How the cinnamon tree grows: beneficial properties of cinnamon, good recipes. How cinnamon grows, its beneficial properties and contraindications

Cinnamon can be called the spice of the elite, since in ancient times it was used exclusively during the preparation of dishes for crowned persons. The spice is obtained from the bark of cinnamon trees - trees of the Laurel family. It can be found on sale both in ground form and in the form of tubes (rolled pieces of bark).

In Russian, cinnamon got its name because of its brown color.

Cinnamomum verum is an evergreen cinnamon tree whose bark produces cinnamon. To obtain the spice, take the inner layer of tree bark.

Appearance

Cinnamon trees are evergreen shrubs. Greenish cinnamon flowers have a rather unpleasant odor.

The fruits of the plant are purple berries. The leaves of the cinnamon tree are similar to bay leaves, but thinner and smaller.

Real or Ceylon cinnamon

The place where cinnamon trees of this species grow is not only Ceylon, but also Guiana, the island of Martinique, the states of Indonesia, Brazil, India and Malaysia. This cinnamon is valued higher than other types for its delicate smell and sweet taste. It is fragile.

In addition to Ceylon cinnamon, there are 3 more types that are much less valued.

Other types

Chinese (cassia)

It is also called fragrant, Indian or simple cinnamon. The well-known name for this type of seasoning is “cassia”. We wrote about it in detail in another article.

The trees from which this spice is extracted are grown in Indonesia, China, Laos, Cambodia and Burma. This spice has a less delicate aroma, it is sharper, tart and hot.

Spicy

It is also called cinnamon. This cinnamon is obtained from a bush that is grown in Indonesia and the Moluccas Islands. It is very fragile, with graininess at the break, a pungent cinnamon smell, and also a rather spicy taste.

Malabar

It is also called woody and brown. This cinnamon is extracted from the bark of trees growing in Burma and India. The difference between this spice and other types is its sharp bitter taste and dark brownish-brown color.

Where does it grow

The homeland of real cinnamon is South China. It is mentioned in Chinese writings dating back to 2800 BC. The taste of the spice was described by Pliny the Elder in the first century AD.

The highest quality cinnamon is produced in Sri Lanka - it has a warm, sweetish taste and a very pleasant aroma. This cinnamon is obtained from the thin bark of trees. Also, the production of this spice is established in such places and countries as Brazil, Egypt, Western India, Vietnam, the islands of Madagascar, Sumatra and Java.

Method of making spices

The bark is removed from cinnamon tree shoots that are less than three years old (usually shrubs about two meters high). Copper knives are used to obtain the bark, since cinnamon is rich in tannins that oxidize other metals.

The bark is harvested from the same tree twice a year. Usually the collection is carried out after the rainy period - at this time the bark is easier to remove and its aroma is higher.

The bark is cut into strips 1-2 centimeters wide and up to 30 centimeters long. The outer skin of these strips is scraped off, after which the inner part of the bark is sent to dry in a shady place, waiting for it to darken and curl into tubes. Ceylon spice has a very thin bark, so after drying the wall thickness of the tubes can be up to 1 mm. Before sale, the tubes are cut into pieces 5-10 centimeters long.

Not only the bark is extracted from the cinnamon tree, but also unripe fruits, which are called cinnamon “buds.” They are collected immediately after flowering. In appearance, these “buds” are similar to cloves. They are less aromatic, but have a sweet and rather mild odor. These “buds” are especially valued in India and China.

To learn how real Ceylon cinnamon is made, watch the following video.

How to choose and where to buy

• Buy cinnamon powder in small quantities, as crushed spice quickly loses its aroma.
• The sticks have a more persistent taste, but they are quite difficult to grind.
• When choosing cinnamon powder, smell it - the aroma should be quite strong.
• You can check whether you bought cinnamon or cassia using an iodine solution. This test will have almost no effect on cinnamon, but cassia will take on a dark blue color.

Characteristics

• The Ceylon type of cinnamon has a delicate aroma, very unique.
• The taste of the spice is slightly hot and sweet.
• The structure of the seasoning is crumbly and not too dense.
• It goes well with other tart and spicy seasonings.
• You can add cinnamon to any dish that uses sugar.

Nutritional value and calorie content

100 g of cinnamon contains:

Chemical composition

Valuable substances in the bark of cinnamon trees are:

• essential oil (1-2%), consisting of cinnamaldehyde and tannins;
• fatty acid;
• alimentary fiber;
• minerals;
• mono and disaccharides;
• vitamins.

