How you store Ceylon cinnamon affects its quality and useful lifespan. It is similar to most other dry spices used for cooking and baking. But some people may not use these spices very often. So, you should know how to store cinnamon sticks and powder to make proper use of them even after many months.
Does Cinnamon Go Bad?
Cinnamon can go bad over time but does not go stale or rancid like most other spices. It only loses its spicy aroma and taste. So when cinnamon expires, it loses its ability to flavor the food. When you add some old cinnamon to your meal or drink, and if the taste or aroma is barely noticeable, then it’s high time to buy new cinnamon. Sometimes, the cinnamon can lose its effectiveness well before the date of expiry if you don’t store it properly.
How to Store Whole Cinnamon?
Cinnamon sticks or quills can last up to 4 years if stored under optimal conditions. But storing cinnamon sticks in the refrigerator or freezer is not a good idea. Once you open the packet of cinnamon, place it in an airtight container. Make sure to close the container properly after every use. Keep this container in a cool, dry place that doesn’t get much sunlight. If you are using a new container to store cinnamon sticks, allow it to dry properly before using. Moisture present in the container can make the cinnamon go bad quickly.
How to Store Ground Cinnamon?
A container of cinnamon powder, if unopened, has a shelf life of over 2 years. But once you open it, the useful life of ground cinnamon drops down to half of that time. So, the best way to store your cinnamon powder is to use an airtight container. Keep it in a place that is neither too hot nor too cold. Most people keep ground cinnamon in the fridge, which is not a good practice. The best place to store your cinnamon powder is the pantry under normal temperature. Cinnamon is most likely to lose its potency with extreme rise or fall in temperature. So, do not freeze your cinnamon and never place it near heat sources like the stoves or oven.
Storing Cinnamon in the Fridge
As discussed above, storing Ceylon cinnamon in the fridge is not recommended. This applies to all other spices as well. When you place cinnamon in the normal compartment of your fridge, it is directly exposed to moisture. So, the better choice, in this case, is to use the freezer if you need to store cinnamon sticks that you don’t intend to use for over a year. Place them in an airtight container or a plastic bag that doesn’t allow moisture to penetrate inside. Use a vacuum sealer to create an airtight bag to store away your spices. If you have to use the fridge to store cinnamon due to unavoidable circumstances, then store it in bulk. Storing cinnamon sticks in bulk helps to keep out moisture.
Tips for Storing Cinnamon
Spices are not ingredients that you would finish in one go. Everyone needs to store these spices in proper containers to retain their good condition. Here are some tips for storing Ceylon cinnamon to keep them fresh and spicy for a long time.
Buy Whole Cinnamon
Cinnamon retains freshness when stored as a whole rather than in the ground form. If you expect to store and use Ceylon cinnamon for over six months, it’s better to buy cinnamon sticks. They can last fresh for over two years when stored under ideal conditions.
Store in a Cool Dry Area
The temperature of storage is one of the key concerns that determine the lifespan of food items. Store your spices in a cool, dry, dark place in your kitchen. Exposure to sunlight causes changes in the chemical composition, reducing its potency. Do not expose cinnamon to moisture as it can cause breeding grounds for mold and mildew.
Use Glass Jars
Airtight glass jars are good storage containers to seal away your cinnamon. You should always close the jar immediately after use to preserve the freshness of cinnamon. Consider buying a suitable vacuum sealer with jar attachments. Try to keep the jar full of cinnamon leaving less space for air inside.
Buy What You Need
Buying new cinnamon from the market or local grocery store is probably the best way to get fresh cinnamon. As they are sealed and packed to last long, there is very less chance for them to go bad. Buy cinnamon in small amounts to last only a few weeks or months. Then purchase a new pack once it is over. This is the best way to consume fresh cinnamon throughout the year.
Open Only When Necessary
Even if you are storing only a small amount of cinnamon powder in your kitchen, you should only open it when necessary. If you store cinnamon sticks in the freezer, take the jar away from the fridge when opening. Moisture can make the cinnamon sticks damp and they will easily go bad.
