Sri Lanka best Ceylon cinnamon vs cassia identify - real difference?
3 Answers from travellers
Ceylon cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) vs cassia (Cinnamomum aromaticum) key differences: (1) VISUAL - Ceylon is thin, papery layers rolled together like a cigar; cassia is thick, single-piece curl. Ceylon quills fragile, cassia rigid. (2) COLOR - Ceylon is tan-brown, cassia is reddish-brown. (3) TASTE - Ceylon is subtle, sweet, complex; cassia is stronger, aggressive, one-note. (4) COUMARIN - Ceylon negligible; cassia high (potentially liver-toxic in quantity). Ceylon is 5-10x more expensive but genuinely different quality. Most 'cinnamon' in Western supermarkets is cassia. Buy Ceylon in Sri Lanka at plantation direct (Silva's, Handunugoda) for 40-60% below tourist prices.
Also: Ceylon cinnamon oil vs bark - cooking primarily uses bark (quills or ground), oil is for medicinal/aromatic. Get vacuum-sealed pouches from plantations. Test at buy: Ceylon breaks/crumbles easily between fingers; cassia resists. Buy whole quills not ground (ground can be mixed/adulterated).
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