Beneficial features

Ceylon cinnamon itself and the essential oil extracted from it have the following properties:

• Strengthening blood supply and metabolic processes.
• Resistance to cellulite.
• Improvement of digestive processes.
• Relief from flu and colds.
• The warming effect makes the oil popular for massage.
• Help with nausea, dizziness or fainting.
• Eliminating bad breath.
• Neutralization of poisons entering the body from insect bites.
• Increased sexuality.
• Normalization of the menstrual cycle.
• Help with asthenia, fears, depressive, melancholic and anxious moods.
• Relief from seasickness.
• Normalization of blood sugar levels.
• Prevention of cardiovascular pathologies.
• Memory improvement.
• Strong antioxidant effect.
• Antimicrobial properties.

You can learn even more about cinnamon and its beneficial properties from the following video of the “1000 Little Things” program.

Harm

• Chemotherapy of cancer.
• Pregnancy (the spice stimulates uterine contractions).
• Increased individual sensitivity.

If you want to use the spice externally, you must definitely mix it with a carrier oil.

Eating cassia is harmful to health. Buy only real Ceylon cinnamon. To learn how to distinguish cinnamon from cassia, read another article.

Aroma oil

Both the aroma and taste of the spice are associated with the aroma oil in its composition. The tree bark contains approximately 0.5-1% of this oil. You can extract aroma oil from the spice by grinding the bark - it is soaked in sea water and distilled. The resulting oil has a yellow-golden hue, a burning taste and a characteristic cinnamon odor. These characteristics are due to cinnamaldehyde, which is the main component of cinnamon aroma oil. Gradually, the oil oxidizes, its structure becomes more resinous, and its color becomes darker.

Application

In cooking

Cinnamon bark is actively in demand in cooking:

• It is added to candies, chocolate and various desserts.
• Cinnamon sticks are used to prepare liquid dishes.
• With the help of cinnamon you can get an unusual taste of kefir and yogurt.
• The spice is added to marinades for meat, mushrooms or fruits.
• The spice in crushed (ground) form is added to dough and main courses.
• Cinnamon combined with sugar is often combined with cereals and fruits. It is especially often added to apple dishes.
• The cooking of Transcaucasia and Central Asia involves adding this spice when cooking lamb, other meat or poultry.
• This spice is included in various mixtures of dry seasonings.
• Adding cinnamon helps flavor drinks such as punch, grog or liqueur.
• Cinnamon goes well with salads made from carrots, spinach, young corn, and red cabbage.
• This spice can be added to fruit soups that are served cold.
• In England, cinnamon and sugar are sprinkled on crackers and served at tea parties.
• The French love to bake cakes with cinnamon.
• In some European countries, cinnamon is added to homemade beer.
• Cinnamon rolls make a great addition to pumpkin or tomato soup.
• Cinnamon goes great with coffee and cappuccino. You can stir the hot drink with a stick or sprinkle it with ground spices.
• In Thai and Indian cooking, cinnamon leaves are added to curries.

Adding spices to dishes is recommended at the end of cooking to avoid the appearance of a bitter aftertaste. The average amount of cinnamon per dish will be 0.5-1 teaspoon. spoon per kilogram of product or liter of liquid, although in oriental cooking this spice is used in much larger quantities.

Add 1-2 seasoning sticks and other ingredients to the wine to taste. Heat the liquid over low heat.

Toast the bread slices on one side, brush the other side (not toasted) with butter, then sprinkle with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. Fry on the other side until browned.

Boil fruits (apples, nectarines, pears, peaches) in syrup. Sprinkle them with cinnamon and sugar, then place in the oven and bake until golden. These fruits should be served hot, topped with sour cream.

Watch the following video from the TV show "1000 and 1 Spice of Scheherazade". From it you will learn a lot about cinnamon.

In medicine

• External use of the oil involves mixing it with a vegetable base oil. For 10 ml of vegetable oil, take two or three drops of aroma oil. The mixture is used for rubbing and massage.
• Mix one or two drops of oil with tea. a spoonful of honey and adding to herbal tea, this drink is recommended for delayed menstruation, myalgia, weakness, impotence, diarrhea, colds, and flu.
• A few drops of aroma oil are dripped into hot water and inhaled to help get rid of depressive mood and pathologies of the upper respiratory tract.
• By adding cinnamon to hot wine, this drink is recommended for flu-like conditions and hypothermia. Also, for the flu, you can make a drink by dissolving honey and lemon juice in hot water, and after adding a pinch of cinnamon and 1 clove, bring the liquid to a boil, then leave for 20 minutes.
• A preventive remedy for the flu is cinnamon brewed with boiling water, to which a pinch of black pepper and honey are added. Drink this remedy every three hours.
• If headaches occur with a cold, stir cinnamon with water until a thick paste is obtained and apply to the forehead.
• A strong infusion of cinnamon helps with diarrhea, meteorite and vomiting.

