You get it when you put on your designer perfume or sip on your Starbucks latté- Cinnamon, that little wooden roll that spices up whatever it is mixed into. But did you know that most of the world’s cinnamon comes from a little teardrop of a nation in the Indian Ocean? Yes, Sri Lanka produces 80–90% of the world’s supply of Ceylon Cinnamon, Cinnamomum Verum, or the “true cinnamon tree”, the small evergreen tree of which the inner bark is used to make cinnamon. There is quite a fascinating journey that the Cinnamomum Verum goes through before it ends up in your coffee. So read on to see what it is.
In a little islet called the Kurundu Doowa situated on the waters of Madu Ganga there is quite a bit of hustle and bustle going on. This hustling bustling is due to the fact that dweller Pemadasa and his family maintain a two acre cinnamon plantation. On your rambles to Sri Lanka make sure you book a boat ride from Captain’s Boat House in Balapitiya which will take you to this wondrous Cinnamon Island. If you’re now wondering of finding suitable accommodation in the area, River House Balapitiya, a leading hospitality provider among Balapitiya hotels will be an ideal choice as it is simply a 5 minutes distance from Captain’s Boat House.
When you visit the Cinnamon factory at the islet you will get a comprehensive guide to the wondrous and strenuous art of manufacturing the much-loved spice. First, the inner bark of the Cinnamomum Verum tree is scraped and the shavings are dried in the sun. After being dried completely, the shavings are rolled into many thin layers into a cigar shaped sticks which can be several feet long but are cut into 3-5 inch sizes for convenience. Next they are graded based on their distinctive colour, shape and feathering (how even the layer is); before they are packed and exported to off to local and international markets.
And that is the journey of the mighty Cinnamon stick of which the benefits are as strong as its perfume. Cinnamon is proven to be packed with antioxidants such as polyphenols (3, 4, 5), anti-inflammatory properties and also being able to cut the risk of heart disease among many other benefits.
