Classic spice in the Christmas kitchen: Better Ceylon or Cassia cinnamon?
Cinnamon is a spice of several classic Christmas. But be sweet to fiery Aroma is not only the Christmas biscuits a special touch, but also exotic curries and Chutneys. The delicious spice brings various health benefits and even helps with weight loss.
Healthy Christmas Spice
Cinnamon is a classic spice in the delicious Christmas cuisine. Be sweet to fiery Aroma, refined Christmas cookies, biscuits and gingerbread, winter fruit compote, baked apples, mulled wine and punch. And also spicy dishes like Indian curries and Chutneys gives cinnamon a distinctive touch. It is a part of spice mixtures such as the Indian “Garam masala” and the Chinese “Five spice powder”. The popular spice is not only very flavorful, but also extremely healthy.
For the prevention and treatment of Diabetes
Cinnamon was already in the ancient times because of its health benefits. As before, the spice is used for digestive complaints such as bloating.
It is a disinfectant, reduce acting, as well as the blood sugar levels and cholesterol levels. In addition, cinnamon stimulates the metabolism, which is helpful if you want to accelerate the weight loss.
According to health experts, the spice is also one of the foods that help prevent Diabetes.
Furthermore, cinnamon is good for the intestines.
Too much coumarin of the damage to health can
However, one also knows by now that cinnamon can damage and in larger amounts – the health. Due to the contained coumarin.
This substance can cause, in high doses, including liver and kidney damage. Some people react even to small amounts of sensitive.
As the Federal centre for nutrition (BZfE) reported on its website, the tolerable daily intake (tolerable daily intake, TDI) of 0.1 milligrams per kilogram of body weight.
Therefore, a person weighing 60 kilograms would be able to absorb without adverse effects on health six daily milligrams of coumarin. That’s the equivalent of two grams of Cassia cinnamon daily.
In the case of small children the TDI will be reached already after six cinnamon stars, or 100 g of gingerbread on the day.
In Ceylon cinnamon is much less coumarin is contained in Cassia cinnamon.
Who used often and a lot of cinnamon, for example, for milk rice, should therefore prefer Ceylon cinnamon.
However, the search is more difficult, because the variety does not need to be on the Cinnamon package. Only some of the providers to give the cinnamon places on a voluntary basis.
In the supermarket cheaper Cassia is mostly cinnamon, while Ceylon cinnamon to food, especially in Fine – and Asian shops will be sold.
Ceylon cinnamon is of a better quality than Cassia cinnamon
As the BZfE explains that cinnamon is made from the inner bark of the cinnamon tree, which belongs to the family of the evergreen Laurel family.
Although there are several hundred different species, but on the European market Ceylon cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) and Cassia cinnamon (Cinnamomum aromaticum) are only of importance.
As the Name suggests, native to Ceylon-cinnamon from Ceylon, today’s Sri Lanka. The particularly high-quality “True cinnamon” has a fine, pleasant, spicy Aroma and is usually processed into Cinnamon sticks.
Cassia cinnamon comes, according to the BZfE from China. It tastes bitter to slightly sweet and come here mostly to powder grinding in the trade.
In the case of Cinnamon sticks, the difference is clearly visible. Ceylon-rods consist of a number of fine cattle were, the appearance in cross-section like a truncated cigar.
In the case of Cassia cinnamon a relatively thick layer of Bark is rolled up into a roll.
Cinnamon, up to three years, rods are durable, if they are well sealed. Ground cinnamon should not be air-tight and dark-stored, so it loses its flavor. (ad)