You can learn even more about the healing qualities of cinnamon from the program “Live Healthy!”

When losing weight

Cinnamon, due to its large amount of dietary fiber, prevents constipation (a common problem when losing weight) and stimulates intestinal function. Another advantage of consuming cinnamon when losing weight is its positive effect on mood and decreased appetite. It is also known that this seasoning has the property of accelerating the breakdown of sugar. You can use cinnamon for weight loss in different ways:

• Add this spice to tea and coffee as a sugar substitute.
• Massage against cellulite with cinnamon.
• Do wraps.
• Do fasting days, drinking kefir flavored with cinnamon all day.

At home

Cinnamon aroma oil is added to “oriental” perfume compositions.

Growing

Cinnamon trees are unpretentious and easily tolerate unfavorable conditions. Uncultivated trees can grow up to 6-12 meters in height, but on plantations that are cultivated, the plant is usually represented by low shrubs. After growing a tree for 2 years, it is pruned almost at the root, so that in the third year of cultivation new shoots are obtained (about ten of them appear), from which the bark is cut off.

Storage

To store cinnamon, it is important to seal the container in which the spice is placed. It is optimal to keep cinnamon in a glass container. Seasoning sticks can be stored for up to 12 months, and powder for up to six months. It is best to keep the spice in a cool, dark cabinet.

According to the testimony of Herodotus of the 5th century. BC, anyone who wanted to find the precious cinnamon bark had to go through many trials: fighting monsters, searching for it at the bottom of lakes and in the nests of huge birds of prey - these are not all the obstacles on the way to the most valuable spice. By telling such tales, Arab merchants promoted their business. That is why in Europe, cinnamon has long been considered an unattainable spice that only a select few deserve.

In Ancient times and the Middle Ages, cinnamon was used more as an aroma spice and incense. At that time, cooks most often used Indian laurel, which had a similar aroma, for food. But to give a special taste to honey cookies and sweet wine with spices, it was simply necessary.

Even more historical facts:

• Cinnamon and its properties were learned about in ancient times. It often served as a gift to high-ranking persons.
• The spice was brought to Ancient Egypt from China. The Egyptians used this spice for embalming.
• Cinnamon is mentioned in the Old Testament. From the lines you can understand that this spice was valued higher than gold.
• The ancient Romans considered cinnamon to be a plant of Jupiter, representing the element of fire. The Romans used this spice on funeral pyres.
• Until the 17th century, cinnamon was collected from wild trees. Later, trees began to be cultivated to produce spices.
• In the Victorian era, Austrian lovers gave each other bouquets of cinnamon, which was a symbol of love and tenderness.

And even then we began to wonder how cinnamon grows. It is used quite often in cooking. It grows on evergreen trees up to 15 meters high, belonging to the laurel plants.

Places of growth

When wondering where cinnamon grows in the wild, you can find out that the plant is most often found in southern India and Sri Lanka. It has oblong-oval leaves about 18 cm long. Bunches of flowers form inflorescences and have a greenish tint. Unlike the final product, they have an unpleasant aroma. Looking at the powder in the bag, you may not immediately understand what cinnamon originally looked like, how it grows, or what kind of tree it is.

In fact, these are purple berries 1 cm in diameter. These plants can be found in Java, western India, Vietnam and Brazil, Egypt and Madagascar. But, of course, you will want to try the best product. The place where the most expensive cinnamon grows is Sri Lanka. The bark from which the spice is made here is very thin and soft, and has a brown or light yellow color. She has just a pleasant smell.

Having tried to feel it with your taste buds, you can notice its extraordinary softness and sweetness, even warmth. In China, Indonesia and Vietnam, they produce a fake spice - cassia, which is made from coarser layers of bark.

Manufacturing technology

This amazing product is brought from distant countries. So how does cinnamon grow? It takes two years to fully mature and be ready for processing. When about a dozen shoots appear, the top layer is cut off and dried. This is exactly how the roll-tubes that you might have seen on the packaging of the powder are obtained.

They are cut into pieces up to 10 cm in length, in the form of which the product is also often sold. These are 6 to 10 layers of thin bark that form a single stick once it is separated from the trees. Next comes drying.

