elastic and radiant. The spice has an antibacterial effect, so masks based on it are used for problem skin.

Acne mask

Ingredients:

1. Lemon juice - 5 ml.
2. Honey - 1 tablespoon.
3. Cinnamon - 10 gr.

How to cook: Grind honey and cinnamon until smooth, add lemon juice and stir.

How to use: Apply the mask to previously cleansed facial skin for 15-20 minutes. After the procedure, wash your face warm water. The product can be used every 2-3 days.

Result: The mask effectively eliminates pimples, acne, acne. Disinfects the skin, giving it softness and elasticity.

Cinnamon for the body

Cinnamon is beneficial not only for the skin of the face, but also for the body. It disinfects, heals, nourishes, moisturizes, and tightens the epidermis. The spice is added to masks, scrubs and mixtures for wrapping against cellulite.

Cinnamon Scrub

Ingredients:

1. Milk - 4 tablespoons.
2. Oatmeal - 3 tablespoons.
3. Cinnamon - 5 gr.
4. Almond oil - 5 ml.

How to cook: Pour hot milk oatmeal, cover with a lid, leave for 7-10 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and stir.

How to use: Apply the scrub to the skin with massage movements and distribute evenly over the body. Special attention focus on problem areas.

Result: Scrub eliminates body fat, increases blood circulation, cleanses the skin of dead cells.

Cinnamon for hair

The spice is used not only for skin, but also for hair. It is added to ready-made cosmetics or homemade masks for caring for curls. The spice strengthens and restores hair structure and prevents hair loss.

Hair masks with cinnamon

Thanks to its rich composition, cinnamon-based masks are suitable for all hair types. The spice is combined with aloe to reduce oily scalp. Spice mixture with vegetable oils Suitable for dry type.

Hair growth mask

Ingredients:

1. Onion - 1 pc.
2. Garlic - 4 cloves.
3. Honey - 15 ml.
4. Cinnamon - 10 gr.

How to cook: Grate the onion and garlic or use a blender, combine with the rest of the ingredients, and mix.

How to use: Apply the mask to the hair roots, warm with a towel and keep for half an hour. After the procedure, wash your hair twice with shampoo.

Result: The mask increases blood circulation in the scalp and stimulates hair growth.

Revitalizing mask

Ingredients:

1. Cinnamon - 3 tablespoons.
2. Macadamia oil - 5 ml.
3. Coconut oil - 5 ml.
4. Honey - 3 tablespoons.

How to cook: Melt coconut oil, add honey, spices, macadamia oil, stir.

How to use: Apply the mask to dry hair, cover with film, and insulate with a towel. After half an hour, rinse the mixture with warm water and shampoo.

Result: The mask moisturizes and smoothes hair, gives it shine.

Lightening hair with cinnamon

The spice is used to lighten curls; for this purpose it is added to shampoos, conditioners and masks. The products are distributed over the entire length, avoiding the scalp and root area. Regular use of the spice makes hair 1-2 shades lighter. Below are reviews of its use for lightening hair.

Elena, 25 years old

I've had dark hair all my life. I wanted to change my image, but I didn’t want to resort to store-bought paints. I read on the Internet that cinnamon and honey lighten curls. Every 2-3 days I made masks based on it. The result did not take long to arrive! The photo shows my hair before and after the cinnamon lightening procedure.

Maria, 39 years old

With age, my hair color began to fade, a friend advised me to make a cinnamon-based mask. After using it, the curls became more elastic, acquired a healthy shine, and became a couple of shades lighter.

Can pregnant women have cinnamon?

The spice is good for the body expectant mother, if there are no pathologies during pregnancy. The spice improves immunity, has an antiseptic effect and normalizes the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Despite this, it should not be consumed in the early stages, as the spice can provoke uterine contractions.

During breastfeeding Cinnamon should be consumed 4 months after giving birth. It is necessary to introduce spice into the diet during breastfeeding with extreme caution so as not to cause allergic reaction at the baby's.

Where to buy cinnamon

Real Ceylon spice Available at grocery stores and most supermarkets. The spice can be ordered in the online store. The packaging of natural cinnamon should be labeled Cinnamomum zeylonicum and the country of origin - Sri Lanka.

Price 100 gr. Ceylon spice in sticks is about 600 rubles. Ground spice costs 1000 rubles for the same weight.

You can buy cinnamon essential oil at most pharmacies. The cost of 10 ml of the product is 100 rubles.

What to remember

1. Cinnamon is widely used in folk medicine, cooking and perfumery.
2. The spice strengthens the immune system, lowers blood sugar levels, removes cholesterol, waste and toxins.
3. The spice is used for skin and hair care.

But in chemical composition there is a significant difference between them. Knowing the benefits and harms of cassia, you can get a therapeutic effect from using the product. The main thing is to understand exactly what product you are dealing with. To do this, you should learn several techniques that will allow you to distinguish between two such similar seasonings.

Cassia - description and features

Cassia is otherwise called Chinese cinnamon. This is a product obtained from the bark of the Chinese cinnamon tree, which is not found in the wild, but is cultivated in Indonesia, China, and Vietnam. The preparations are collected from trees that have reached the age of 7 years. At this time, the bark can be separated from the trunk without any problems. The top unnecessary layer is removed from it, and the bottom layer is cut into strips and slightly dried. Cassia is reddish-brown in color and bends slightly under pressure.

