Cassia essential oil | Cinnamomum cassia

Traditional use: Cinnamon is one of the most popular spices used in cuisine all over the world. It is extracted from the dried bark of the Cinnamomum trees. There are many plants of this type, however, some of them are more interesting than the rest. One of those unique trees is Cinnamomum aromaticum, known as cassia or Chinese cinnamon. It has quite a rich history of use in Traditional Chinese Medicine but it didn’t exist solely in China. In the Old Testament, there is information about a calming aroma of cassia, and since not so many herbal ingredients were mentioned in this holy book, it makes cassia even more famous. 

There are many health-promoting properties of cassia but it’s worth focusing on how cassia oil influences the skin in a positive way. It supports regeneration and provides the skin with a better look reducing wrinkles and other imperfections. It also improves coloration and unblocks pores. In natural medicine, cassia oil is used to strengthen the immune system because it has antibacterial properties and prevents inflammation. The oil is a great addition to aromatherapy for a relaxed sleep. Some people mix it with lavender oil for that reason. Women, on the other hand, will certainly appreciate the fact that cassia soothes the symptoms of menstruation issues, e.g. cramps and hot waves during menopause.

Occurrence: Cinnamomum cassia, known as Chinese cinnamon, is a tree from the Lauraceae family. It reaches up to 10 or 15 meters in height. The bark is a little rough and sticks out. It has semicircular, grey strips 25 cm long and 5-25 mm wide. The leaves of cassia are 10-15 cm long and their shape resembles the shape of an egg with a little spiky ending. They are usually green but at the beginning the color is red. The leaves of cassia are a little longer and more narrow than the leaves of Cinnamomum Zeylonicum that is used to produce cinnamon in Europe. The yellow-green flowers have long pedicels. The cassia tree produces a fruit in the form of a stone fruit.

In nature, cassia occurs in the southern and south-eastern parts of Asia. The first crops of this plant were localized in southern China. Currently, it is also cultivated in countries such as: Indian, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam. The oil available in our stock is extracted from the organic crops in Vietnam.

Biochemistry: The substances to which cassia owes its properties include: cinnamaldehyde, 2-methoxy cinnamaldehyde, cinnamyl acetate, eugenol and linalool.

The oil available in our shop is produced with a method of steam distillation from the bark of Cinnamomum cassia. Thanks to that every drop is optimally condensed and has an aroma bouquet unique for this plant.

Fun fact: The powdered cassia bark is used to produce sweets, snacks and beverages. It is necessary to create cinnamon liqueur, American cinnamon whisky or rakomelo – a specific type of brandy produced in Greece.