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Cinnamomum verum

Ceylon cinnamon

Caution

Other names: Ceylon cinnamon, True cinnamon

"Ceylon cinnamon" bark; tropical regional crop.

Evergreen tree with aromatic bark.

Family
Lauraceae
Plant type
Tree
What the safety levels mean (expand legend)
  • Generally recognised as safe. Often a common herb with reasonable harvest and use; still read the specific warnings on the card.
  • Information. Primarily informational — details in the text and warnings below matter most.
  • Caution. Needs extra care (dose, duration, sensitive groups, interactions).
  • Risky. Significant risks — verify sources, contraindications and professional guidance.
  • Not for home experimentation. Not suitable to experiment with at home without knowledge and certainty.
  • High risk for internal use. Particular risk with internal use (e.g. alkaloids); avoid prolonged or irresponsible dosing.
  • Not specified. Level not filled in yet — rely on individual warnings and links below.
Ceylon cinnamon — plant habitus (Wikimedia Commons).

Photograph on Wikimedia Commons (Public domain).

Plant habit

Safety — read before use

For this herb it is important to check warnings, mix-ups and cautions. Start with the Safety section.

Quick overview

A practical summary; details are in the sections below.

Safety grade
Caution details
Scientific sources on the card
Yes — sources are listed with claims Science section
When and what to harvest
  • Bark — May–June
Full harvest section
Processing methods

Decoction, Culinary use, Powder

All methods and recipes on the card
Topics and symptoms

Bloating & gas, Diarrhea and indigestion, Digestion

Topics section, Symptoms overview

Identification and mix-ups

Opposite elliptic leaves; bark harvest is specialist work.

Possible mix-ups and risks

Related Cinnamomum species.

Similar herbs

No related herbs are linked yet.

Topics and symptoms

More topics are in the symptoms and topics overview.

Geographic occurrence

  • Myanmar

    Common (expected wild occurrence in the region)

  • Brazil

    Common (expected wild occurrence in the region)

  • Mexico

    Common (expected wild occurrence in the region)

  • India

    Common (expected wild occurrence in the region)

  • Indonesia

    Common (expected wild occurrence in the region)

  • Thailand

    Common (expected wild occurrence in the region)

  • Viet Nam

    Common (expected wild occurrence in the region)

Harvest

  • BarkMay–June

    léto

    Region: India

    Notes: The inner bark is peeled from two- to three-year-old shoots of coppiced trees in the rainy season, when the bark separates easily; as it dries it curls into the familiar quills. Bark is not harvested from wild trees — it is purely a plantation crop.

Storage

  • Airtight storage(Bark)

    Bark quills keep 2–3 years in an airtight jar, ground cinnamon 6–12 months; after that the aroma goes.

    Light:
    Away from light and heat.
    Moisture:
    Powder clumps; store dry.
    Safety:
    Label the species: Ceylon (delicate, many-layered quills) vs. cassia (hard, thick bark) — because of coumarin.

Processing methods on this herb card

  • Decoction(Bark)Suitability: High suitability

    Longer simmering of plant material in water.

    Full method description (from the catalogue)

    A decoction is made by simmering plant material in water — often around 10–20 minutes depending on tradition and plant part. Denser parts (roots, bark, some seeds) are often prepared more reliably this way than with a short infusion.

    Compared with an infusion it can extract more compounds, but also more tannins or bitterness; the flavour profile differs from a delicate tea. Combine this overview with the herb card for suitable plant part and contraindications.

    Traditional context for this method: yes·Scientific context for this method: no

    Ceylon cinnamon bark decoction

    About 15 minBeginnerScience profile

    Open recipe →

  • Culinary use(Bark)Suitability: High suitability

    Cooking, baking, seasoning as food — general category without therapeutic claims.

    Full method description (from the catalogue)

    Culinary use covers herbs as ingredients in dishes, drinks, or spice mixes. This overview does not evaluate medicinal effects — only reminds you about species intent, allergies, and heat treatment where needed (e.g. some fruits or plant parts).

    Combining with alcohol, sugar, or long cooking changes outcomes; verify culinary sources.

    Traditional context for this method: yes·Scientific context for this method: no

  • Powder(Bark)Suitability: High suitability

    Finely ground dried herb; dosing and solubility depend on species.

    Full method description (from the catalogue)

    Powder increases surface area for liquids or food. Home milling needs a clean grinder and control of fineness; very fine powder may clog tea filters.

    Store airtight against moisture and pests.

    Traditional context for this method: yes·Scientific context for this method: yes

Traditional / spiritual use

Kept separate from science — entries are cultural or symbolic, not medical advice.

  • Cinnamon in the holy oil and on the phoenix's pyre

    Symbolism

    Historical mentionMythologyRitualSymbolism

    In the Old Testament cinnamon is an ingredient of the anointing oil (Exodus 30:23) and a scent of love poetry (Proverbs 7:17; Song of Songs 4:14); Herodotus tells that Arabs gather cinnamon from the nests of great birds, and Pliny has the phoenix build its pyre of cinnamon and frankincense. The Egyptians used it in embalming. A historical and mythological mention, not an effect.

