The Cinnamon Shakedown

What do you think of when you hear the word cinnamon?
Essential oil?  Cinnamon pinecones for the fall & winter coziness?
Cinnamon rolls?   Snickerdoodle cookies?

There are 3 kinds of cinnamon:  Cassia, Saigon & Ceylon.

1. Let’s talk about Cassia Cinnamon /  found in U.S. grocery stores.

                * If a label just says “cinnamon,” it’s almost always cassia.
               *  Sometimes labeled Chinese cassia 
               *  Dark reddish-brown with a thick, hard bark (single curled layer)
              *  Stronger & spicier than Ceylon
              *  Higher in coumarin. (We’ll cover that in the next paragraph.)
             *  Used in Classic American baking or anywhere cinnamon needs to stand out.

Cassia is mentioned in the Bible: Exodus 30:22-25 KJV as one of 3 ingredients of a holy anointing oil, Psalm 45:8 KJV as fragrance & royalty & in Ezekiel 27:19 KJV in trade & commerce.

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     2. Saigon Cinnamon is a stronger type of Cassia & is stronger & more concentrated & is very high & the hightest of the 3 cinnamons containing coumarin. Therefore it raises coumarin exposure faster in the body than the 3rd type well talk about.

• Coumarin is a naturally occurring compound & part of the bark.
• In small amounts, coumarin is:
  • Usually harmless for most people.
  • It’s metabolized by the liver & excreted.

• In larger or frequent amounts it can:
  • Stress & be toxic to the liver (increased risk for existing liver conditions).
  • Raise liver enzymes.
  • Risk increases with certain medications.
• Can stress the liver when consumed regularly in larger amounts.
• Some health authorities caution against frequent use of cassia-type cinnamons.
  • Saigon cinnamon may test higher in antioxidant levels, but antioxidant benefits don’t outweigh coumarin risks for frequent intake.

• Often labeled Saigon or Vietnamese cinnamon

3.  Ceylon cinnamon is often described as “more health-beneficial” than Saigon mainly because of safety & composition.

The Biggest reason is:  Ceylon cinnamon is much lower in coumarin.
Therefore, it’s safer for daily or frequent consumption like in daily smoothies, coffee, oatmeal, supplements & baking). It’s safer for long-term usage.

It’s often called: “True cinnamon” which can also be found in some grocery stores.

• It’s the better choice for people using cinnamon for:
  • blood sugar support
  • anti-inflammatory diets
  • heart-healthy eating
  • everyday cooking​

This is the Ceylon Cinnamon I use for my daily use.
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​Saigon & Ceylon cinnamons both contain antioxidants.

Flavor breakdown:

• Saigon cinnamon
  • Very bold, spicy, hot
  • High cinnamaldehyde content (intense flavor)
  • Strong flavor means people often use less—but daily use still adds up
  • Saigon’s boldness is great for baking, but not ideal if consumed often for “wellness” purposes.
• Ceylon cinnamon
  • Light, citrusy, slightly sweet
  • Requires more volume for flavor
  • Lower essential oil concentration

Remember the two primary cinnamons this way:

Saigon  = for occasional baking or bold flavor. We do use this because it is more cost effective for baking & it is low on the ingredient list as opposed to flour, sugar, eggs & dairy.

Ceylon  = for Daily or medicinal use

GET the RECIPE to
​​Baked With A Blessing's
gourmet SNICKERDOODLES made with
organic CEYLON CINNAMON!