Origin and history
Cinnamon is one of the oldest known spices in the world. Originally from Sri Lanka, it was already used in ancient Egypt to embalm pharaohs and in imperial China as a tonic and digestive remedy. Appreciated for its warm, sweet aroma, it was long considered a precious commodity, traded for gold and rare stones. Portuguese and then Dutch explorers fought over its trade for centuries. Today, Ceylon cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) remains the finest and most sought-after, used both in cooking and herbal medicine for its many benefits on digestion, immunity, and metabolism.