Ceylon cinnamon is the original stuff, the stuff spice traders called cinnamon hundreds of years ago. The stuff we are used to is actually cassia. It's spicier but can overwhelm more subtle flavors. It's still delicious and I'm happy to use it. I love Penzy's Vietnamese cinnamon.
And the oil of Ceylon cinnamon (or its artificial counterparts) is that distinct "hot" cinnamon used in cinnamon-flavored gums and candies. It's absolutely delicious, and it's why I prefer Ceylon cinnamon for the most part. I still will use cassia for things like cinnamon toast, though. Both have their place.
What would be a good choice for oatmeal? It seems that if I want to keep some of the volatiles I should sprinkle on not before cooking, but just before eating -- do you agree? thanks.
@@Yowzoe When it can be, definitely add it after cooking. As to which is better, whether Ceylon or cassia, that would really depend on personal preference.
Saigon Cinnamon (Vietnamese cinnamon) is the best type of cinnamon out there, in my opinion. It has an intense, smoky smell, it makes everything taste so good, and it complements other spices very well. It’s my favorite. Yes, I’m biased, lol.
I bought half a kilo of ceylon cinnamon a few years ago.Ebay sellers charge about $15 or a little higher with free shipping for 1#. I keep a small glass jar of it in my spice cabinet and the remainer in the freezer sealed up tight.It taste as fresh as when I bought it as I just refilled my jar recently. The sticks are available from the same vendors who sell the powder.It's even offered in teabags. I always put more than the recipe calls for as Ceylon isn't as strong tasting.On the subject of cassia type:it almost always gave me heartburn so I used to think I couldn't tolerate cinnamon.I had a cinnamon roll at a friends home knowing that it would be a bad outcome but those rolls looked so good.I was wrong and right:I didn't get heartburn and those rolls were divine.
I ordered from Penzy's for years and then I moved to Chicago and started going to "The Spice House" there. Great, fresh spices from a family owned company. They have an excellent web page, with many great recipes too. You think these spice merchants are expensive until you look at the price per ounce of the store brands, which are nowhere near the quality of Penzy's or the Spice House.
The high coumarin content in all types of cassia cinnamon (the taste we're familiar with), regardless of country of origin, is toxic to the liver in daily doses, while ceylon cinnamon is harder to come by and more expensive, but much safer for the liver.
@@billybareblu No it doesn't. The daily safe amount is .01 mg/kg. More like closer 3/4 of a tsp for the average weight woman(170.5 pounds) and about 1 tsp for the average weight man(197.8 pounds). Heavier people can eat more, and lighter people less. But unless you're eating it directly with a spoon, getting too much cinnamon, while not impossible, is hard to do. And the only reasons the daily safe amount is as low as it is is because of a subgroup of people who are overly sensitive. So for the majority of people an even higher daily amount would be possible. But you'd have to spend money to find out if you're overly sensitive, and that would be quite expensive. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20024932 www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/body-measurements.htm
@@lordgarion514 I was estimating off the top of my head, 3/4tsp-1tsp is probably correct, but that's way more than your calculations of .01mg/kg, which would not even be feasible to measure by a tsp. If you're going to call people out to correct them, then at least get your math right.
Morton & Bassett is what we’ve been using for years, and I agree, it’s a great choice. I get so much out of your reviews, especially the equipment tests. ♥️
All of Penney’s spices are awesome, but, Just last week I bought my first bottle of cinnamon at Trader Joe’s, and it was phenomenal! It has an actually sweet taste to it, But there’s no added sugar! I’ve really been enjoying it on my oatmeal especially! Check it out next time you’re at Trader Joe’s!! Unusually delicious!
Greetings from Portland Oregon! As a cinnamon nut, I loved your video! On keto and use it in my keto bulletproof coffee and drinking water to burn calories! Going to pull my cinnamon out to do taste test and read the labels! Thank you guys!🌹
I have 3 different cinnamons, including Penzey’s Vietnamese my fave! Ceylon variety is okay too. I don’t bake much, but hot cereals, Asian sauces, stews etc rock with a dash of cinnamon, imo. I’m addicted!
I had my first taste of Penzeys Vietnamese Cinnamon during Thanksgiving 2019 & now I'm HOOKED. King Arthur's Vietnamese Cinnamon is just as good. I don't even need to add sugar to either one. I love sprinkling it on pumpkin pie - pretty heavily, I might add & no whipped cream necessary. It's SO delicious. It's the only cinnamon I've ever tried that I can taste by itself & it tastes delicious. I don't use any other kind anymore.
Ceylon Cinnamon is definitely the right choice for this spice for the long term health of one's liver. The standard Cinnamon on the market is known to damage the liver. Many people used cinnamon supplements to aid in managing sugar in the bloodstream but we're daily taking high doses of the harmful type for the liver. Try the Ceylon and you might find that it's an enjoyable type in your diet. As in all things in life, "all things in moderation" as the early Greeks recognized.
I'm not surprised at all that Penzey's Vietnamese cinnamon was the top pick of the taste tester because its flavor is outstanding. I discovered it years ago and bought bottles for family members. It's in a class by itself.
I get the Ceylon from Frontier Co-Op and it is very delicate and floral and I also get their Vietnamese it is hearty and spicy. I use the Ceylon in my apple pie and the Vietnamese in my gingersnaps and snicker doodles. Also, they have so many other spices that you can buy in bulk, I love their Fiesta Chili Powder, it is delicious and their Veggie Pepper, I buy both of these by the pound!
I only buy free-range vegan organic cinnamon cultivated by monks in the Himalayas. At least that's what it says on the label of the cinnamon I get at the Dollar Tree. Because I'm a maverick.
