Dictionary Definition
cinnamon
Noun
1 aromatic bark used as a spice [syn: cinnamon
bark]
2 tropical Asian tree with aromatic
yellowish-brown bark; source of the spice cinnamon [syn: Ceylon
cinnamon, Ceylon
cinnamon tree, Cinnamomum
zeylanicum]
3 spice from the dried aromatic bark of the
Ceylon cinnamon tree; used as rolled strips or ground
User Contributed Dictionary
English
Etymology
From , from sc=polytonic, from etyl phn, cognate with Hebrew ().Pronunciation
- a UK /ˈsɪn.æ.mən/|/ˈsɪn.ə.mən/, /"sIn.
Extensive Definition
Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum,
synonym C. zeylanicum) is a small evergreen tree 10–15 meters (32.8–49.2 feet)
tall, belonging to the family Lauraceae, and is
native to Bangladesh,
India, and
Nepal. The
bark is widely used as a spice due to its distinct
odour.
The leaves are ovate-oblong in shape, 7–18 cm
(2.75–7.1 inches) long. The flowers, which are arranged in
panicles, have a
greenish color, and have a distinct odor. The fruit is a purple one-centimetre
berry containing a single
seed.
Its flavour is due to an
aromatic essential
oil which makes up 0.5% to 1% of its composition. This oil is
prepared by roughly pounding the bark, macerating it in seawater,
and then quickly distilling the whole. It is
of a golden-yellow colour, with the characteristic odour of
cinnamon and a very hot aromatic taste. The pungent taste and scent come from cinnamic aldehyde or cinnamaldehyde and, by
the absorption of oxygen
as it ages, it darkens in colour and develops resinous compounds.
Chemical components of the essential oil include ethyl
cinnamate, eugenol,
cinnamaldehyde,
beta-caryophyllene, linalool and methyl
chavicol.
The name cinnamon comes from
Greek kinnámōmon, itself ultimately from Phoenician.
The botanical name for the spice—Cinnamomum zeylanicum—is derived
from Sri
Lanka's former name, Ceylon.http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/picture_gallery/07/south_asia_sri_lanka0s_spice_of_life/html/1.stm
History
Cinnamon has been known from
remote antiquity, and it was so highly prized among ancient nations
that it was regarded as a gift fit for monarchs and other great
potentates. Cinnamon is native to the Indian
subcontinent. This is contained in much lower dosages in
Cinnamomum
burmannii due to its low essential oil content. Coumarin is
known to cause liver and kidney damage in high concentrations. True
Ceylon cinnamon has negligible amounts of Coumarin.
The two barks, when whole, are
easily distinguished, and their microscopic characteristics are
also quite distinct. Cinnamon sticks (or quills) have many thin
layers and can easily be made into powder using a coffee or spice
grinder whereas cassia sticks are much harder. Indonesian Cassia
(Cinnamomum
burmannii) is often sold in neat quills made up of one thick
layer, capable of damaging a spice or coffee grinder. Saigon Cassia
(Cinnamomum
loureiroi) and Chinese Cassia (Cinnamomum
aromaticum) are always sold as broken pieces of thick bark as
the bark is not supple enough to be rolled into quills. It is a bit
harder to tell powdered cinnamon from powdered cassia. When
powdered bark is treated with tincture
of iodine (a test for starch),
little effect is visible in the case of pure cinnamon of good
quality, but when cassia
is present a deep-blue tint is produced, the intensity of the
coloration depending on the proportion of cassia.
Cinnamon is also sometimes
confused with Malabathrum
(Cinnamomum tamala) and Saigon
Cinnamon (Cinnamomum loureiroi).
Uses
Cinnamon bark is widely used as a spice. It is principally employed in cookery as a condiment and flavouring material, being largely used in the preparation of some kinds of desserts, chocolate, spicy candies, tea, hot cocoa and liqueurs. In the Middle East, it is often used in savoury dishes of chicken and lamb. In the United States, cinnamon and sugar are often used to flavour cereals, bread-based dishes, and fruits, especially apples; a cinnamon-sugar mixture is even sold separately for such purposes. Cinnamon can also be used in pickling. Cinnamon bark is one of the few spices that can be consumed directly. Long known in Persia, Cinnamon powder is a very important spice in Persian cuisine, used in a variety of thick soups, drinks & sweets, often mixed with rosewater or other spices to make a cinnamon-based curry powder in case of stews or just sprinkled on sweet treats (most notably Sholezard Per. شله زرد)In medicine it acts like other
volatile oils and once had a reputation as a cure for colds. It has
also been used to treat diarrhea and other problems of
the digestive system. Cinnamon is high in antioxidant activity. The
essential oil of cinnamon also has antimicrobial properties,
which can aid in the preservation of certain foods.
