Wellness Foods + Supplements 2/2022
Wellness Foods & Supplements is the first European magazine devoted exclusively to health ingredients, nutraceutical foods and beverages. Questions about the trade magazine Wellness Foods & Supplements? Interested in subscribing or advertising? The board of editors at Wellness Foods & Supplements kindly remains at your disposal.
Wellness Foods & Supplements is the first European magazine devoted exclusively to health ingredients, nutraceutical foods and beverages.
Questions about the trade magazine Wellness Foods & Supplements? Interested in subscribing or advertising? The board of editors at Wellness Foods & Supplements kindly remains at your disposal.
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Spices with added health benefits<br />
Photo © : Adobestock/domnitzky/NIKCOA<br />
Sri Lanka: Island of spices<br />
Ceylon cinnamon and pepper:<br />
aroma with added health benefits<br />
Sri Lanka is famous for its spices. It is the home of cinnamon,<br />
pepper, cloves, cardamom, nutmeg and vanilla. But the tropical<br />
climate also supports cultivation of curry leaves, lemongrass,<br />
ginger, turmeric and many more products renowned<br />
for their good flavour. In addition, many spices are also<br />
valued for their health benefits or used as fragrances. Trade<br />
with cinnamon and pepper has a long tradition in Sri Lanka<br />
and today these products are still in demand on international<br />
markets: Ceylon cinnamon and Ceylon pepper are distinguished<br />
by their taste as well as their constituents and are<br />
vastly different from the products of the same name grown in<br />
other countries. The Import Promotion Desk (IPD), a project<br />
of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooper ation<br />
and Development, has been involved in Sri Lanka since<br />
2018, preparing small and medium-sized enterprises for<br />
the European market. Among them are many producers of<br />
organic cinnamon and pepper.<br />
Ceylon cinnamon vs. cassia cinnamon<br />
Ceylon cinnamon is often referred to as<br />
the true cinnamon compared to cassia<br />
cinnamon. The spices differ in origin, production,<br />
coumarin content and flavour. Ceylon<br />
cinnamon is obtained in Sri Lanka from the<br />
bark of the cinnamon tree (Cinnamomum<br />
zeylanicum) native to the island. It contains<br />
high levels of antioxidants, secondary plant<br />
compounds and essential oils – but hardly<br />
any coumarin. Coumarin is found mainly<br />
in Chinese cinnamon, cassia cinnamon<br />
(Cinnamomum cassia), and can be harmful<br />
to health in larger quantities. For production,<br />
the bark is removed from the branches<br />
and the underlying inner bark shaved off<br />
26 No. 2 August/September <strong>2022</strong>
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