I hadn't realized how important cinnamon is to me until seeing this video. And I was ready for conflict if you disparaged my choice, the M&B. Wow. A partisan spice guy.
I buy both Ceylon and Vietnamese from Frontier Organics and mix equal parts together for the most wonderful tasting cinnamon ever. I also make jars of it for gifts and give them out before Christmas because all of my family and friends love the way it tastes.
For a different taste than generic cinnamon, I bought Costco's Kirkland ground Saigon cinnamon. It has a wonderful "sweet -hot" flavor that I love in oatmeal and on cinnamon toast. Also great for baking!
I bought a Costco cinnamon jar about 10 years ago ... and I’m still using it. Those are BIG jars over there. I bought a jar of bay leaves at the same time and finally threw those into my compost the other day. Figure it’s time for some new fresher ones!?!
Penzey's, Penzey's, PEN-ZY'S!!! Their spices are always higher quality than any others I've tried. And their Double Strength Madagascar Vanilla is the stuff dreams are made of!
We have bought " Mr. Penzey" a small tropical island somewhere in the world. Three shelves and a drawer full of Penzey's bottles. They have amazing variety and excellent quality but they aren't super cheap. If you use something regularly buy the bag, it's a much better deal. They also often have good sales and free items and they have a great civic minded philosophy. Maybe they should be paying us for the advertisement; )
People this video is NOT about comparing brands of cinnamon as much as it is about types of cinnamon Ceylon(original cinnamon) vs cassia(not true cinnamon, but most common in US).
I've been using McCormack Saigon for a long time, just because it's the best available on my supermarket shelves. Now I'm thinking that blending varieties may be the way to go to get the best true cinnamon flavor, with a little spicey kick, while reducing the amount of coumarin I'm ingesting.
Note for those that prefer whole spices. Surprisingly, freshly ground cinnamon stick is usually a bit LESS intense than the pre-ground stuff. That's because pre-ground cinnamon is made with chips from the inner bark of the tree, while the sticks are rolls from the outer bark. You can still sub in cinnamon stick for pre-ground cinnamon, but expect a flavor that's slightly less forward. If you *really* want that intense fresh cinnamon flavor you could try to track down cinnamon chips...but beware, those chips are brutally difficult to grind, and you could damage your spice mill if you aren't careful. This is one application where having the ground spice on hand is worth it.
That's very interesting. However, freshness is still a concern. If you buy new fresh ground cinnamon regularly, then the freshness is comparable to home-ground, and better ingredients will yield better cinnamon. But even if it's made of stronger cinnamon, if it's been sitting on the shelf or in your kitchen cabinet for the better part of a year then it's liable to have less flavor than weaker but freshly ground whole sticks. I prefer to buy a package of sticks for the cost of a shaker, put them in a jar, and grind a few every six months or as needed. I also use them when grinding spice mixes like garam masala, and on rare occasions use them whole but it feels wasteful. Unfortunately the only way we'll know if we have strong flavored cinnamon is to taste the brand. Labeling the dates of harvest and grinding would help, as would indicating whether it is the tough but flavorful inner bark. If I was a serious cinnamon-head I would consider buying a special strong grinder for the chips to always have the best, if I didn't consume enough to buy fresh pre-ground frequently. I hesitate to buy pre-ground cinnamon, even if it can be more flavorful as you say, because I don't use ground cinnamon enough to finish the bottle while it's still fresh. For my use, I think my cinnamon will probably taste better if I buy it whole and keep it freshly ground, since the whole sticks hold their flavor several times as long as the ground spice. I estimate it would take me me 1-2 years to finish a shaker, if I bought cinnamon pre-ground in shakers.
@@Paelorian Yeah, that's a good point. The sticks still have a shelf life advantage, and a fresh stick will beat out a musty old bottle of ground cinnamon. As for keeping a good rotation of spices, have you ever tried buying small baggies from a specialty shop that sells in bulk? I recently started buying my spices that way, and it's much less daunting to finish them off before they lose their flavor. I've also started doubling the amount of spices I use in most recipes to go through them faster and I've yet to be disappointed by the results. It seems like most recipes are simply too timid with their spice recommendations.
@@TheRationalPi Pi is not rational nor ever will be, unless you divide by the circumference or recommend more spices in all recipes. I can get behind this idea! Mo spice = mo better.
Wow, I thought no one even uses Cassia Cinnamon anymore because of the Cumarin. In Germany, it is even hard to get Cassia - most of the Cinnamon you can get here, is Ceylon. Most people even don't know there is another one...
Cassia bark is still often used as a cinnamon flavoring in Europe, but they apparently concentrate the cinnamaldehyde somehow and it has almost no coumarin afterward.
For cooking cassia (what we call cinnamon) is fine, but for therapeutic benefits (lowering blood sugar) you have to use real cinnamon (Ceylon). - Hints from the Health Food Store!
I have both the Morton & Basset and the Ceylon...I use a combination of them whenever I use cinnamon. I add them both to some sugar with a little nutmeg and allspice for a delicious topping for "cinnamon" toast.
ATK is typically very precise wen it comes to food details. Here you missed big time. Even going to Ancient Greeks distinction between spices of Cassia (kasia) and Cinnamon exist. Not the same plant, not the same spice, in most of the world and for most of the time they were sold and used separately. In USA Cassia came to prominence because it was...cheaper and essentially counterfeited "cinnamon". Nice review of Cassia, hopefully soon we will see review of various brands of True Cinnamon, Cinnamomum Verum.
