Cinnamon / Kayu Manis
(Cinnamomum)
Cinnamon is a small evergreen tree 10–15 metres (32.8–49.2
feet) tall, belonging to the family Lauraceae, and is native
to Sri Lanka. The bark is widely used as a spice due to
its distinct odor.
Cinnamon bark is widely used as a spice. It is principally
employed in cookery as a condiment and flavoring material.
It used in the preparation of chocolate and desserts, such
as apple pie and cinnamon buns as well as spicy candies,
tea, hot cocoa, and liqueurs.
In medicine it acts like other volatile oils and once had
a reputation as a cure for colds. It has also been used
to treat diarrhoea and other problems of the digestive system.
Cinnamon is high in antioxidant activity. The essential
oil of cinnamon also has antimicrobial properties, which
can aid in the preservation of certain foods.
Cinnamon has been proposed for use as an insect repellent
while Cinnamon leaf oil has been found to be very effective
in killing mosquito larvae. The compounds cinnamaldehyde,
cinnamyl acetate, eugenol and anethole, that are contained
in cinnamon leaf oil, were found to have the highest effectiveness
against mosquito larvae.
It is reported that regularly drinking of Cinnamomum zeylanicum
tea made from the bark could be beneficial to oxidative
stress related illness in humans, as the plant part contains
significant antioxidant potential.
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