Cinnamon Comes from Tree Bark

The fragrant spice we sprinkle on lattes and toast begins its life as the delicate inner lining of a tropical tree's branches. In Sri Lanka, home to "true" cinnamon, skilled workers meticulously peel the outer bark from the *Cinnamomum verum* tree to access the paper-thin layer within. Once exposed to the air, these moist, pale strips begin to dry, naturally curling into the layered, brittle quills we recognize as cinnamon sticks. This labor-intensive, hands-on process has been practiced for centuries and is what makes authentic Ceylon cinnamon a prized commodity.

For much of history, the origin of cinnamon was a fiercely guarded secret. Arab merchants, who controlled the overland spice trade for centuries, protected their monopoly by inventing fantastical stories about its source, including tales of ferocious birds that used the sticks to build nests on treacherous cliffs. This mystique, combined with its intoxicating aroma, made cinnamon more valuable than gold in the ancient world, where it was used as a luxury flavoring, a key ingredient in incense and perfumes, and even in Egyptian embalming rituals.

Today, the plot twist is that most cinnamon sold in supermarkets isn't the "true" Ceylon variety at all. It's usually cassia, a close relative from China and Indonesia. Cassia bark is thicker, spicier, and forms a simpler, hollow-looking tube when dried. While both get their signature flavor from the oil cinnamaldehyde, Ceylon cinnamon is more nuanced and sweet. Cassia also contains much higher levels of a compound called coumarin, making the rarer Ceylon variety a better choice for those who consume the spice in large quantities.