There are notable differences when comparing Ceylon VS Saigon cinnamon. This is because they come from two different lands of Asia and therefore have unique properties. For most users, cinnamon is a major ingredient in baking and cooking recipes. Both cinnamon sticks and powder are used to savor meals. Most tropical soups, marinades, stews, curries, and sweet dishes use cinnamon. It also goes well with various drinks such as latte, mocha, hot cocoa, and liqueurs. Despite being two of the most popular types of cinnamon, they have certain differences. Find out more about the individual characteristics to compare the two varieties.

What is Ceylon Cinnamon?

Ceylon cinnamon is the best type of cinnamon, often referred to as “true cinnamon.” It comes from an evergreen plant Cinnamomum zeylanicum indigenous to Sri Lanka, an island known as Ceylon in the past. It is light brown in color with a crumbly texture. It is easily identifiable with its distinctive warm aroma and sweet woody flavor. Ceylon cinnamon is rolled into quills in many layers by overlapping each part. Ceylon cinnamon is the best choice by many culinary experts and is usually more expensive than other cinnamon varieties.

What is Saigon Cinnamon?

Saigon cinnamon is also known as Vietnamese cinnamon and is found mainly in South East Asia, including Vietnam. It belongs to the same genus as other types of cinnamon and has a reddish dark brown color with a hard texture. It contains a bitter and strong peppery flavor. Saigon cinnamon is rolled from both sides to prepare the scrolls. This is the significant difference in its appearance.

What Are the Differences Between Ceylon and Saigon Cinnamon?

In addition to the main dissimilarities of appearance discussed above, these two types of cinnamon have a lot of significant differences. It differs in taste, health benefits, and possible risks due to its chemical composition.

Taste

Ceylon cinnamon has a more subtle woody flavor than other types. It is because Saigon cinnamon is a type of cassia and is different from pure or true cinnamon. Saigon cinnamon tastes more bitter and intensely peppery. It is due to the higher concentration of cinnamaldehyde which is the flavoring component. 

Health Effects

Cinnamaldehyde is a compound that provides anti-diabetes benefits. Both types of cinnamon can help in diabetes by managing the blood sugar level. Since Saigon has more cinnamaldehyde, it is more effective out of the two in reducing blood glucose levels. 

Ceylon cinnamon has the ability to lower unhealthy cholesterol levels. It reduces LDL cholesterol while keeping the good cholesterol (HDL) levels stable. The anti-inflammatory properties of Ceylon cinnamon can lessen the effects of arthritis. It also relieves the stiffness in joints and muscles. 

Drinking Ceylon cinnamon water brings these positive effects on health. The recommended amount is to consume around ½ – 1 teaspoon of cinnamon per day. It is also known to increase metabolism and digestion. Including a small amount of this spice in your diet can benefit your health.

When to Use

Saigon cinnamon works best for recipes that are formulated for cassia. It is used for various Chinese cuisines along with other pungent spices included in the Chinese five spice powder. The popular Vietnamese pho is another special dish that uses cassia cinnamon. But it can add a slightly bitter taste when used in excess.

Since Ceylon cinnamon has a milder taste, it is best used with fewer spices. Baked food and chocolate beverages taste more delicious with a little bit of Ceylon cinnamon. It is used for most dishes due to its sweet aromatic flavor. It does not make the food bitter even if you add excess Ceylon cinnamon.

Health Risks

One of the greatest health impacts of Saigon cinnamon is its higher concentration of coumarin. This chemical component is a blood thinner that causes kidney and liver damage. Coumarin also increases the risk of cancer and tumors. So, Saigon cinnamon should not be consumed excessively. However, Ceylon cinnamon has only a minor content of coumarin. Therefore, the safer choice among the two types is definitely Ceylon cinnamon. 

Which Cinnamon is Better Ceylon or Saigon?

Ceylon cinnamon is considered to be the better variety out of all types of cinnamon. It is because of its higher quality and contains a small amount of coumarin. It can be used as a spice in anyone’s daily meal without any strict limitations. The sweet and warm flavor has many health benefits. Most importantly, it does not contain any toxic ingredients that can harm your health.

