All About Cassia | Know Your Spice Jangli Dalchini (Cinnamomum cassia)

Cassia (Cinnamomum cassia) also known as Chinese Cinnamon or Jangli Dalchini are primarily harvested in in South China, Vietnam, Laos, and Myanmar. In India only a few plants are available.

Both cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) and cassia (Cinnamomum cassia) are tree bark from the same family and genus of plant.

When ground, it is hard to distinguish between the two. But the difference is in the color and smell of each of the spices.

The original name for Chinese Cinnamon in at least some of the many Chinese dialects may have been kwei-shi.

In 216 BCE, the first emperor of the Qin dynasty, Qin Shihuangdi, renamed one of his most prized spots conquests for a cassia grove cultivated there, calling it Kweilin, or Guilin, the present capital of Guangxi Province.

The extra-local trade of Chinese Cinnamon dates back to antiquity, when it was carried along certain routes predating the appearance of other cinnamon species.

It is identifiable in herbals from the second and third century BCE, and it is likely that the cinnamon referred to in the Bible is Chinese Cinnamon and not true cinnamon.

From the Ptolemaic Kingdom onward, Ancient Egyptian recipes for kyphi, an aromatic used for burning, included cinnamon and Chinese Cinnamon.

The gifts of Hellenistic rulers to temples sometimes included cassia and cinnamon.

The first Greek reference to kasia is found in a poem by Sappho in the seventh century BC.

According to Herodotus, both cinnamon and Chinese Cinnamon grew in Arabia, together with incense, myrrh, and labdanum, and were guarded by winged serpents.

According to the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea, written in Greek around the middle of the first century CE, Chinese Cinnamon was being moved through Indian harbors and shipped past the Gulf of Aden to Somalia.

But these maritime traders did not necessarily know where the Chinese Cinnamon was harvested.

• The dried bark is the source of the important spice cassia.
• The immature fruits are a source of cassia buds and look like cloves.
• An essential oil, called oil of cassia or oil of cinnamon, is obtained by steam distillation of the leaves and twigs; it is used as a flavoring agent.
• The major component of the oil from cassia bark and leaf is cinnamaldehyde.
• The plant is used medicinally as a carminative, has analgesic and antipyretic properties.
• Apart from its use as spice, it is a well known medicine reinforcing “yang or the body fire”.
• The bark is not only used for flavouring food and beverages but also in pharmaceutical preparations and perfumery.
• The volatile oils from leaf and bark and the oleoresin from bark are used in soaps, perfumes, spice essences and beverages.
• Cassia works as a conditioner on dark hair and adds a beautiful golden tone to Blonde hair.

Whole Sticks last for 2-3 Years while ground or powdered form may last anywhere from 6-12 Months.

Cinnamon does degrade over time and degrades faster depending on the surface area – thus whole sticks last much longer than ground.

Store it in a cool dark & dry area in your kitchen. You can even keep it in your refrigerator. Store it away from sources of heat and moisture.

• Use an infusion of powder, properly strained, to substitute for the stick form if it is impossible for you to obtain sticks. You will need a lot less of the powdered form to produce the same flavours.
• Another possibility is to blend Nutmeg/Allspice powders.
• Third possibility is to use mace.

In India, Chinese Cinnamon bark or Powder is easily available in the spice aisles section of most superstores.

It is also available online via Amazon & other portals. The labels differentiate Pure Cinnamon from Chinese Cinnamon.

If you are overseas, it is better to buy whole bark quills from Asian groceries where they have a high turnover of spices, as the flavour does degrade once its been ground.

Did you know that most of the ground cinnamon sold in North America is actually Chinese Cinnamon?

The following are health benefits of Cassia or Jangli Dalchini, Chinese Cassia or Chinese Cinnamon.

• Health Benefits of Chinese Cassia as a Laxative – The pulp from the fruits, called cassia pulp, is a well-known laxative, and is used in the treatment of Constipation.
• Health Benefits of Chinese Cassia for Common Cold – The root of the tree is useful in common cold. in case of running nose, smoke from the burning root can be inhaled. It encourages a copious nasal discharge and provides relief.
• Health Benefits of Chinese Cinnamon against Fever – The root of the tree is a tonic and useful in reducing fever. An alcoholic extract of the root-bark is used for black water fever.
• Health Benefits of Chinese Cassia against Skin Disorders – The leaves of the tree are useful in relieving irritation of the skin and in alleviating swellings and pains. Their juice or paste serves as a useful dressing for ringworm and inflammation of the hands or feet caused by exposure to cold.
• Health Benefits of Chinese Cinnamon Against Diabetes – A study published in the Korean Nutrition Society in 2017 suggested that this cinnamon variety helped in postprandial glucose regulation.
• Health Benefits of Chinese Cassia for Nutrition – It contains essential nutrients such as carbohydrates, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and some traces of vitamin A, B, and K.
• Health Benefits of Chinese Cinnamon for Boosting Immunity – Internal use of Cassia oil can help support healthy immune function, Cassia is a powerful commodity in protecting the body from seasonal threats.
• Health Benefits of Chinese Cinnamon for Rejuvenation – When applied topically, Cassia oil has the ability to help soothe the body and its aroma can help to uplift the senses. This massage blend is especially beneficial during the winter months due to its warming properties and spicy scent.
• Health Benefits of Chinese Cinnamon against Obesity – Combined with frequent exercise and healthy eating, this spice can be another option to aid in weight loss.

Note: Chinese Cinnamon contains a blood thinner called coumarin. Coumarin can damage your liver if you consume it in large amounts.