The pieces of cassia are not rolled into tubes and are covered with roughness and irregularities due to the peculiarities of processing. Even when rolled, it is visually coarser than Ceylon cinnamon. By taste and aroma, it is difficult even for a professional to distinguish cassia from real cinnamon, but these spices should not be confused. Cassia contains much higher levels of coumarin than cinnamon, which can be harmful to humans.

Where is the spice used?

Cassia has a tart, slightly sweet taste. The spice has astringent properties and leaves a slight burning sensation on the tongue. For these characteristics, it was included in the world-famous Chinese mixture of “five aromas”. Chinese cooks also use it as an independent seasoning, adding it to fried pork dishes.

Cassia is often added to baked goods and goes well with other seasonings:

• With the help of Chinese (Indonesian) cinnamon, culinary experts enhance the taste of cookies, gingerbreads, pies, etc. But it is rarely added to cakes and pastries.

Advice
Before adding Chinese cinnamon to a dish, you can warm it slightly on a dry hot frying pan. Then the aroma of the spice will be fully revealed.

• Cassia goes well with orange, and. The proportions may vary, but the optimal ratio is 1:1.
• Cassia taken in minimal quantities improves the taste of English puddings, cocktails, mulled wine, and charlotte.
• Culinary experiments with adding spices give good results. sweet pilaf, fruit salad, jam and even .
• Chinese cinnamon enhances the flavor of chicken and red meat. It is actively used in Indian and Caucasian cuisines.

Such wide range The use of cassia does not mean that it can be added to all food served during the day. Quite the contrary, it is better to immediately decide in which case the use of seasoning will be most appropriate and limit it to 1-2 dishes.

The composition of cassia and its beneficial properties

The aromatic seasoning has an impressive calorie content and high content carbohydrates. But its energy reserve is so quickly wasted by the body that consuming the product does not lead to the appearance of fat deposits. In addition, the following substances can be identified in the composition of cassia:

• Vitamins (A, B, C, E, K, PP). The seasoning is used in cooking in small quantities, but they are enough to supply the body with the listed elements in quantities close to therapeutic.
• Minerals (sodium, potassium, magnesium, zinc, calcium, iron and others). They act as stimulants of metabolic processes, participants in the synthesis of substances necessary for the body. Minerals strengthen bones and muscles, improve the functioning of internal organs.

Cassia is also irreplaceable if you need to lose weight. The stimulating and cleansing properties of the spice come to the fore. You can limit yourself to tea with the addition of honey and Ktiai cinnamon, but it is better to prepare a more effective composition. In a glass of kefir, stir half a teaspoon of cassia and a quarter teaspoon each of ginger and red hot pepper. The mass is infused for an hour and drunk at one time.

Harm to cassia and how to avoid it

In some cases, real, that is, Ceylon cinnamon can harm the body, and in the case of cassia, this risk increases several times. This is explained a large number coumarin contained in Chinese cinnamon. This substance can accumulate in the body if it enters it in large volumes. The consequences can be very different - from disruption of the liver and pancreas to a violent one-time reaction.

Advice
Do not overuse ready-made confectionery products with the taste and aroma of cinnamon. Most often, cassia is used in their production, because it is several times cheaper than the original spice. In excessive quantities, such products can significantly harm the body.


Based on this, you need to remember a few rules for using spices:

1. If you have problems with the liver and pancreas, you should avoid cassia altogether.
2. Pregnant women are prohibited from consuming all types of cinnamon, including cassia. Substances in the spice can cause miscarriage due to stimulation of the uterus.
3. Even in the absence of contraindications, cassia should be added to dishes little by little; 1-2 dishes with cassia per day are enough, but you should not use Chinese cinnamon every day.

If you follow these rules, there will be no harm. Food with cassia, on the contrary, will help improve metabolic processes and strengthen the body's defenses.

Differences between cassia and cinnamon

If you do not learn to distinguish between cassia and ordinary Ceylon cinnamon, this can lead to negative consequences. Firstly, Chinese cinnamon contains several times more coumarin than Ceylon cinnamon. Secondly, the density of cassia sticks is much higher, so you need to chop them first, otherwise you can simply break the coffee grinder. Finally, the cost of cinnamon is 10 times higher than the cost of cassia, and there is no point in overpaying.

• If the tubes are twisted and their surface is clean and uniform, then this is real cinnamon.
• Chinese cinnamon is much darker than its noble and expensive counterpart.
• A real spice crumbles easily even with your hands; cassia is more like a dense bark that is difficult to break.
• If the product packaging lists Ceylon or Sri Lanka as the country of origin, this is a real spice. If Vietnam, China or Indonesia - it is cassia.
• To check the quality of a spice at home, you need to drop a little iodine on it. Ceylon cinnamon will not change color; cassia will turn dark blue due to the presence of starch in its composition.

With the right approach, dishes with cassia can not only improve your health, but also lift your spirits and relieve depression. They can also act as appetizers, preparing the body for food intake.