@@vickyfrechette6790 It's easy to Google cinnamomum verum and find information about it, especially since that original comment was from 2 YEARS ago....there's a good chance that they won't even respond back to you. ALWAYS quicker to look it up directly.👍🏻
@@vickyfrechette6790 "Cinnamomom Verum" is the botanical name for the spice known as Ceylon (today called Sri Lanka) Cinnamon. All others, Saigon/Vietnamese, Korinjte, Chinese, are "cassia" varieties which come from the bark if the cassia bush. Real Cinnamon is Cinnamomom Verum, and the sticks are in multiple, thinner layers with the bark that lighter in color than Cassia. Cassia is has a thicker bark and is darker-colored than real Cinnamon.
I've never used syrup, maple or otherwise, on pancakes, waffles or french toast. I use cinnamon and sugar. One of life's little indulgences is to put butter on a hot waffle fresh from the iron so that there are puddles of melted butter in each cell, then apply a generous dose of cinnamon and sugar, so that each cell's melted butter is mixed with it. Oh, so good!
Love cinnamon. Delicious and great for body. Health professional suggested tablespoon of cinnamon with tablespoon of honey to handle allergies. It worked after 3 wks.
For powdered cinnamon I buy McCormick and Schilling's. I use cinnamon on toast, hot cocoa drinks, oatmeal. When I make cinnamon toothpicks I use the more expensive liquid cinnamon oil. Store the toothpicks in a glass jar. Cinnamon oil melts plastic.
I've been using McCormick for years - which I'm happy with and still use - but I thought I'd try the Vietnamese cinnamon from King Arthur. It's strong, spicy stuff. I love it.
I would. Save the good stuff for recipes that add it near the end. Vanilla is even worse. It's almost impossible to tell the difference between even very expensive vanilla, and artificial after baking.
I've never had anything bad from Penzy's, but based on their prices, I tend to buy Frontier. Their spices are also fantastic and their organic spices are generally less expensive than Penzy's non-organic versions.
I love Penzey's but surprised they were included here as I've never seen them in a supermarket (they have a retail store near me but I'm sure they also sell online). Totally agree their herbs and spices are excellent!
I love both Saigon and Ceylon cinnamon. Ceylon for its deep, balanced flavor and health benefits. Saigon for its punch and brightness. Ceylon is known as "true" cinnamon, whereas Saigon and others are in the cassia family.
I only have and use Vietnamese cinnamon. The first time I purchased it I put it head to head with my store-bought cinnamon and my store bought cinnamon was awful but it was the best of the store brands!
Im from Sri Lanka and i grow ceylon cinnamon in small qualities, i can supply cinnamon if anybody needs,its always good for sending cinnamon to the true customers,resellers always take for very low prices,
It's the only brand we use in our home. We think it blows away all the other supermarket cinnamon. Regardless, recipes never have enough cinnamon or vanilla, no matter which kind you use. 😆
Morton & Bassett Spices are on another level. Yes extreme pricing compared to cheap stuff, but it's like a one time purchase as they last forever. So worth it
Hello. I normally use the Vietnamese Cinnamon from Simply Organic. I normally purchase this at my local WFM, $6.99. I will be looking out for the Vietnamese Cinnamon by Penzeys Spices. Thank you for the help! :-)
Why don’t you ever include the Kirkland brand from Costco in your tests? It’s widely available and they seem to do a great job sourcing their house brand products as the quality is generally very good.
@@dorothyyoung8231 ~~Yeah, I've bought their spices a few times and always buy online. They have stores in 22 states now, but mine isn't one of those 22.... ☹
I would typically sprinkle cinnamon on top of rice porridge, so I don't have to eat all of it with the same flavoring, but can choose to add a fruit extract or plain butter instead. This would permit to test the powder's uncooked flavor.
If you can, try not to buy prepackaged spices from the store shelves. They are overpriced and can be sat there for years. Instead, find a place that has a large bulk spice section. The spices (especially herbs) are a lot cheaper, you can buy the amount that you want rather than having to invest in a large quantity, and their stock gets cycled through in weeks rather than years.
Ceylon is called the true cinnamon and of all is the one in which for large consumption is the best as the others share a chemical but in much, much larger quantities that for longer use can affect health but the true cinnamon has it 250,000 times less so it’s very safe.
I love cinnamon. I put a dash of it in my coffee grounds every time I make coffee. I use Spice Island brand. McCormick's is my second pick if I can't find Spice Island.
Comes down to a buck or two difference for a 2.5 oz container, so not a huge difference. I order Morton and Basset online for about $6. I think the McCormick Saigon Cinnamon is similar in price on the grocer shelves. The ones with more pronounced flavor may stretch your buck because you do not need to use as much, but over the course of a year it will amount to fractions of pennies per teaspoon. If you are on a very strict budget , i think the standard McCormick has better flavor than Spice Island or any of the other less expensive brands.
None of these brands are available here in the Rocky Mountain West where I live and shop. Do you have a recommendation for those of us in flyover country where the supermarkets stock nationally recognized brands?
Two cinnamons from McCormick were tested, and they came in 3rd (regular cinnamon) and 6th (organic cinnamon) in the rankings, and both are "Recommended." I'm willing to bet that even out in the sticks you can get one of them.
Actually they have their full test recommendations on their website link in the description. I have no idea why they don't film it, but they did recommend the McCormick brand cinnamon too.
The top recommended is available at my local Safeway for about $1 more than McCormack. Small additional price for a better quality cinnamon. But if you're baking McCormack is fine, it's only slightly below the top ratings.
