Famous for spice, Cinnamon is obtained from the dried inner bark of an evergreen tree which belongs to the Cinnamomum genus. During ancient times, cinnamon was considered a precious possession, and was often given as a gift to kings or gods. Historical evidence claim that cinnamon was presented at the temples of the Greek Roman gods Apollo and Miletus. In modern times, cinnamon is used as a very important spice/condiment in various cuisines across the world.

Cinnamon is yielded by growing the tree for a span of 2-3 years and then coppicing it. Coppicing, a traditional method of woodland management, is the process of cutting the tree to the ground level and allowing it to grow again. The trees naturally reshoot from their stumps or roots, thus the tree is unharmed and regains its matured size. Cinnamon trees can yield productive barks for about 45 years, after which they are required to be replaced with a new seedling. Coppicing becomes an environmentally-sustainable way to harvest cinnamon bark again-and-again from the same tree.

The bark is immediately processed after harvesting, while it is still wet. The outer hard cover is scraped out and beaten evenly to loosen out the inner bark - the real spice. Once peeled, the bark is placed in extended layers and then rolled to form quills. These are further sun dried; the dried barks curl up and are cut into smaller sticks, ready to be sold.      

There are many health benefits to eating and smelling cinnamon. Cinnamon is a great source of manganese, fiber, iron and calcium. It is a natural food preservative, when added to food, it helps to inhibit bacterial growth and food spoilage. Cinnamon has been studied for helping arthritis, anti-clotting effect, and blood sugar balancing. The great news is that smelling cinnamon has been shown to boost cognitive function and memory.

So place these cinnamon boxes throughout your home!