Observing how cinnamon grows in nature, manufacturers usually pay attention to keeping the bark thin, because then the aroma will be most pleasant. The sticks are stored for a long time, which is acceptable due to the long shelf life of the smell. To determine the quality of a spice, they use the ekelle, a special unit. The very condition of the sticks after processing and storage is very important, and not just how the cinnamon grows.

Those products that are imported to Europe are considered low quality, although there are no significant differences in taste. Therefore, powder form is used for transportation.

Application

After the product reaches customers, they add it to chocolate and desserts, spicy candies, liqueurs, and flavor alcohol and teas. The product is used in the preparation of spicy dishes with chicken or lamb. Asians add it in mixtures with other herbs. The leaves are eaten by those people who can personally observe how cinnamon grows. The spice is interesting for the local population not only in dried form, but also in fresh form. There are also uses similar to our approach to using bay leaves. Americans add the substance to fruits and cereals. A good flavor combination is obtained with apples.

In Germany they also like to add this spice to sweets, mulled wine or baked goods. This is also an excellent way to make marinade tastier. Works great as an essential oil, as the product exhibits antioxidant properties and the ability to fight microbes. It should be remembered that this substance should not be taken uncontrolled. It is often found in cookies, tea, mulled wine, seasonings and yoghurts, and sometimes cosmetics. If you are carrying a baby under your heart, it is better not to use essential oils from the bark and flowers of this plant.

Story

Peoples who could observe how cinnamon grew on their land often used the spice during rituals and holidays. Today in Europe it is associated with Christmas. Its warm scent awakens everything good and gentle in the soul.

The bark is collected at the height of the rainy season, which lasts from May to October. It comes off the tree very easily. Of all the spices, this can be called one of the oldest, since it was the one that people began to use first.

Mentions of it can be seen in manuscripts dating back to 2800 BC. There is evidence in the Old Testament that Moses used it in an embalming mixture because the substance has antibacterial properties. In Rome, sacred properties were attributed to this product. Nero burned a year's supply when the emperor's wife died. The interesting thing is that he himself took her life and wanted to appease the gods in this way, and then it was a very expensive pleasure, because at that time 350 grams of cinnamon were valued at 5 kilograms of silver.

Trade Development

In the Middle Ages, this product was also of interest. It came to Europe thanks to traders from Arab lands, and it was highly valued. When sailors set out to find a water route to India in the 1400s, their main targets were Christians and spices.

In 1536, explorers from Portugal found dense brown forests and saw cinnamon growing. Photos of similar places can be found on the Internet today, but at that time it was a real innovation. It was in Sri Lanka on the islands of Ceylon.

Then trade in this spice began to actively develop, which brought huge amounts of money to entrepreneurs. The Dutch became interested in such a business, who first occupied part of the island and then conquered it all. In 1776, the British showed interest in the plant, although at that time the Ceylon land no longer had a monopoly, because plantings appeared in other places.

Popularity

Today this product is used throughout the entire globe. When you go to a Spanish bar, you can order a gin tonic with a stick of this plant sticking out of it. It is added to rice. Cinnamon can also serve as a substitute for black pepper when you need to season meat dishes.

At Christmas, the French eat fragrant cookies with this spice. It does not suffer from contact with other substances, but on the contrary, it combines organically with many. It is added to cardamom, coriander, pepper and cloves, mace and bay leaves. In India, they produce "garam oil", in other words called a "mixture of warm spices".

The Chinese prefer combinations with star anise, fennel, and cloves, the Syrians with paprika, cumin and coriander (the mixture is called “baharat”; it is sprinkled on lamb meat).

Beneficial features

Cinnamon is actively used in folk medicine for its excellent properties. It helps with bloating and improves digestive processes. Even sellers of medicinal plants in China noticed this effect. You can easily get rid of nausea and diarrhea. Helps in the fight against diabetes, as evidenced by recent studies.

It is also believed that when using this spice, the response to insulin improves, blood sugar levels improve, as well as blood circulation. Just by inhaling the wonderful aroma of the substance, you can feel that the brain begins to work better.

If you want to preserve the scent for as long as possible, place the sticks or powder in a container, close it tightly and place it in a dry, cool, dark place. You can leave them for a couple of months. To check the condition of a substance, you need to analyze its smell. It should be sweet, comforting, woody, indicating freshness.

beauty and health

This spice is also credited with beneficial properties in the fight against excess weight. Some experiments have shown that if you eat ¼ teaspoon of this product before meals, sugar is better absorbed and its level in the blood drops. This is what prevents new fat deposits from forming.