Makes a lot of sense. Americans haven't "grown up" with ceylon cinnamon, so we don't recognize it as true cinnamon. As a result, we think the imposter is the real McCoy.
Absolutely, best taste, most depth, usually a bit more expensive but well worth it. I have a cinnamon chicken curry recipe that only tastes really good with Ceylonese cinnamon.
They tested both. The thing is that not everyone likes the "true cinnamon" taste. The other ones taste very similar but are spicier or hotter, which most people apparently prefer. In the testing they also noted that when cinnamon is used in baking, the differences virtually disappear and almost no one can tell the difference. They recommended using the true cinnamon if you're not cooking it and you don't like it too spicy. Otherwise they recommend using the other.
Add cinnamon to baking recipes while you are creaming the butter and sugar, to bring out the fat-soluble flavors.
Ceylon cinnamon is the original stuff, the stuff spice traders called cinnamon hundreds of years ago. The stuff we are used to is actually cassia. It's spicier but can overwhelm more subtle flavors. It's still delicious and I'm happy to use it. I love Penzy's Vietnamese cinnamon.
And the oil of Ceylon cinnamon (or its artificial counterparts) is that distinct "hot" cinnamon used in cinnamon-flavored gums and candies. It's absolutely delicious, and it's why I prefer Ceylon cinnamon for the most part. I still will use cassia for things like cinnamon toast, though. Both have their place.
What would be a good choice for oatmeal? It seems that if I want to keep some of the volatiles I should sprinkle on not before cooking, but just before eating -- do you agree? thanks.
@@Yowzoe When it can be, definitely add it after cooking. As to which is better, whether Ceylon or cassia, that would really depend on personal preference.
@@Yowzoe I think either would work. Cinnamon is cooked into cinnamon rolls but they still have a good strong cinnamon flavor.
I use Ceylon cinnamon to make Turmeric golden paste. Very healthy!
Jack saying “There will be no fire and no one will be hurt” is the intensive, affirmative dad-style reassurance that I need at all times.
Here in Mexico we distinguish cinnamon by whether it comes as a single curl of bark or as a double curl, the former being preferable.
Why is a single curl preferable? Is it a different type of cinnamon?
I was told it works better in the molcajete.
Saigon Cinnamon (Vietnamese cinnamon) is the best type of cinnamon out there, in my opinion. It has an intense, smoky smell, it makes everything taste so good, and it complements other spices very well. It’s my favorite. Yes, I’m biased, lol.
I bought half a kilo of ceylon cinnamon a few years ago.Ebay sellers charge about $15 or a little higher with free shipping for 1#. I keep a small glass jar of it in my spice cabinet and the remainer in the freezer sealed up tight.It taste as fresh as when I bought it as I just refilled my jar recently. The sticks are available from the same vendors who sell the powder.It's even offered in teabags. I always put more than the recipe calls for as Ceylon isn't as strong tasting.On the subject of cassia type:it almost always gave me heartburn so I used to think I couldn't tolerate cinnamon.I had a cinnamon roll at a friends home knowing that it would be a bad outcome but those rolls looked so good.I was wrong and right:I didn't get heartburn and those rolls were divine.
I ordered from Penzy's for years and then I moved to Chicago and started going to "The Spice House" there. Great, fresh spices from a family owned company. They have an excellent web page, with many great recipes too. You think these spice merchants are expensive until you look at the price per ounce of the store brands, which are nowhere near the quality of Penzy's or the Spice House.
I was SO looking forward to seeing Bridget do a cinnamon challenge.
I love Penzey’s Cinnamon, which is a blend of the different types of cinnamons. I also love their Ceylon and Vietnamese cinnamons.
Next time I place an online order with Penzey's, I'll add some of their cinnamon. Thanks for the input! 🤗
I absolutely agree with Bridgette with the Vietnamese cinnamon, it's my favorite also
The way Bridget wouldn’t stop eating the rice pudding. 😂 You gotta love her.
@@MichaelTheophilus906
I’m not sure what you’re saying? Are you saying she’s too big? I like her for her personality AND her voluptuous figure.
The high coumarin content in all types of cassia cinnamon (the taste we're familiar with), regardless of country of origin, is toxic to the liver in daily doses, while ceylon cinnamon is harder to come by and more expensive, but much safer for the liver.
Coumarin is dangerous in high doses, but only in amounts of cassia cinnamon that are much higher than any normal person would ever eat.
Which brands are the cassia cinnamon please?
Here's a bit more on cassia & coumarin nutritionfacts.org/video/the-safer-cinnamon/
See below the vid for more links.
@@billybareblu
No it doesn't. The daily safe amount is .01 mg/kg.
More like closer 3/4 of a tsp for the average weight woman(170.5 pounds) and about 1 tsp for the average weight man(197.8 pounds). Heavier people can eat more, and lighter people less. But unless you're eating it directly with a spoon, getting too much cinnamon, while not impossible, is hard to do.
And the only reasons the daily safe amount is as low as it is is because of a subgroup of people who are overly sensitive. So for the majority of people an even higher daily amount would be possible. But you'd have to spend money to find out if you're overly sensitive, and that would be quite expensive.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20024932
www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/body-measurements.htm
@@lordgarion514 I was estimating off the top of my head, 3/4tsp-1tsp is probably correct, but that's way more than your calculations of .01mg/kg, which would not even be feasible to measure by a tsp. If you're going to call people out to correct them, then at least get your math right.
Morton & Bassett is what we’ve been using for years, and I agree, it’s a great choice. I get so much out of your reviews, especially the equipment tests. ♥️
All of Penney’s spices are awesome, but, Just last week I bought my first bottle of cinnamon at Trader Joe’s, and it was phenomenal! It has an actually sweet taste to it, But there’s no added sugar! I’ve really been enjoying it on my oatmeal especially! Check it out next time you’re at Trader Joe’s!! Unusually delicious!