The only downside of Ceylon cinnamon is that it is quite more expensive than others. The extraction procedure of cinnamon and making cinnamon quills is a time-consuming task. This traditional cinnamon harvesting is done by peeling the bark and arranging them in a pipe-like structure just as it starts to dry. Even the most experienced harvesters can make only a few pounds of cinnamon quill per day.

Can You Replace One With the Other?

Cassia cinnamon is a widely used type commercially. It is even labeled as Ceylon cinnamon to disguise the buyers. But if you need to find true cinnamon, you should buy it through a reliable seller. Pure cinnamon comes only from Sri Lanka since the plant is indigenous to the island. Even if you have to pay a higher price, it is worth the cost. 

It is mainly the quantity of consumption that decides whether it can be replaced with another or not. If you need to use more than one teaspoon of cinnamon per day, then you should only use Ceylon cinnamon. But if your daily cinnamon consumption is less than that, you can use less expensive cassia such as Saigon cinnamon. Whatever type of cinnamon you use, it adds a delicious flavor to your foods and drinks.

The bottom line is that even if you replace Saigon cinnamon with Ceylon cinnamon, it can be dangerous to use Saigon cinnamon as an alternative for Ceylon cinnamon. Always make sure not to use over 1 teaspoon of Saigon cinnamon per day.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Saigon Cinnamon Stronger Than Ceylon Cinnamon?

Saigon cinnamon has a stronger taste than true cinnamon coming from Sri Lanka. This is due to the nature of the plant from which the respective type is extracted. The soil, vegetation, and climatic conditions affect the quality of growth. Saigon cinnamon has a more dark brownish bark whereas cinnamon from Sri Lanka has a light brown, mild texture. Saigon cinnamon has the highest concentration of cinnamaldehyde present in any type of cinnamon. Hence, Saigon cinnamon is considered to have a stronger flavor and spiciness while Ceylon cinnamon is more delicate and sweet.

Are Saigon and Ceylon Cinnamon the Same?

Saigon and Ceylon cinnamon are two different types of cinnamon coming from different countries. Ceylon cinnamon is grown and harvested in the tropical island of Sri Lanka and Saigon cinnamon comes from Vietnam. Although these two types belong to the same family of cinnamon, the Ceylon cinnamon is considered the purer form. The chemical composition of the two types is different causing them to have vast differences.

Is Saigon Cinnamon Toxic?

Saigon cinnamon contains higher amounts of coumarin which can be toxic if consumed in high amounts. Coumarin is a powerful blood-thinning compound used in certain drugs. Since this type of cassia cinnamon contains significantly higher amounts, it is not good to consume a lot of Saigon cinnamon daily. But it is safe to consume Ceylon cinnamon as it has very low coumarin content.

How Long Can You Store Cinnamon?

Both cinnamon sticks and powder have a long shelf life. They can last up to 3 – 4 years if stored properly. You simply need to store cinnamon in an airtight container to retain its flavor and potency. Cinnamon does not usually go bad unless moisture gets into it. If you have some old cinnamon powder in your kitchen, check for signs of mold, organic growth, big clumps, or wet spots. These are the common indications of expired cinnamon and you need to throw it out. If the cinnamon looks fine from mere physical inspection, it’s safe to say that the cinnamon is in useable condition.

What is the Best Way to Take Ceylon Cinnamon?

You can consume cinnamon as a powder to spice up your favorite dishes. If not, boil a cinnamon stick in water, add honey or lemon for your taste and drink it as a beverage. In addition to this, Ceylon cinnamon is available as oral capsules or pills. This is usually taken as a dietary supplement for medical purposes. Whatever the way in which you take in cinnamon, it offers many benefits for one’s health.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Ceylon cinnamon is the healthier option when comparing Ceylon VS Saigon cinnamon. This proves that it is known as true cinnamon for a reason. Cinnamon contains a lot of nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. So, you can improve your health while using it as a delicious spice to flavor your meals. Just keep in mind not to use more than 1 teaspoon of cinnamon if you are using cassia varieties such as Saigon cinnamon.