Cinnamon C5
The bark of the tree is the major portion utilized for spice purposes. True cinnamon comes
from Sri Lanka. Cinnamon bark is mostly available in the form of quills, and quill production is
a Sri Lankan specialty. Quills are formed by rolling peeled bark into a pipe-like structure and
joining several of them together to get the desired length. Aside from that, bark can be
purchased as chips, quillings, or featherings. Cinnamon is a unique plant with essential oils in
its leaves, bark, and roots, but their chemical compositions are radically different.
Cinnamon Nutrition
According to U.S. department of agriculture, a teaspoon of ground cinnamon weighing 2.6g contains:
➢ Energy 6.42g
➢ Carbohydrate 2.1g
➢ Calcium 26.1mg
➢ Iron 0.21g
➢ Magnesium 1.56g
➢ Phosphorus 1.66g
➢ Potassium 11.2g
It also contains vitamin A, B, K.
And also, cinnamon contains coumarin. It is a natural flavor. If say something about chemical
properties of cinnamon, in cinnamon bark oil has a high level of Cinnamaldehyde and
cinnamon leaf oil has higher level of Eugenol content.
Values of Cinnamon
Cinnamon may provide some health benefits, according to scientific research. Strong antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral and full of antioxidant -Cinnamon is widely utilized in Chinese herbal medicine and is said to have numerous therapeutic and calming effects. Cinnamon’s characteristic aroma and flavor are derived from cinnamaldehyde, an essential oil found in the bark. Cinnamaldehyde has antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal effects.
➢ Reduce blood sugar level in human body
➢ Protecting against HIV
➢ Improve digestion
➢ Reduce risk of cancers
➢ Support healthy blood pressure & cholesterol levels
➢ Improves blood circulations
➢ Boosts brain activity & helps with memory loss
➢ Protect against heart diseases
➢ Aid weight loss
➢ Effective against arthritis and osteoporosis
Side effects of Cinnamon
➢ May cause liver damage
➢ May cause low blood pressure
➢ May cause breathing problems
➢ Toxicity – because, coumarin content
Quality Specifications of Cinnamon
Quality requirement of cinnamon quills:
| Characters | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Smell | Inherited smell of cinnamon |
| Color | Light brown to brown |
| Moisture content | 14% for quills and 12% for other products |
| Volatile oil | 1% for quills and 0.7% for other products |
| No. of dead insects (no. Kg) | 4 |
| Mammalian fecal matter (mg, Kg) | 2 |
| Other fecal matter (mg, kg) | 4 |
| Pieces with fungus attacked (% weight) | 1 |
| Pieces with insects’ damages (%weight) | 1 |
| Other extraneous matter (%weight) | 5 |
Source: Department of export agriculture
Sri Lanka exports cinnamon in primary form, crushed form, and powder form. The preparation
of cinnamon quills involves a combination of art and skill unique to Sri Lanka. Ceylon
cinnamon is categorized into four major grades- Alba, Continental, Mexican, Hamburg based
on the diameter of quill. Alba is the highest grade of Ceylon cinnamon available in the market.
It is prepared using finest and thin inner bark of Ceylon cinnamon tree.
Different forms and grades of cinnamon:
| Cinnamon bale form | Alba C5 special C3, C4 M5, M4, H1, H2, H3 |
| Cinnamon cut form | Alba, C5 special M5, M4 H1, H2 Offcut |
| Cinnamon quillings | Super fine quillings Quillings No 1 |