If you bake, the cinnamon you use in your sweet desserts may well come from either the cassia or Ceylon cinnamon trees, or may be a mixture of the two. Both offer similar taste and fragrance. When it comes to using the cinnamons medicinally, however, which bark oil you choose makes a difference.
Origins
The small evergreen trees that yield cinnamon bark include the Cinnamomum zeylanicum, or Ceylon, tree, as well as the Cinnamomum cassia, or cassia, tree. Depending on the manufacturer, either tree may be used in food-grade powdered cinnamon or stick cinnamon. Essential oils come from the steam-distillation of these barks, which yield potent liquids containing the highly concentrated medicinal and fragrance properties of the bark. Food-grade extracts also contain the flavor of cinnamon bark.
Similarities and Differences
According to the "Pennington Nutrition Series," Ceylon cinnamon is lighter in color and sweeter in taste than the darker, more robust cassia cinnamon. The chemical compositions of both cassia and Ceylon bark oils contain up to 80 percent cinnamaldehyde, an antibacterial, anti-fungal compound. Each type of cinnamon bark oil also contains other anti-bacterial compounds, including eugenol, a compound shared by clove oil, Eugenia cartophyllata. Cassia bark oil contains coumarin, while Ceylon bark does not.
Ceylon Bark Uses
Aromatherapist Jeanne Rose reports that Ceylon cinnamon bark oil has strong antiseptic properties. Rose recommends applying cinnamon oil directly to the scalp to kill head lice and scabies, but diluting the oil for other topical uses. The University of Texas notes that other fungal or bacterial infections of the skin may be treated with a poultice soaked in cinnamon bark oil diluted in water. A drop added to 1 oz. to 2 oz. of carrier oil may be useful in massages for people with fevers or who have circulation problems. Used in a vaporizer, Ceylon cinnamon induces sweating in some people suffering from water retention and also may stimulate the appetite.
Cassia Bark Uses
While cassia bark appears in a range of medicinal treatments, little current evidence exists to support its use for any of them, according to MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Cassia bark and cassia bark oil have been suggested for treating gas, diarrhea and stomach aches, as well as for bed wetting and menstrual problems. Herbalists also may use cassia to treat serious chronic conditions such as type 2 diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure and kidney disorders. Author Rose restricts its use to pancreatic stimulation, preferring Ceylon cinnamon for other uses. MedlinePlus calls for more research before cassia bark, in any form, is certified as a true therapy for any condition. A 2009 report in the "Pennington Nutrition Series," however, found the potential use of cassia bark oil to treat type 2 diabetes more promising than MedlinePlus did. Cassia cinnamon extracts had signicant anti-diabetic effects in both animal trials and in human trials using people with type 2 diabetes. Not only were serum glucose levels reduced for people given cassia, but their total cholesterol, trigycerdies and LDL cholesterol levels also decreased. Ask your doctor for current research on cassia bark oil or extracts involving type 2 diabetes or other conditions.
Considerations
Jeanne Rose notes that all forms of cinnamon bark essential oil are so potent that even external applications should be prepared with extreme caution. Never use either form as internal medicine without consulting a doctor. If your doctor approves the use of cinnamon bark oil or extracts as oral medication, always use a reputable manufacturer to ensure a safe delivery system that doesn't irritate your throat or digestive system.
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