There are two different kinds of cinnamon. One is China cinnamon, which is thick, usually curled into a layer and dark brown in color. It is usually used to make braised dishes.
The other is Ceylon cinnamon produced in Sri Lanka, with thin skin and several thin layers curled together. It tastes sweet and spicy, and is usually used for baking, or directly put into tea soup, coffee and juice drinks.
Although both kinds of cinnamon are used in diet, they have different effects on health.
According to the research report of German Federal Risk Assessment Association, cinnamon in China contains a lot of coumarin, which is a compound used to make rat poison. Eating this compound in large quantities will do harm to our liver.
Compared with China Cinnamomum cassia, Ceylon Cinnamomum cassia contains only a small amount of coumarin, which is more fragrant. In the market, Ceylon cinnamon has low yield and high price, which has high antioxidant effect, increases our sensitivity to insulin, lowers blood sugar and cholesterol, and therefore can reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes.
For people who are used to using cinnamon every day, the coumarin content of China cinnamon is 1200 times that of Ceylon cinnamon, so it is more wise to choose Ceylon cinnamon. Remember the difference between the two, try to avoid buying cinnamon powder and buy unprocessed cinnamon directly. By observing the appearance, China Cinnamomum cassia and Ceylon Cinnamomum cassia can be distinguished.