So glad there is a Penzy's store in my town! I would have picked the Vietnamese too!
Greetings from
Portland Oregon!
As a cinnamon nut, I loved your video!
On keto and use it in my keto bulletproof coffee and drinking water to burn calories!
Going to pull my cinnamon out to do taste test and read the labels!
Thank you guys!🌹
Watching her eat rice pudding is making me crave some!
I am from sri lanka to buy ceylon alba cinnamon sticks please click on the link
www.ebay.com/itm/393059406579
I have 3 different cinnamons, including Penzey’s Vietnamese my fave! Ceylon variety is okay too. I don’t bake much, but hot cereals, Asian sauces, stews etc rock with a dash of cinnamon, imo. I’m addicted!
I had my first taste of Penzeys Vietnamese Cinnamon during Thanksgiving 2019 & now I'm HOOKED. King Arthur's Vietnamese Cinnamon is just as good. I don't even need to add sugar to either one. I love sprinkling it on pumpkin pie - pretty heavily, I might add & no whipped cream necessary. It's SO delicious. It's the only cinnamon I've ever tried that I can taste by itself & it tastes delicious. I don't use any other kind anymore.
Ceylon Cinnamon is definitely the right choice for this spice for the long term health of one's liver. The standard Cinnamon on the market is known to damage the liver. Many people used cinnamon supplements to aid in managing sugar in the bloodstream but we're daily taking high doses of the harmful type for the liver. Try the Ceylon and you might find that it's an enjoyable type in your diet. As in all things in life, "all things in moderation" as the early Greeks recognized.
Thank you for taking the time to comment. I didn’t know any of that, so really appreciate the info! ❤️
I have never tried that type of cinnamon before & needless to say I LOVE cinnamon. Thankyou for the review.
I am from sri lanka to buy ceylon alba cinnamon sticks please click on the link
www.ebay.com/itm/393059406579
Thank you for all you do, introducing the best of every thing.
I am from sri lanka to buy ceylon alba cinnamon sticks please click on the link
www.ebay.com/itm/393059406579
I love the flavor of cardamom, that must be why I love Ceylon cinnamon.
I'm not surprised at all that Penzey's Vietnamese cinnamon was the top pick of the taste tester because its flavor is outstanding. I discovered it years ago and bought bottles for family members. It's in a class by itself.
I get the Ceylon from Frontier Co-Op and it is very delicate and floral and I also get their Vietnamese it is hearty and spicy. I use the Ceylon in my apple pie and the Vietnamese in my gingersnaps and snicker doodles. Also, they have so many other spices that you can buy in bulk, I love their Fiesta Chili Powder, it is delicious and their Veggie Pepper, I buy both of these by the pound!
I only buy free-range vegan organic cinnamon cultivated by monks in the Himalayas. At least that's what it says on the label of the cinnamon I get at the Dollar Tree. Because I'm a maverick.
I love those who live on the edge
CaptainFabulous84 😂🤣💀😂🤣💀
Don't be such an elitist. Aldi's cinnamon is $1.19 but worth the extra cost.
@@oltedders Is it artisanal? Because I only use artisanal spices now. Y'know, the whole maverick thing...
@@CaptainFabulous84
It's artisanal shopping.
I hadn't realized how important cinnamon is to me until seeing this video. And I was ready for conflict if you disparaged my choice, the M&B. Wow. A partisan spice guy.
I buy both Ceylon and Vietnamese from Frontier Organics and mix equal parts together for the most wonderful tasting cinnamon ever. I also make jars of it for gifts and give them out before Christmas because all of my family and friends love the way it tastes.
For a different taste than generic cinnamon, I bought Costco's Kirkland ground Saigon cinnamon. It has a wonderful "sweet -hot" flavor that I love in oatmeal and on cinnamon toast. Also great for baking!
I bought a Costco cinnamon jar about 10 years ago ... and I’m still using it. Those are BIG jars over there. I bought a jar of bay leaves at the same time and finally threw those into my compost the other day. Figure it’s time for some new fresher ones!?!
@@merrycontrary3520 ...Oh good.. I'm glad I'm not the only one who has had the same big container of Costco cinnamon in my cupboard for eons.. LOL! 😆
Penzey's, Penzey's, PEN-ZY'S!!!
Their spices are always higher quality than any others I've tried. And their Double Strength Madagascar Vanilla is the stuff dreams are made of!
Crystal Stanley I agree about that Vietnamese Cinnamon and the Vanilla! Both great! Luckily I have a Penzeys in Pittsburgh!
We have bought " Mr. Penzey" a small tropical island somewhere in the world. Three shelves and a drawer full of Penzey's bottles. They have amazing variety and excellent quality but they aren't super cheap. If you use something regularly buy the bag, it's a much better deal. They also often have good sales and free items and they have a great civic minded philosophy. Maybe they should be paying us for the advertisement; )
I agree, Penzey's is the best...we've switched out about 90% of our spices for Penzeys and we will not go back. 🤘💖
@@sk_abstract_art There *is* no going back, LOL!
I live in Toronto & my closest Penzey's store is in Buffalo, N.Y. Well worth the drive. I've been a fan for years.
Thanks Jack and Brigette!!! ❤️
People this video is NOT about comparing brands of cinnamon as much as it is about types of cinnamon Ceylon(original cinnamon) vs cassia(not true cinnamon, but most common in US).
