Usage of cinnamon in Chinese medicine is said to date back over 4,000 years. Mentioned in the Bible, cinnamon was imported to Egypt and Europe from the Far East by 500 B.C. In addition to its value as culinary spice, cinnamon has traditionally been utilized as a folk medicine for colds and minor digestive complaints. True cinnamon and cassia are very similar; cassia has a more pungent flavor. Cassia buds can be found in potpourri and used as a flavoring agent in sweets and beverages.

Recent research has revealed that constituents in cinnamon bark called procyanidin Type-A polymers help maintain the body’s ability to metabolize glucose in a healthy way.