Cinnamomum verum is considered the “true” cinnamon as a natter of provenance. It is also known as Ceylon cinnamon, a reference to the British colonial name of the country known as Sri Lanka since the 1970s. It is considered superior to other species of trees in the Cinnamomum genus that are also harvested in a similar manner and sold as cinnamon, including the less expensive a more widely available Cinnamomum cassia, or Chinese cinnamon. Other botanical cousins sold as cinnamon spice include C. loureiroi, or Vietnamese cinnamon, and C. burmannii, or Indonesian cinnamon. C. verum is distinguished from other species by a tighter curl in the quills and a lighter color and sweeter flavor in the ground spice.
Cinnamon continues to be widely used in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food and beverage industries. However, global demand and market revenue is expected to grow substantially with increased interest in gourmet beverages, natural cereals, energy snack bars and other high-end baked goods and sweets. Ceylon cinnamon is of the highest quality, with its subtle flavor and less risk of potential adverse health effects owing to a lower concentration of cinnamaldehyde and a total absence of coumarin.