One should not use cassia at all. It has huge amount of coumarin which toxic to liver.
Never have I put so much thought into my cinnamon. I'm used to just putting it on buttered toast and getting nostalgic for Saturday morning cartoons.
So many delicious uses for it. Go explore.
Try cinnamon, clove and pineapples cocktail, absolutely delicious
I've been using McCormack Saigon for a long time, just because it's the best available on my supermarket shelves. Now I'm thinking that blending varieties may be the way to go to get the best true cinnamon flavor, with a little spicey kick, while reducing the amount of coumarin I'm ingesting.
I tried the expensive ones and exotic ones but I settled on McCormick's. It has no strange aftertaste or odd notes.
Note for those that prefer whole spices. Surprisingly, freshly ground cinnamon stick is usually a bit LESS intense than the pre-ground stuff. That's because pre-ground cinnamon is made with chips from the inner bark of the tree, while the sticks are rolls from the outer bark.
You can still sub in cinnamon stick for pre-ground cinnamon, but expect a flavor that's slightly less forward.
If you *really* want that intense fresh cinnamon flavor you could try to track down cinnamon chips...but beware, those chips are brutally difficult to grind, and you could damage your spice mill if you aren't careful. This is one application where having the ground spice on hand is worth it.
That's very interesting. However, freshness is still a concern. If you buy new fresh ground cinnamon regularly, then the freshness is comparable to home-ground, and better ingredients will yield better cinnamon. But even if it's made of stronger cinnamon, if it's been sitting on the shelf or in your kitchen cabinet for the better part of a year then it's liable to have less flavor than weaker but freshly ground whole sticks. I prefer to buy a package of sticks for the cost of a shaker, put them in a jar, and grind a few every six months or as needed. I also use them when grinding spice mixes like garam masala, and on rare occasions use them whole but it feels wasteful.
Unfortunately the only way we'll know if we have strong flavored cinnamon is to taste the brand. Labeling the dates of harvest and grinding would help, as would indicating whether it is the tough but flavorful inner bark. If I was a serious cinnamon-head I would consider buying a special strong grinder for the chips to always have the best, if I didn't consume enough to buy fresh pre-ground frequently. I hesitate to buy pre-ground cinnamon, even if it can be more flavorful as you say, because I don't use ground cinnamon enough to finish the bottle while it's still fresh. For my use, I think my cinnamon will probably taste better if I buy it whole and keep it freshly ground, since the whole sticks hold their flavor several times as long as the ground spice. I estimate it would take me me 1-2 years to finish a shaker, if I bought cinnamon pre-ground in shakers.
@@Paelorian Yeah, that's a good point. The sticks still have a shelf life advantage, and a fresh stick will beat out a musty old bottle of ground cinnamon.
As for keeping a good rotation of spices, have you ever tried buying small baggies from a specialty shop that sells in bulk? I recently started buying my spices that way, and it's much less daunting to finish them off before they lose their flavor. I've also started doubling the amount of spices I use in most recipes to go through them faster and I've yet to be disappointed by the results. It seems like most recipes are simply too timid with their spice recommendations.
@@TheRationalPi Pi is not rational nor ever will be, unless you divide by the circumference or recommend more spices in all recipes. I can get behind this idea! Mo spice = mo better.
I only use The Spice House/Penzey’s herbs and spices! I have for 35+ years. Quality and taste are always there! ❤️
I have heard so much about this topic. So glad you did this, thank you.
Didn't know it was a difference thanks guys
Wow, I thought no one even uses Cassia Cinnamon anymore because of the Cumarin. In Germany, it is even hard to get Cassia - most of the Cinnamon you can get here, is Ceylon. Most people even don't know there is another one...
Cassia bark is still often used as a cinnamon flavoring in Europe, but they apparently concentrate the cinnamaldehyde somehow and it has almost no coumarin afterward.
Cassia is still the most common in the U.S.
I am from sri lanka to buy ceylon alba cinnamon sticks please click on the link
www.ebay.com/itm/393059406579
For cooking cassia (what we call cinnamon) is fine, but for therapeutic benefits (lowering blood sugar) you have to use real cinnamon (Ceylon). - Hints from the Health Food Store!
I love shopping at Penzey's. They have more than one type of Cinnamon than just Vietnamese Cinnamon, btw.
I am from sri lanka to buy ceylon alba cinnamon sticks please click on the link
www.ebay.com/itm/393059406579
I have both the Morton & Basset and the Ceylon...I use a combination of them whenever I use cinnamon. I add them both to some sugar with a little nutmeg and allspice for a delicious topping for "cinnamon" toast.
ATK is typically very precise wen it comes to food details. Here you missed big time. Even going to Ancient Greeks distinction between spices of Cassia (kasia) and Cinnamon exist. Not the same plant, not the same spice, in most of the world and for most of the time they were sold and used separately. In USA Cassia came to prominence because it was...cheaper and essentially counterfeited "cinnamon". Nice review of Cassia, hopefully soon we will see review of various brands of True Cinnamon, Cinnamomum Verum.
What is cinnamon Verum , where do you get it & does it have beneficial effects on the body?
@@vickyfrechette6790
It's easy to Google cinnamomum verum and find information about it, especially since that original comment was from 2 YEARS ago....there's a good chance that they won't even respond back to you.
ALWAYS quicker to look it up directly.👍🏻
@@jaytee2642 True.
@@vickyfrechette6790 "Cinnamomom Verum" is the botanical name for the spice known as Ceylon (today called Sri Lanka) Cinnamon. All others, Saigon/Vietnamese, Korinjte, Chinese, are "cassia" varieties which come from the bark if the cassia bush. Real Cinnamon is Cinnamomom Verum, and the sticks are in multiple, thinner layers with the bark that lighter in color than Cassia. Cassia is has a thicker bark and is darker-colored than real Cinnamon.
