Herb info 04/2017: Cinnamon.

Cinnamon is

• aromatic (spicy), that is, warming and drying
• mucilaginous, that is, moistening. The mucilage is very evident if you make a low-alcohol cinnamon tincture.

Cinnamon will lower the blood sugar, but for that you need to take 1–6 grammes a day. All species of cinnamon work. However, the best way to lower blood sugar is eat a lot less simple carbs and to take nutrients, most importantly magnesium, vitamin B, zinc and chromium.

Finnish grocery stores mostly sell cassia cinnamon (Cinnamomum aromaticum). The taste of true cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) is considered the finer of the two. The quills differ: true cinnamon consists of many paper thin layers, where cassia cinnamon is about 1 mm (1/25") thick.

You'll find largish amounts of coumarins in some cinnamons, including cassia cinnamon. That's the reason for EU lawmakers trying to restrict cinnamon buns, which is as absurd as trying to restrict carrots because they contain beta caroten.

Camphor comes from a species of cinnamon (Cinnamomum camphora), but its taste and scent differs quite a bit from that of the other cinnamons. Camphor is mostly used externally, for instance in cough salves.

Henriette's herb cards: order yours here!