It is recommended to use the spice as a substitute for sugar. The taste is sweet and natural, and there are far fewer calories. Now this wonderful product is very easy to find, because it is in almost every store. It will make your dishes tastier and your health better.

Cinnamon

The bark of several species of cinnamon trees of the laurel family, used as a spice when dried.

The most famous are the following four species.
Ceylon cinnamon(Cinnamomum ceylanicum Bg.). Synonyms: cinnamon, noble cinnamon, real cinnamon.
Homeland - Ceylon. Cultivated in India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brazil, Guiana. Plantings of Ceylon cinnamon are shrubs, the bark of which is removed from one- to three-year-old shoots twice a year; after the rainy period, when the bark is easier to remove and becomes more aromatic.
The bark is removed in strips 30 centimeters long and 1-2 centimeters wide and, after scraping off the outer skin, it is dried in the shade, as a result of which the cinnamon acquires a yellow-brown or light brown color on the outer surface and a darker color on the inner surface and rolls into tubes. The thickness of Ceylon cinnamon after drying barely reaches 1 millimeter. The best grades are almost no different in thickness from writing paper. This cinnamon is extremely brittle. Its aroma is very delicate. The taste is sweetish, slightly burning, warming.
Chinese cinnamon(Cinnamoum Cassia Bl). Synonyms: aromatic cinnamon, Indian cinnamon, simple cinnamon, cassia, cassia canel.
Homeland - Southern China. Cultivated in China, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia. The bark is cut from the trunks and branches of trees once every 8-10 years in strips of different lengths (up to 10-15 centimeters), 1-2 centimeters wide and dried in the shade. Ready cinnamon is a rough fragment of bark, slightly concave, having a rough outer surface of a reddish-brown color with gray-brown spots and a smoother inner surface of an even brown color.
At the break it is red-brown. The thickness of Chinese cinnamon is from 2 millimeters or more. The taste is pronounced aromatic, much sharper than that of Ceylon cinnamon, sweetish, tart-astringent, slightly hot.
Malabar cinnamon(Cinnamoum Tamala Nees). Synonyms: cinnamon tree, brown cinnamon, tree cinnamon, cassia vera.
Homeland - Southwestern India. Grows in India and Burma. In appearance it is even rougher than the bark of Chinese cinnamon, an uneven (dirty) dark brown hue, and much less aromatic in smell than previous varieties. Its thickness is up to 3 millimeters or more, the taste is sharply astringent, with a hint of bitterness.
Cinnamon, or spicy cinnamon(Cinnamomum Culilawan Bl.).
Homeland - Moluccas Islands. Cultivated in Indonesia. Bark of young (annual) shoots of cinnamon bush. When dry, it is small pieces (1-2 centimeters) of thin bark, whitish-beige on the outside and yellow-red on the inside. The aroma is spicy-spicy, the taste is spicy-burning.
In recent years, cinnamon has most often entered modern European trade only in ground form, in bags. Before World War II, on the contrary, cinnamon was traded, especially in the USSR, only in its natural form, that is, in pieces or tubes of bark. This was mainly due to the desire to protect the consumer from counterfeiting and falsification of the product. Currently, both direct falsification and the use of low-quality, sometimes simply spoiled, odorless raw materials for ground cinnamon are extremely common. For example, out of 18 bags of ground cinnamon from different companies tested by the author in 1992-1996, not a single one turned out to be of good quality. In view of this, firstly, you should try to purchase natural cinnamon bark, preferably Chinese, Laotian (available in trade in Siberia and the CIS countries bordering China), and secondly, you should definitely avoid purchasing cinnamon from countries that are not its producers , that is, the USA, Israel, Germany, etc., and those who were not previously the owners of colonies, such as England, Holland, France, where falsification is extremely rare.