Ceylon cinnamon is the best. It has good flavor and original cinnamon was born in srilanka
I've never used syrup, maple or otherwise, on pancakes, waffles or french toast. I use cinnamon and sugar. One of life's little indulgences is to put butter on a hot waffle fresh from the iron so that there are puddles of melted butter in each cell, then apply a generous dose of cinnamon and sugar, so that each cell's melted butter is mixed with it. Oh, so good!
Oh, now I’m really hungry for your waffles but it’s 1am!🤣
Love cinnamon. Delicious and great for body. Health professional suggested tablespoon of cinnamon with tablespoon of honey to handle allergies. It worked after 3 wks.
For powdered cinnamon I buy McCormick and Schilling's. I use cinnamon on toast, hot cocoa drinks, oatmeal. When I make cinnamon toothpicks I use the more expensive liquid cinnamon oil. Store the toothpicks in a glass jar. Cinnamon oil melts plastic.
I've been using McCormick for years - which I'm happy with and still use - but I thought I'd try the Vietnamese cinnamon from King Arthur. It's strong, spicy stuff. I love it.
So, since baking makes the volatile oils evaporate, when baking with cinnamon, use the cheapest available?
I would. Save the good stuff for recipes that add it near the end.
Vanilla is even worse. It's almost impossible to tell the difference between even very expensive vanilla, and artificial after baking.
I like Spice Island cinnamon. I use a lot of that brand’s spices.
Yes it's best
Penzy's = a spice company with a long line of American Historical importing and sales here in our country. And a ton of knowledge on Spice.
I've never had anything bad from Penzy's, but based on their prices, I tend to buy Frontier. Their spices are also fantastic and their organic spices are generally less expensive than Penzy's non-organic versions.
Saigon from costco is impresive.
I love Penzey's but surprised they were included here as I've never seen them in a supermarket (they have a retail store near me but I'm sure they also sell online). Totally agree their herbs and spices are excellent!
Do you ever grind your own cinnamon? Ceylon fan
Ceylon is the true cinnamon.
I love both Saigon and Ceylon cinnamon. Ceylon for its deep, balanced flavor and health benefits. Saigon for its punch and brightness. Ceylon is known as "true" cinnamon, whereas Saigon and others are in the cassia family.
Honestly can't believe you didn't differentiate between cassia and cinnamon here.
Agent 🍊 & Agri products from Vietnam on your health
They found Cassia is Better than cinnamon!!!!!
@@rudrabarathan2737 my point is, they didn't mention any distinction.
Agreed!! That is what I was looking for!
I only have and use Vietnamese cinnamon. The first time I purchased it I put it head to head with my store-bought cinnamon and my store bought cinnamon was awful but it was the best of the store brands!
Im from Sri Lanka and i grow ceylon cinnamon in small qualities, i can supply cinnamon if anybody needs,its always good for sending cinnamon to the true customers,resellers always take for very low prices,
Please contact me by email at tonysoyza@hotmail.com if interested.
For South Asian and non spicey recipes use Ceylon cinnamon; for Western and/or spicy, use Vietnamese.
McCormick. ROASTED Saigon cinnamon. Is the absolute best . 😉
It's the only brand we use in our home. We think it blows away all the other supermarket cinnamon.
Regardless, recipes never have enough cinnamon or vanilla, no matter which kind you use. 😆
Morton & Bassett Spices are on another level. Yes extreme pricing compared to cheap stuff, but it's like a one time purchase as they last forever. So worth it
I wonder what the cheapest way to get it is...
Amazon s quite expensive, and the organic price is through the roof.
I order my cinnamon from Spice House. They have been amazing to order from for years.
Hello. I normally use the Vietnamese Cinnamon from Simply Organic. I normally purchase this at my local WFM, $6.99. I will be looking out for the Vietnamese Cinnamon by Penzeys Spices. Thank you for the help! :-)
Why don’t you ever include the Kirkland brand from Costco in your tests? It’s widely available and they seem to do a great job sourcing their house brand products as the quality is generally very good.
Good mention! I buy Costco's cinnamon all the time.
I’ve never, ever seen Penzley’s or the 2nd place option.
@@bunny_smith I believe that Penzey’s only sells its products in its own stores and on its website.
@@dorothyyoung8231 ~~Yeah, I've bought their spices a few times and always buy online. They have stores in 22 states now, but mine isn't one of those 22.... ☹
What kind of cinnamon is on Cinnamon Toast Crunch??? That's the best cinnamon!!!
Sugar
I would typically sprinkle cinnamon on top of rice porridge, so I don't have to eat all of it with the same flavoring, but can choose to add a fruit extract or plain butter instead. This would permit to test the powder's uncooked flavor.
If you can, try not to buy prepackaged spices from the store shelves. They are overpriced and can be sat there for years. Instead, find a place that has a large bulk spice section. The spices (especially herbs) are a lot cheaper, you can buy the amount that you want rather than having to invest in a large quantity, and their stock gets cycled through in weeks rather than years.
Nice to know which one I should buy...
I highly agree with Bridgette . Vietnamese cinnamon has a very snappy flavor .
Do black pepper corns please. I used to just buy McCormick. But in the last year or more, the taste is just dull.
Don’t know if you saw it but they did!
Ceylon is called the true cinnamon and of all is the one in which for large consumption is the best as the others share a chemical but in much, much larger quantities that for longer use can affect health but the true cinnamon has it 250,000 times less so it’s very safe.
