Cassia bark is also called Chinese cinnamon (肉桂 or Ròuguì). There are several varieties of cinnamon, which are cousins of cassia, but have unique differences. The Chinese variety is the variety most commonly sold in the United States. The other varieties include Ceylon cinnamon, Saigon (or Vietnamese) cinnamon, and Malabar cinnamon.
Chinese cinnamon or cassia bark is grown primarily in Guangxi, where Jing was born, Guangdong, and Yunnan provinces. Ceylon cinnamon has a more delicate flavor, whereas Chinese cinnamon has a lower oil content and a tougher bark. Saigon cinnamon has a similar flavor to Chinese cinnamon, but it is stronger due to a higher oil content.
Cooking with Chinese cassia cinnamon
Cassia bark is used in Chinese Five-Spice powder with star anise, cloves, Sichuan peppercorn, and fennel. The sticks can be used whole in soup stocks and are used in Sichuan hot pot and dry pot recipes. Cassia bark (Chinese cinnamon) is thick but can be broken or ground by hand. However, a spice grinder might not handle the tough bark.
Chinese cinnamon, or cassia bark, can be used as an aromatic in making chili oil.
Traditional Chinese medicine
The following is shared for informational purposes only. My Chinese Home Kitchen does not provide medical guidance or endorse any claims of medicinal benefits.
Cassia is considered one of the 50 essential herbs in traditional Chinese medicine, and is used for diarrhea, fevers, and menstrual issues. However, cinnamon contains styrene, cinnamaldehyde, and coumarin, a blood thinner, that can damage the liver if consumed in great quantity.
According to WebMD:
Cassia cinnamon contains chemicals that seem to improve insulin sensitivity, which might help blood sugar control in people with diabetes. It also contains cinnamaldehyde. This chemical might help fight bacteria and fungi.
Cassia cinnamon is a very common spice and flavoring agent in foods. As medicine, people most commonly use cassia cinnamon for diabetes. It is also used for prediabetes, obesity, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.
Cassia cinnamon is commonly consumed in foods. It is likely safe when used as medicine, short-term. Doses of 1-2 grams daily have been used safely for up to 3 months. Cassia cinnamon is possibly unsafe when taken in doses larger than 6 grams daily for a long period of time.
https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-1002/cassia-cinnamon
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Interesting!! I enjoy hearing about medicinal aspects of spices .