"Cinnamon" has been reported
to have remarkable pharmacological effects in the treatment of
type II
diabetes and Insulin Resistance. However, the plant material
used in the study was most from cassia and only few of them are
truly from Cinnamomum zeylanicum (see cassia's
medicinal uses for more information about its health
benefits)., . Recent advancement in phytochemistry has shown that
it is a cinnamtannin
B1 isolated from C. zeylanicum, which is of theraputic effect
on type II
diabetes with the exception for the postmenopausal patients
studied on C. cassia .
Cinnamon has traditionally been used to treat toothache and fight
bad breath and its regular use is believed to stave off common cold
and aid digestion.
Cinnamon is used in the system
of Thelemic Magick for the
invocation of Apollo, according to
the correspondences listed in Aleister
Crowley's work Liber 777. In
Hoodoo, it
is a multipurpose ingredient used for purification, luck, love and
money.
Cinnamon is also used as an
insect
repellent.
It is reported that regularly
drinking of Cinnamomum zeylanicum tea made from the bark could be
beneficial to oxidative
stress related illness in humans, as the plant part contains
significant antioxidant potent .
Cinnamon has also yielded
results of improving brain function, when chewing it, or even just
smelling:
"...a recent research study
presented at the annual meeting of the Association for
Chemoreception Services in Sarasota, FL, found that merely smelling
cinnamon or chewing cinnamon-flavored gum actually enhanced
multiple areas of brain processing and function; everything from
memory to visual-motor speed to recognition to attention &
focus? In fact, the results were so promising that multiple
research studies underway are testing cinnamon for its potential
effects on enhancing cognition in the elderly, people with "test
anxiety", and possible benefits for people with cognitive
diseases."http://www.brainready.com/blog/cinnamon-thenewbrainhealthf.html
References
- Braudel, Fernand (1984). The Perspective of the World, Vol III of Civilization and Capitalism.
- Corn, Charles (1998). The Scents of Eden: A Narrative of the Spice Trade. New York: Kodansha International.
- "Cinnamon Extracts Boost Insulin Sensitivity" (2000). Agricultural Research magazine, July 2000.
- Medicinal Seasonings, The Healing Power Of Spices Book by Dr. Keith Scott
Notes
External links
- Antifungal Properties of Cinnamon Essential oil
- BBC News - In pictures: Sri Lanka's spice of life
- American Botanical Council Web site News, studies, and uses for Cinnamon from The American Botanical Council
cinnamon in Arabic: دارصيني
على الحقيقة
cinnamon in Bulgarian:
Канела
cinnamon in Catalan: Canyella
(espècia)
cinnamon in Czech:
Skořice
cinnamon in Danish:
Kanel
cinnamon in German:
Zimt
cinnamon in Estonian:
Kaneel
cinnamon in Spanish:
Cinnamomum verum
cinnamon in Esperanto:
Cinamo
cinnamon in Persian:
دارچین
cinnamon in French: Cannelle
(écorce)
cinnamon in Scottish Gaelic:
Caineal
cinnamon in Galician:
Canela
cinnamon in Upper Sorbian:
Skoričnik
cinnamon in Croatian:
Cimet
cinnamon in Indonesian: Kayu
manis
cinnamon in Italian:
Cannella
cinnamon in Hebrew:
קינמון
cinnamon in Lithuanian:
Cinamonas
cinnamon in Hungarian:
Fahéj
cinnamon in Malayalam:
കറവപ്പട്ട
cinnamon in Dutch:
Kaneel
cinnamon in Japanese:
シナモン
cinnamon in Norwegian:
Kanel
cinnamon in Norwegian
Nynorsk: Kaneltre
cinnamon in Polish:
Cynamonowiec
cinnamon in Portuguese:
Cinnamomum zeylanicum
cinnamon in Romanian:
Scorţişoară
cinnamon in Russian:
Корица
cinnamon in Simple English:
Cinnamon
cinnamon in Slovenian:
Cimet
cinnamon in Serbian:
Цимет
cinnamon in Finnish:
Ceyloninkaneli
cinnamon in Swedish:
Kanel
cinnamon in Tamil:
கருவா
cinnamon in Thai:
อบเชย
cinnamon in Turkish:
Tarçın
cinnamon in Urdu: دار
چینی
cinnamon in Chinese:
桂皮