Different types of cinnamon are used mainly in the confectionery industry (in cookies, muffins, Easter cakes, gingerbreads, sweet pies with fruit filling), and in cooking - in the preparation of sweet dishes (puddings, sweet pilafs, compotes, preserves, mousses, jellies, jelly, curd pastes).
In modern Western European cuisine, cinnamon is widely used in various types of fruit salads and some vegetables (spinach, red cabbage, milky-waxy corn, carrots), as well as in cold fruit soups made from fresh and dried fruits. Cinnamon goes especially well with dishes that contain apples, quince, and pears.
In oriental cuisine, including Transcaucasian and Central Asian cuisine, cinnamon is used in the preparation of cold and hot poultry dishes (turkey, chicken) and second courses of lamb (fried, stewed), and in China and Korea - in the preparation of fried pork . Cinnamon improves and ennobles the taste of fatty meat.
Finally, cinnamon is an essential component of various dry spice mixtures and mixtures for fruit, mushroom and meat marinades.
Cinnamon is consumed either in its whole form (liquid dishes), or more often - ground (especially in dough, main courses). Adding is done 7-10 minutes before the dish is ready (soups, compotes, hot dishes) or immediately before serving (salads, curd pastes, yogurt).
The norms for laying cinnamon vary greatly. They are especially high in Oriental, Indian and Chinese cuisine; on average - from 0.5 to 1 teaspoon per 1 kilogram of rice, cottage cheese, meat, dough or per 1 liter of liquid.
As substitutes for cinnamon, of course, of poorer quality, unripe dried fruits are used - seeds of cinnamon trees (balls the size of peas, gray-brown in color with a sharper smell than cinnamon and a harsh, unpleasant taste), as well as an artificial substitute - cinnamon extract.

. V.V. Pokhlebkin. 2005.

See what “Cinnamon” is in other dictionaries:

General view of the plant. Botanical Garden in Karlsruhe ... Wikipedia

Cinnamon is the bark of the shoots of the tropical cinnamon tree, peeled from the top layer. This bark is dried and used in the form of pieces or powder to flavor some sauces, marinades, as well as some Caucasian dishes... ... Culinary dictionary

Cinnamon is the inner phloem of young branches of certain trees of the Laurus family. Ceylon cinnamon, also known as fine cinnamon, is usually a bunch of pale colored bast strips twisted together. Chinese cinnamon (also known... ... Official terminology

The bark of young branches of an evergreen tree growing in the West Indies. Dictionary of foreign words included in the Russian language. Chudinov A.N., 1910. CINNAMON is the dried peel of young branches of a tree growing in Ceylon, Jamaica and... ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

The cinnamon tree (scientific name Cinnamomum verum) is an evergreen plant of the Laurel family (Lauraceae), which can reach a height of 15 m. Despite this great height, the plant is considered a shrub. The bottom of the trunk is covered with a fairly thick bark of a light black hue, which in the upper part is very smooth and pleasant to the touch. Young branches have a red tint. The leaves have deepened veins (3-7 per leaf) and an oval shape. They are glossy on top and gray-green on the inside.

The branches of the cinnamon tree are cylindrical in shape, triangular at the top. During the flowering of this tree, you can see flowers collected in panicles. The flowers are green and have a not very pleasant smell. The fruit is purple berries, each berry has a single family. The diameter of the berries is 1 cm. The birthplace of the cinnamon tree is considered to be Sri Lanka, South China and South-West India. But Sri Lanka is considered the main supplier of cinnamon to the international market.

There are several different types of this tree. And from each of them they get cinnamon of a certain variety and quality. Various types of cinnamon include: cassia or Chinese (C. cassia Blume) - it has a fairly strong odor, Javanese (Latin C. bur-manii Blume), Saigon (C. laurierii Nees), and also clove cinnamon. The optimal conditions for the normal growth of Chinese and Ceylon cinnamon are tropical forests, where the average annual temperature ranges from 26 to 27°C.

Harvesting and storing cinnamon wood

Harvesting cinnamon tree raw materials involves cutting off young shoots at the moment when their length reaches 3 m and their diameter is at least 2.5 cm. Often this work has to be done twice a year. After thoroughly cleaning the stems from leaves and branches, remove the bark. It is also cleared of the outer epidermis, and the resulting raw materials are tied into bundles. After this, the bark is dried in the sun; its light brown or brownish-yellow color indicates that the bark is ready. After drying is completed, the resulting cinnamon is carefully sorted, rolled into tubes (each tube consists of several shoots) and packaged in special rope bags. During sale, such tubes are cut into pieces, the length of which is 5-10 cm.

Use in everyday life

The leaves, bark and even dried berries of the cinnamon tree (depending on the type) can be used in everyday life. For example, the bark is used in powder form (ground) or whole. People extract cinnamon oil from the leaves. In addition, those products and substances that can be obtained from the cinnamon tree are used in baking, cooking, liquor and confectionery production, soap making, perfumery, various religious rituals (smoking agent) and even in medicine.

Cinnamon has many beneficial properties. For example, it can neutralize unpleasant odors. Therefore, essential oil made from cinnamon tree is used to freshen the air in various rooms. In addition, this oil is an effective mosquito repellent, since they cannot tolerate the smell of cinnamon.

