Cinnamon Bark Health Article

Description

Cinnamon bark (Cinnamomum verum, C. zeylanicum, C. cassica) is harvested from a variety of evergreen tree that is native to Sri Lanka and India. The tree has thick, reddish brown bark, small yellow flowers, and its leathery leaves have a spicy smell. It grows to a height of approximately 20-60 ft (8-18 m) and is found primarily in tropical forests. Cinnamon bark belongs to the Lauraceae family. Related species are Cinnamomum cassia and Cinnamomum saigonicum (Saigon Cinnamon).

Cinnamon bark is cultivated in such tropical regions as the Philippines and the West Indies. It is not grown in the United States. Every two years the trees are cut to just above ground level. The bark is harvested from the new shoots, then dried. The outer bark is stripped away, leaving the inner bark, which is the main medicinal part of the herb.

The use of cinnamon dates back thousands of years to at least 2700 B.C. Chinese herbals from that time mentioned it as a treatment for fever, diarrhea, and menstrual problems. Indian Ayurvedic healers used it in a similar manner. Cinnamon was introduced around 500 B.C. to the Egyptians, who then added it to their embalming mixtures. Hebrews, Greeks, and Romans used it as a spice, perfume, and for indigestion. Moses included cinnamon in an anointing oil that he used. By the seventeenth century, cinnamon was considered a culinary spice by Europeans. American nineteenth century physicians prescribed cinnamon as a treatment for stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, colic, and uterine problems.