Glad to see the Morton and Bassett brand in the running! I've been buying it from Stew Leonard's.
YT4Me57 Thank You! For where to buy!
Love these taste testings, use them all the time. Thanks
I have been sooooo waiting for this. I keep reading differing opinions about the “best” cinnamon. However, there are never specifics given. Thank you!
KIRKLAND ORGANIC GROUND SAIGON CINNAMON,IT SMELLS A MILE AWAY!!!
The best cinnamon isn't available at the grocery store. Penzeys Vietnamese Cinnamon is phenomenal.
Do more of these main brand comparisons! I have some dollar store cinnamon, and its so bland. Now i know why
I am from sri lanka to buy ceylon alba cinnamon sticks please click on the link
www.ebay.com/itm/393059406579
Nice to see Morton and Bassett on here. I use some of their other spice and they're fairly local to me.
What about Mexican cinnamon?
Canella... !! Mmmmm...
Mexican cinnamon is Ceylon cinnamon.
Badia is a cheaper brand you see in a lot of Mexican groceries and it wasn't recommended because of the soy.
@@erldagerl9826 4:03
TheRationalPi thanks. Don’t know how I missed it the first time around.
@@TheRationalPi Actually, it's "Recommended With Reservations."
My choices exactly, Bridget!
I was expecting this to be pretty straight forward, but I guess there's more to it than I thought.
I am from sri lanka to buy ceylon alba cinnamon sticks please click on the link
www.ebay.com/itm/393059406579
I appreciate this review!
Costco Saigon cinnamon is the best.
Badmouthing true cinnamon? While you love cassia? Pfffft! Good Ceylon cinnamon tastes nothing like cardamon.
Nothing better than fresh ground.
I love cinnamon. I put a dash of it in my coffee grounds every time I make coffee. I use Spice Island brand. McCormick's is my second pick if I can't find Spice Island.
Ceylon is the ancient name for Sri Lanka 🇱🇰 Ceylon cinnamon is from there 😊
Viatnamese cinnamon are not real cinnamon, those are cassia. Real cinnamon are from Ceylon (Sri lanka)
I always learn so much from you!!
I wonder how a generic, like Kroger's Psst! line, compares.
I am from sri lanka to buy ceylon alba cinnamon sticks please click on the link
www.ebay.com/itm/393059406579
Cinnamon Challenge
I love the smell of cinnamon in the morning......
I am from sri lanka to buy ceylon alba cinnamon sticks please click on the link
www.ebay.com/itm/393059406579
When y'all do this again on the cinnamons can you do it by price? Which one would be the best bang-for-the-buck?
Comes down to a buck or two difference for a 2.5 oz container, so not a huge difference. I order Morton and Basset online for about $6. I think the McCormick Saigon Cinnamon is similar in price on the grocer shelves. The ones with more pronounced flavor may stretch your buck because you do not need to use as much, but over the course of a year it will amount to fractions of pennies per teaspoon. If you are on a very strict budget , i think the standard McCormick has better flavor than Spice Island or any of the other less expensive brands.
@@brt5273 okay thanks
None of these brands are available here in the Rocky Mountain West where I live and shop. Do you have a recommendation for those of us in flyover country where the supermarkets stock nationally recognized brands?
Two cinnamons from McCormick were tested, and they came in 3rd (regular cinnamon) and 6th (organic cinnamon) in the rankings, and both are "Recommended." I'm willing to bet that even out in the sticks you can get one of them.
How about testing the cinnamons us regular folk can buy or afford at the local grocery stores?!
Actually they have their full test recommendations on their website link in the description. I have no idea why they don't film it, but they did recommend the McCormick brand cinnamon too.
2 of those are everywhere and not that expensive
The top recommended is available at my local Safeway for about $1 more than McCormack. Small additional price for a better quality cinnamon. But if you're baking McCormack is fine, it's only slightly below the top ratings.
They were pretty much all recommended except Badia.
@@juansierralonche9864 Yep, and even the Badia was "Recommended With Reservations."
Hello
I ❤ Penzy's Vietnamese Cinnamon
BEST!
I think next time I go there I'll pick some up. I like the vanilla you can buy at the golden fig, both are fun shops, they're in St. Paul, Mn.
I am from sri lanka to buy ceylon alba cinnamon sticks please click on the link
www.ebay.com/itm/393059406579
Thank you for the tip
Tasting "Cinnamon."
Well, there was only ONE true cinnamon here.
That is the Ceylon cinnamon.
The others are just cassia.
steve
Makes a lot of sense. Americans haven't "grown up" with ceylon cinnamon, so we don't recognize it as true cinnamon. As a result, we think the imposter is the real McCoy.
Right? This was strange lol
Absolutely, best taste, most depth, usually a bit more expensive but well worth it. I have a cinnamon chicken curry recipe that only tastes really good with Ceylonese cinnamon.
they are all in same family.
They tested both. The thing is that not everyone likes the "true cinnamon" taste. The other ones taste very similar but are spicier or hotter, which most people apparently prefer. In the testing they also noted that when cinnamon is used in baking, the differences virtually disappear and almost no one can tell the difference. They recommended using the true cinnamon if you're not cooking it and you don't like it too spicy. Otherwise they recommend using the other.
Where is the studio audience? It’s so vital in these taste tests. 😂
Costco's Cinnamon is my family's favorite
I love using the cinnamon I get from Costco. It has a nice cinnamon taste but with a slight sweetness to it.
Yeah... I have some of theirs in my cupboard too. It's probably past its expiration date, but still seems fine.. 🤷♀