Cinnamon is also often used in cooking. It is added as a spice to meat, fish, poultry and various drinks. Cinnamon allows you to preserve the freshness of those products that spoil very quickly for a long time. Oil from the leaves and outer bark of the cinnamon tree is even used in the production of toothpaste, various mouth and teeth rinses, and cough syrups.

Composition and medicinal properties of cinnamon tree

1. Ceylon cinnamon bark is rich in essential oil, which makes up 0.8-1.5%. And the composition of this oil includes cinnamic acid aldehyde (65-75%), eugenol and phellandrene. And no euthanol is observed in the composition of Chinese cinnamon oil.
2. Cinnamon tree leaves have the following composition of beneficial minerals: 80-96% eugenol, cinnamaldehyde (3%), eugenol acetate, benzyl benzoate, safrole and linalol.
3. Cinnamon oil is a valuable ingredient in cold medicines and ointments. It is also added to ointments that have a warming-irritating effect, but the concentration of essential oil in such ointments is very low.
4. Cinnamon drops are a good remedy that helps reduce heavy menstruation, and cinnamon oil in a composition with cloves helps get rid of toothache.
5. Often, cinnamon tree bark is used for disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, nausea and vomiting, flatulence, worms, as well as insufficient secretion of digestive juice in the stomach.
6. Cinnamon is an excellent antidepressant, antioxidant and even an aphrodisiac. It also has a beneficial effect on improving memory, stimulates brain activity and reduces stress in the body.
7. Cinnamon can be used to remove warts.
8. Cinnamon has antibacterial and antiviral effects on the body. Therefore, with its help you can kill viruses, fungi, various microbes that provoke various infectious diseases.
9. Cinnamon has a positive effect on human blood. Thanks to the beneficial substances that it contains, it is possible to prevent various blood diseases (regulates blood glucose levels), improve its circulation, stimulate blood vessels, due to which the pain of arthritis, rheumatism and even menstrual pain stops.
10. Cinnamon is a good remedy for skin rejuvenation; it also strengthens hair follicles, gums, tightens skin and tones muscles.

Use of cinnamon tree in folk medicine

The bark of the cinnamon tree, from which cinnamon is obtained, essential oils have many medicinal properties. Basically, cinnamon is added to various medicinal teas.

Cinnamon tea to improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract

Take 1 teaspoon (without top) of cinnamon tree bark, add dill (or boiling water). You need to insist for 10 minutes. Take 2-3 cups of this tea daily before each meal.

Morning invigorating cinnamon tea to lift your mood

Place 1-2 small cinnamon sticks in a small kettle of water. You need to brew this tea for 15 minutes, making sure that the tea is constantly boiling during this time. After the tea is ready, you can add granulated sugar or honey to it to taste; for those who like to experiment, you can also add milk. You should drink this tea in the morning.

Infusion of cinnamon tree bark for decreased appetite, indigestion, gastritis

Pour one gram of Chinese (or 2-4 grams of Ceylon cinnamon) into one glass of boiling water. It needs to be infused for 10 minutes. Drink daily, no more than three to four cups of this tincture per day. If symptoms persist, you should definitely consult your doctor.

Cinnamon tincture for decreased potency

You need to take 0.5 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1 tbsp. a spoonful of honey, 5 clove flowers, 2 tbsp. spoons of sugar, a slice of lemon and 50 grams of regular raisins. Mix all this and add to a 0.5 liter container. dry (red) wine. Next, you need to put this mixture on low heat and bring it to a temperature of 60 °C. After removing from the heat, this wine should be infused under the lid for three minutes. You need to drink this wine during a love date and always hot.

A mixture of wine and cinnamon for tuberculosis

Take dry red wine (0.5 liters will be enough) and put it on the fire. Add 0.5 teaspoon of cinnamon, 5 dried clove flowers, cardamom, ginger, anise to the wine. Mix all this, add another 2 tbsp. spoons of granulated sugar. Stir and bring to a boil (but do not boil!). Remove it all from the heat and leave covered for a few minutes. This medicine must be taken through a tube and always hot.

Cinnamon remedy for hair loss

To do this, take cinnamon essential oil (60 drops) and mix it with two tablespoons of plain almond oil. After thoroughly mixing this mixture, rub it into the scalp, then wrap your head in a towel and leave it all for 2 hours.

Cinnamon mixture for skin fungus

You can rinse the affected area with fungus using a mixture of cinnamon essential oil and water.

