Savor the Flavor of Fall

When fall comes around, the sweet and spicy flavor of cinnamon is everywhere. It's baked into pies, cakes and cookies, infused into apple cider and sprinkled on roasted winter squashes. Cinnamon sticks are tied into bundles to create wall decorations and table centerpieces and simmered on the stove to infuse the house with holiday cheer. During this season, cinnamon is definitely the most important spice in the cupboard.

While most visible in the United States during the fall and winter months, cinnamon is an important ingredient year-round in cultures around the globe. Chinese five-spice powder, Moroccan desserts, Mexican mole and Sicilian tomato sauce wouldn't be the same without it. You may be surprised to learn that there is more than one type of cinnamon and that the cinnamon we use in the U.S. is not the same as that used in Mexico and Europe.

Cinnamon is the peeled bark of an evergreen tree. Many species are used to produce cinnamon, but they fall into two main categories: true cinnamon and cassia cinnamon. True cinnamon is variously known as Ceylon cinnamon, canela or Mexican cinnamon and is harvested primarily in Sri Lanka and used in European and Mexican cuisine. It has a light color and delicate flavor, and is less spicy and assertive than the cinnamon we are used to in the U.S. The sticks are more fragile and can easily be ground to a fine powder using a mortar and pestle or in a coffee or spice grinder.

The cinnamon we find in grocery stores in the U.S. is from the cassia tree and is harvested primarily in Vietnam, Indonesia and China. There are many kinds of cassia cinnamon, with variations in flavor and color, but the most prized variety, Saigon cinnamon, has the highest content of essential oils. Whichever you select, all cassia cinnamon is spicier than true cinnamon, and the sticks have a much harder texture. Since cassia cinnamon cannot be ground to a fine powder in the home setting, it's best to purchase it pre-ground.

The characteristic flavor of cinnamon comes from the essential oils that it contains. Those oils and other compounds are responsible for the many non-culinary benefits that cinnamon offers. A small study conducted by the USDA in 2003 showed that ingestion of less than half a teaspoon of cinnamon a day could potentially lower blood sugar levels as well as triglyceride, total cholesterol and LDL levels. Those who are at risk of type 2 diabetes have elevated blood sugar levels and lowering them before diabetes strikes could be lifesaving. Scientists at the USDA's Agricultural Research Service are currently conducting studies to confirm that cinnamon is a viable and natural method for keeping blood sugar levels low. Cinnamon is also a powerful antioxidant and can help fight against heart disease, cancer and the effects of aging. If that weren't enough, it also possesses anti-inflammatory properties. There is, however, concern over the coumarin content of cinnamon, which may make cause it to be toxic to the liver if ingested in very large doses.