How to Tell if Ceylon Cinnamon is Bad?
Cooking with a spice that it expired beyond its useful life is a pointless task. There are several ways in which you can tell whether your cinnamon has gone bad. You can check this by examining, smelling, touching, and tasting the cinnamon.
Smelling: Loss of Aroma
Finding whether your cinnamon is good by smelling is very straightforward since Ceylon cinnamon has a very distinct aroma. Smell your cinnamon and if it doesn’t have the sweet strong aroma that it used to have, then it is most probably gone bad.
Tasting: Loss of Taste
Rub a small part of cinnamon between your fingers and taste a small piece to find whether it is still fresh. If it doesn’t taste strong as it used to, then there is no use in adding it to the food. So, you need to buy fresh cinnamon to add the desired flavor to the dishes. Also, if your cinnamon tastes bad, you should stop using it, as it is a sign of expired cinnamon.
Touching: Soggy and Clumpy
Cinnamon is a dry spice that is basically the bark of a tree. Therefore, ground Ceylon cinnamon is a dry, loose powder. If you feel that your cinnamon powder is sticky and forms a clump, then it is not in a usable condition. This applies to the cinnamon quills as well. They should have a dry, crumbly nature when in good condition. Do not use cinnamon sticks if it appears sticky and moist.
Examining: Signs of Mold or Insects
Most often you can tell if the cinnamon is bad simply by taking a closer look. If you see any signs of mold growing on the cinnamon sticks or powder, do not hesitate to throw them away. The cinnamon should not be used anymore if there are any bugs or tiny insects in the container. If you see that the color of your cinnamon has changed, then do not use it since it is not fresh anymore.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Does Ceylon Cinnamon Last?
Like most other dry spices, Ceylon cinnamon has a long shelf life. The normal lifespans of cinnamon sticks and powder are as follows:
- Unopened ground cinnamon: 2 years
- Opened ground cinnamon: 1 year
- Unopened cinnamon sticks: 4 years
- Opened cinnamon sticks: 2 years
Can You Freeze Ceylon Cinnamon?
Although it is possible to freeze cinnamon, it is not a recommended practice since it loses its effectiveness due to extreme heat and cold. Freezing reduces the flavor, aroma, and impact on food. Although freezing will prevent bacteria growth on the spice, it may be a good habitat for mold if moisture creeps in. but if it is the last resort, you can store cinnamon quills in bulk inside the freezer. Make sure to put them in airtight containers and never open them unless you need to use the cinnamon.
What Are the Risks of Consuming Expired Cinnamon?
Consuming expired cinnamon or other dry spices will not make you sick. It will simply make the spice useless as it loses its taste and aroma. This makes the food indifferent even though you add large amounts of the spice. There are no known cases of food poisoning due to expired cinnamon. But make sure not to use too much cassia cinnamon as it may have negative health effects due to its high coumarin content.
Is Ceylon Cinnamon a Blood Thinner?
Cinnamon contains coumarin which is a powerful component related to blood thinning. It is mostly found in cassia cinnamon which is over 1%. This is why cassia varieties such as Saigon cinnamon should not be consumed more than 1 teaspoon per day. But Ceylon cinnamon is safe to use as it has around 0.004% of coumarin.
What is the Best Time to Take Ceylon Cinnamon?
Cinnamon when used as a dietary supplement, should be taken along with meals containing high carbohydrates. This helps in digestion and prevents the storing of fat in the body. In addition to this, drinking cinnamon water early in the morning also helps in losing weight. Adding a little cinnamon as a spice to flavor the meals will usually bring all these health benefits.
Conclusion
Cinnamon is a great spice that can turn your food into delicious dishes with a simple touch. So, it is important to store Ceylon cinnamon properly to preserve its taste and aroma. But it’s important to know that you are using true Ceylon cinnamon that comes from Sri Lanka. Other cassia cinnamon varieties have different chemical compositions that could be toxic if consumed in excess.