    Form:
    vonná složka posvátných olejů a kadidel
    Claim strength:
    Historical mention
    Source note:
    Exodus 30:23; Proverbs 7:17; Herodotus, Histories III, 111; Pliny, Naturalis Historia X, 2. Ancient 'cinnamon' may have included related species.

Scientific notes

Each claim lists a study type and a source (URL or DOI) where available. Dose notes from the literature are informational only.

How to read evidence strength and study type labels

Labels summarise how the catalogue entry is tagged — they are not a medical verdict on efficacy. For every row, read the summary, limitations and source link.

Evidence strength

Evidence level not specified
The author did not grade the record; judge from the summary, limitations and source link.
Narrative / orientational literature
Descriptive or expert literature without controlled group comparison — context rather than proof of effect.
Weak evidence
Study or conclusion with major methodological limits; treat only as a pointer for further reading.
Preliminary findings
First or smaller studies — interesting direction, not the final word on efficacy or safety.
Moderate strength of evidence
Moderate strength by study design; sample and context limits still apply.
Stronger evidence
Stronger design or consistency of results within the study's stated limits.
Review article
A review summarises multiple sources; quality depends on review method and field.

Study type

Narrative / expert text
Expert text or overview without a classical study design.
In vitro study
Cell culture or test-tube experiment — does not show an effect in the body.
Animal study
Animal model — transfer to humans is not automatic.
Observational study
Observing groups without random treatment assignment; confounding is possible.
Clinical trial
Human clinical trial; sample size and control group matter.
Randomised controlled trial
Randomised controlled trials are among the stronger designs when well conducted.
Review study
A review aggregates multiple papers — quality depends on selection rules.
Systematic review
Systematic review with explicit search and selection methodology.
Meta-analysis
Statistical pooling of studies; outcome depends on input data and heterogeneity.
Regulatory assessment / monograph (EMA, WHO…)
Regulatory body summary for a herbal product — different context from a single RCT; often about products, not home tea.
Expert monograph (herbal preparations)
Structured literature summary for a plant or drug — quality depends on author and edition year.

  • The HMPC accepted, on the basis of long-standing use, Ceylon cinnamon bark (infusion, powder, tincture, oil) as a traditional preparation for mild spasmodic digestive complaints including bloating and flatulence, and for mild diarrhoea.

    Review articleRegulatory assessment / monograph (EMA, WHO…)Year: 2011

    Limitations: Traditional use without clinical proof. Not recommended in pregnancy or breastfeeding (safety not established), for children under 12, or with allergy to cinnamon or Peru balsam.

    EMA Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC)

    European Union herbal monograph on Cinnamomum verum J.S. Presl, cortex

  • A meta-analysis of 10 randomised trials (543 patients with type 2 diabetes) found that cinnamon (120 mg–6 g a day for 4–18 weeks) lowered fasting glucose and LDL cholesterol but did not change glycated haemoglobin.

    Preliminary findingsMeta-analysisYear: 2013

    Limitations: Most trials used cassia (C. cassia), not Ceylon cinnamon; high heterogeneity, short duration, and the clinically most important marker (HbA1c) unchanged. Diabetes is not treated with cinnamon.

    Allen RW, Schwartzman E, Baker WL, Coleman CI, Phung OJ — The Annals of Family Medicine

    Cinnamon Use in Type 2 Diabetes: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

    DOI: 10.1370/afm.1517

Images

The main photo is in the card header. More images will appear here when available.

Safety

What the warning types mean

The type on each warning helps group themes — it does not replace the separate severity badge.

Internal use
Risks from swallowing, extracts, duration of use or concentration for internal use.
Interactions / medicines
Possible effect on medicines or concurrent treatment — check sources and a professional.
Raw plant parts
Raw, unripe or poorly prepared plant parts can be dangerous.
Toxins and regulation
Toxic constituents or regulated compounds (e.g. in distillates).
Contact with the plant
Skin or mucosa irritation from contact with fresh plant or sap.
Allergy
Allergic reactions, often linked to family sensitisation.
Harvesting and contamination
Contamination, species mix-ups or harvesting from unsuitable places.
  • Confusion with cassia and coumarinModerate severityInternal use

    Ceylon cinnamon contains only traces of coumarin; cassia (C. cassia / C. aromaticum), common in cheap ground cinnamon, contains far more, and with daily use of larger doses coumarin is linked to liver injury in sensitive people. For regular decoctions and supplements choose Ceylon and do not escalate doses.

    Source

  • Pregnancy, breastfeeding, childrenLow severitypregnancy

    The EMA monograph does not list medicinal cinnamon bark preparations for pregnant or breastfeeding women (safety not established) or for children under 12. Cinnamon in baking is not affected.

    Source