Cinnamon plant is one type of tree that produces spices. This plant is widely used as a food flavoring because it has a sweet, spicy and flavorful taste. However, why is cinnamon spicy?
Plants with other names Cinnamomumverum, sin. C. zeylanicum or Cinnamomum burmannii is from the Lauraceae family. These plants are spread in Southeast Asia, especially Indonesia and the Philippines. Not only used to make cakes, this plant can also be used as medicine because it has a high antioxidant and antibiotic content.
Why is Cinnamon Spicy?
Why is cinnamon spicy? The cinnamaldehyde compound in cinnamon makes it spicy. It is the most important volatile component with the highest percentage in cinnamon.
So, all species of cinnamon must have these compounds. This essential oil is a class of irritant compounds with a very strong taste. This is a property shared by other cinnamaldehyde compounds.
So, if these compounds come into contact with the skin it will cause a burning feeling. In the market, there are two types of cinnamon namely China and Ceylon. Chinese Cinnamon is also known as Cinnamomum cassia.
It is cinnamon that was first grown in China. Cinnamon is not widely cultivated in Southeast Asia. Meanwhile, Ceylon Cinnamon is cinnamon that was cultivated thousands of years ago.
This cinnamon is known as Cinnamomum verum. Well, this cinnamon does not have a spicy taste and tends to be sweeter than other types of cinnamon.
Real Cinnamon is Actually Less Spicy
Real cinnamon is of the Ceylon variety. Ceylon is another name for Sri Lanka. Cinnamon was originally widely used by the Ancient Greeks.
However, most of the cinnamon sold in the world is of the Chinese variety. Chinese cinnamon originates from Southern China and it is the original type of cinnamon, just like the Ceylon variety.
What is the difference between Ceylon and Chinese cinnamon? So, the main differentiator between the two is taste. Ceylon cinnamon has subtle motifs, while Chinese cinnamon has a spicier taste.
In order to get real cinnamon, you can look for it in a spice shop. Ceylon cinnamon has smoother and thinner rolls.
What Should Be Done to Make Foods Added Cinnamon Don’t Taste Spicy?
If you are making a dish with cinnamon, then maybe you are afraid that it will taste spicy. Don’t worry, the spicy taste can be reduced. The trick is not to give too much cinnamon to food.
You can also add a lot of starch. Examples are cornstarch, tapioca flour, rice, and other starch-containing foodstuffs.
The addition of cream, milk, or butter will also reduce the spicy taste of the cinnamon. The reason is, the fat contained in these foods is very effective for removing cinnamaldehyde in cinnamon. This method can also be used to reduce the spicy taste of capsaicin.
So, if you make a mixture of food dough with flour, cinnamon, and butter or milk, of course, the spicy taste of the cinnamon will disappear. As a result, your food will taste more flavorful and delicious. In addition, the addition of cinnamon powder must be done at the beginning, before adding other food ingredients.
So, that’s a brief and complete explanation about “why is cinnamon spicy.” Apart from being used as a food flavoring agent, you can get many benefits of cinnamon if you consume it diligently.
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