Cinnamon mixture for depression

You need to mix 10 g of blackcurrant leaves, add 1 g of Ceylon cinnamon and 1 g of clove buds. Fill it all with 1 liter of water. You need to take it after meals, 200 ml at a time.

Oil mixture for colds

You need to take three drops of cinnamon essential oil, add 2 drops of nutmeg and clove essential oils. Stir and add 2 tbsp. l. liquid honey. After this, be sure to add 1 tbsp. l. heated red wine. You need to take this mixture 1 tbsp. spoon every two hours. You need to take it until you feel better and the cold symptoms disappear. If necessary, you can replace nutmeg oil with cypress oil, the effect of this mixture will not deteriorate.

Contraindications

Today, the healing properties of cinnamon and essential oils from the cinnamon tree have been proven even in official medicine. Therefore, we can say with confidence that with the correct use of tinctures, mixtures, ointments and other medicinal preparations that contain cinnamon, no side effects are expected. The use of cinnamon essential oils is prohibited not only for pregnant women, but also for those who have hypersensitive skin (cinnamon can cause allergies). Also, cinnamon should not be given to children under 3 years of age.

Cinnamon, or cinnamon, is an evergreen tree of the Laurel family. Most often, people know it as a flavorful seasoning for confectionery products. Most often, cinnamon grows in tropical countries - in Sri Lanka, South India, South China. It is usually grown for industrial purposes, but some cinnamon lovers grow it for their own needs.

Description of the plant

Before you find out what kind of plant cinnamon is and how its tree grows, you need to understand its origin and appearance. Here, first of all, it is worth paying attention to the fact that each specific region of growth is characterized by its own type of cinnamon tree with an individual set of useful properties. However, each of them has common characteristics that are inherent in all plants, regardless of the area of ​​growth.

Botanical features

This representative of the flora belongs to the genus Cinnamon. Like all other types, cinnamon has cylindrical branches that taper towards the top and form a triangular shape. The branches are covered with a small number of large leaves, oval in shape and length from 7 to 18 centimeters. Cinnamon leaves are bright green or a lighter shade of green. The veins running along the entire length are clearly visible on them.

Cinnamon blooms quite regularly. Its flowers are collected in panicles and have a light greenish tint, gradually turning into yellow. Their distinctive feature is an unpleasant aroma that can be heard far from the tree. After the plant blooms, small purple fruits appear on it, which grow no more than 1 centimeter in diameter. Inside there is one seed, painted black.

Cinnamon grows in nature and on plantations for about two years, and then is completely cut off. In its place, after a year, new shoots form, from which the bark is removed. Then it is dried and the thin inner part is removed from it.

When dried, it is rolled into long tubes, which are cut into pieces no more than 10 centimeters long and sold to gourmets around the world.

Varieties of cinnamon

Scientists know several dozen varieties of this plant, but only four of them are used as food and grown for industrial purposes. This is due to the fact that they have the most pronounced aroma, which is liked by most lovers of sweet baked goods. The following types of spices are used in food:

Types of trees in Russia, their names and descriptions

Useful properties and contraindications

The cinnamon plant has a number of beneficial properties for which it is valued all over the world. It is primarily known for its use in cooking. However, cinnamon tree has healing properties and helps cope with various diseases. Among the beneficial properties of the plant, you should pay attention to the following:

In addition to the beneficial properties of this spice, there are also contraindications. All of them, as a rule, are caused by individual characteristics of a person or excessive use of seasoning.

Among other contraindications, the following should be taken into account:

1. This spice can only be consumed in moderation by people suffering from constant headaches.
2. Cinnamon is prohibited for liver diseases.
3. It is better not to use this seasoning for pregnant women, as it can cause uterine contractions and miscarriage.
4. You should not eat this spice if you are bleeding.
5. If consumed in excess, it may cause irritation of the gastric mucosa.

Description of the harm and benefits of the North American ash-leaved maple

Application in various fields

The cinnamon tree is known for its taste and aroma, which is why it is often used in cooking. The tree bark contains many microelements useful for the human body, which have found their use in medicine and cosmetology. In all these areas, cinnamon is an integral part, and it is almost impossible to find a replacement for it.

Use in cooking

You can most often find this seasoning in various products. It helps to reveal the taste of the main ingredient and gives the dish a unique aroma. Cinnamon is used to prepare the following dishes:

In all these cases, you should add cinnamon a few minutes before the end of cooking. This will help prevent the seasoning from becoming bitter.

The main thing is that its taste does not interrupt the aroma of the dish. To avoid this, you need to add the spice only in moderation.