Unlike cassia cinnamon, true or Ceylon cinnamon contains very little coumarin, which is harmful to health. Ceylon cinnamon tastes less pungent and overall milder than other types of cinnamon. If whole pieces of bark (“quills”) are used, a difference can also be seen visually: Cassia cinnamon has a thick bark, Ceylon cinnamon has a more papery bark.

Cinnamon is used as “sticks” or “canels” (peeled and dried bark, but actually the bast) to flavour a wide variety of dishes and is usually cooked with them. Ground cinnamon is added to baked goods such as Christmas cookies (especially german Zimtsterne) and gingerbread, put over rice pudding (with sugar) or it is a component of many spice mixtures.

Also of culinary importance are the leaves of the true cinnamon, which can be used as a substitute for the Indian bay leaf. Both have the subtle aroma of cinnamon in common. The unripe, dried fruits of the cinnamon are also used for seasoning, but under the name “cinnamon flowers”.

• Edible bark
• Type of fruit drupe
• Culinary Group spices
• Taste aromatic
• Trivial Names Zimt, Ceylon-Zimt, Echter Zimt, Kaneel, Cinnamon, Cannelle, Caneel, Canel, Cedemonie, Cedwezrinden, Ceylonzimt, Cimerinten, Cinamein, Cinamin, Cinamom, Cinamomen, Cinamon, Cinemein, Cinemen, Cinimen, Cymet-renen, Cynnamet, Cynmay, Cynneban, Czimarind, Czynamein, Czynamomey, Czynamyn, Zimain, Zimbet, Zimei, Zimin, Zimit, Zimmantrinde, Zinmend, Zimment, Zimmint, Zimmendboum, Zimmerrinde, Zinemin, Zymmat
• Size (twig) 25 cm
• Taxonomy Lauraceae (laurels) Cinnamomum verum
• Origin South-Asia (Map)
• Location Palmengarten Frankfurt (FRP) 2020