Thread: Coffee Enthusiasts

They call it Robusta because it's like a weed-very Robust. It practically grows wild and takes no care. it's often used as a shade tree for other coffee plants. The mass producers of coffee like general foods love it because it's dirt cheap and they can blend it with their coffee.

it's a similar situation with Cinnamon. Most Cinnamon used is Viet Nam Cinnamon and is the equivalent of Robusta Coffee. Instead of being crammed with caffein it naturally contains the active ingredient that Coumadin is made from (a potent blood thinner). The good Cinnamon is Ceylon Cinnamon which contains little of the blood thinner ingredient and has a more delicate and complex flavor. The Viet Nam stuff is what is commonly used in baking.

In typical bake products the amount used isn't a problem but some folks take Cinnamon as a herbal and if you start taking a couple teaspoons of the stuff a day it can do a number on you if you take the Viet Nam variety.

I'm going to have to buy some Ceylon cinnamon someday.