Cinnamon Stick versus Cinnamon Powder

Who doesn't like the smell of cinnamon smothering the entire house while a pumpkin pie is slowly baking in the oven? Or better yet, sprinkling some cinnamon powder on a cold and creamy rice pudding?

Cinnamon is a very ancient spice that has been traded for millennia and used in cuisines worldwide but also used as herbal tea and traditional medicine. Today, we continue with the tradition of incorporating this indispensable spice in several of our meals. 

Aside from the taste and pleasant aroma, it is essential to mention that cinnamon is a bark pulled from the cinnamon tree (Cinnamomum verum). It originates from Sri Lanka, India, and Myanmar. It offers various therapeutic and healing properties such antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, cancer preventative, reducing the risk of heart disease to name a few.

Now, in order to benefit from all the miraculous powers that this bark possesses, one must carefully decide where to purchase it from and under which state: whole or grounded.

I will open a parenthesis. Have you ever noticed how true coffee lovers and connoisseurs maintain a subscription with specialty coffee stores to receive fresh ground coffee on a schedule of their choice: weekly or bi-weekly for example? That's because freshly ground coffee tastes much better than coffee that has stayed on a store shelf or warehouse for months. I am now closing the parenthesis.

The same concept is applicable to cinnamon. Freshly ground cinnamon cannot be compared to the grounded cinnamon readily available on the store shelves of your favorite grocery store. That's because overtime, ground cinnamon loses its potency and freshness. Compare it to freshly grated cheese versus shredded cheese from days ago or a freshly green creamy avocado versus one that was opened days ago. That's simply because the compounds get exposed to the air (oxygen) which slowly but surely decomposes them. You are better off buying the whole cinnamon stick, grating it yourself and then grinding it. You will benefit from an exquisite aroma, your body will efficiently absorb the healing qualities of the spice and above all, you will know exactly what you are consuming.

In the aftermath of the lead poisoning outbreak stemming from ground cinnamon added to apple sauce and other products, we are reminded that doing for ourselves is more reliable than trusting a random company to do it for us. Investigators believed that this unfortunate event was simply caused by good old greed. The vendor had mixed in random ingredients with their ground cinnamon to reduce costs and offer a cheaper product to apple sauce manufacturers.

I understand that we live in a fast-paced and busy society, and we rarely have time to handmake what we wear, eat, decorate with... However, this major health crisis reminds us that we should never be careful enough, nor let our guards down. As much as you are able to, do for yourself. If all fails, don't feel guilty; go ahead a purchase that item. My only advice: make sure to always buy from a reputable company that puts customers before profits. Buy from local stores and vendors, get referrals from friends and family, and if necessary, shop online but ensure that you do your due diligence by vetting the companies you buy from. Inquire about their ethical standards. It may sound extensive but it's a health issue and in some of these cases, the doses were so high that they resulted in irreparable damage. Your health and that of your loved ones can be at risk.

We get that you are busy. That's why at Forev'Herbs, we ensure that we only use the best ingredients from reliable sources, and we only use whole cinnamon sticks in our elderberry and chokeberry syrups preparation to extract the maximum medicinal properties and guarantee potency of our herbal medicine.

Your wellness is our goal so we will never compromise on cheap, low quality, mixed-in/diluted ingredients in any of our products, whether they are orally ingested or topically applied, and you should do the same in your home.

Wholesome foods win over pre-ground ingredients. Would you agree?