Cinnamon gives a taste of paradise

by Shari Jayawardhana

Although Sri Lanka’s well-known export today is tea, cinnamon was traditionally known to be the most important export at one time. In fact, so strong is the association between cinnamon and Sri Lanka that the very botanical name of the spice - Cinnamomum zeylanicum is derived from Sri Lanka’s former name, Ceylon. However it was not cultivated systematically until the time of colonial rule when the cultivation was shifted from the mountainous regions to the more tropical western and southern coastal belts.

It is historically known that the quest for Ceylon cinnamon was one of the key factors that led to the explorations to the east in the 15th century.

It was the Portuguese who came to Ceylon in the 15th century and took control of the spice trade from the Arabs who until then held the cinnamon monopoly.

Advent of the Dutch

Thereafter, the Dutch took over the trade after displacing the Portuguese and finally it was the British who controlled the cinnamon trade when they ruled the country from 1815 till independence.

There are several varieties of cinnamon, but most common types are True Cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) and Cassia (Cinnamomum aromaticum). Ninety percent of the world production of True Cinnamon originates from Sri Lanka. Cassia Cinnamon is harvested in much larger quantities and is mainly grown in Indonesia, Vietnam and China. Ceylon cinnamon is a finer more delicate product, which uses the inner bark and is manually layered to produce a quill similar to a Havana cigar.

The handcrafted process is time consuming and very traditional using methods and tools unchanged for hundreds of years to date. The Ceylon cinnamon is less dense and will crumble under harsh handling. The aroma is sweeter, smoother and less harsh than the cassia.

Clean bark

Cassia is a single layer of clean bark, about ten times thicker than Ceylon cinnamon and a quill when held is very stiff (like holding a pencil). The flavour is stronger and more harsh than cinnamon.

True cinnamon is less known in the world due to several reasons. Firstly, the availability of the product is less because 90 percent of it is only grown in Sri Lanka.

The cost of manufacturing is higher due to delicate handling of the product. If True Cinnamon is not available in the market, consumers are not aware of what they are missing. The largest consumer of True Cinnamon in the world is Mexico.

Cinnamon has been used for medicinal purposes for centuries and has been known as a healing herb in both Ayurveda and Chinese traditional healing systems.

The ancient Romans also used it as a cure for cold and flu and problems of the digestive system. Cinnamon is known to relieve congestion, stiff joints and muscles, while boosting brain power, reducing blood clotting and healing the heart and colon.

Additionally, it is believed to have the ability to control type two diabetes and to reduce blood cholesterol levels. Recent studies have shown that cinnamon helps to cure urine tract infections and fights tooth decay and gum disease. Cinnamon is also used as an insect repellent while the cinnamon leaf oil is very effective in killing mosquito larvae.

Condiment

Cinnamon is widely used as a condiment and a flavouring agent in cooking and baking. Historically cinnamon played a major role in preserving food, especially meat. Cinnamon is added to food items such as salads, confectioneries, beverages, soups, stews and sauces. Cinnamon flavoured tea too is increasingly becoming popular.

The cinnamon leaf and bark oils are used to flavour food products.