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NUTRITION
Ceylon vs. Cassia — Not All Cinnamon Is Created Equal
By Joe Leech, MS — Updated on February 1, 2023
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There are two main types of cinnamon: Ceylon and cassia. Both of them are healthy, but one contains a toxin that is harmful if you eat too much of it.

Cinnamon is a very popular spice. It is not only delicious but has many health benefits. While it is cheap and widely available in most supermarkets, this is usually just one type.

This article explains the differences between ceylon cinnamon and cassia cinnamon.

What Is Cinnamon?
Cinnamon is a spice created from the inner bark of the Cinnamomum tree.

Strips of the inner bark are dried until they curl into rolls known as cinnamon sticks or quills. These can then be ground into powder or made into an extract.

The unique properties of this spice come from its essential oils and compounds, particularly cinnamaldehyde (1).

This compound gives cinnamon its flavor and aroma, and is also responsible for many of its health benefits.

BOTTOM LINE:
Cinnamon is made from the inner bark of the Cinnamomum tree. Its unique properties come from its essential oils, such as cinnamaldehyde.

Cassia Cinnamon
Cassia cinnamon comes from the Cinnamomum cassia tree, also called Cinnamomum aromaticum.

It originated in Southern China and is also known as Chinese cinnamon.

However, there are several subspecies now widely grown across Eastern and Southern Asia (2).

Cassia tends to be a dark brown-red color with thicker sticks and a rougher texture than Ceylon cinnamon.

Cassia cinnamon is considered lower quality. It is very cheap and is the type most commonly consumed around the world. Almost all cinnamon found in supermarkets is the cassia variety.

Cassia has long been used in cooking and in traditional Chinese medicine. Roughly 95% of its oil is cinnamaldehyde, which gives cassia a very strong, spicy flavor (3Trusted Source).

BOTTOM LINE:
Cassia cinnamon is the most common variety. It has a stronger flavor than Ceylon and 95% of its oil is cinnamaldehyde.

Ceylon Cinnamon
Ceylon, or “true cinnamon,” is native to Sri Lanka and southern parts of India.

It’s made from the inner bark of the Cinnamomum verum tree.

Ceylon is tan-brown in color and contains many tight sticks with soft layers. These features provide a highly desirable quality and texture.

Ceylon cinnamon is less common and has long been prized as a cooking spice. It is quite expensive compared to the more common cassia variety.

It’s described as having a delicate and mildly sweet flavor suitable for desserts.

Approximately 50–63% of its essential oil is cinnamaldehyde, which is quite low compared to cassia. This explains its milder aroma and flavor (3Trusted Source).