Organic Ceylon Cinnamon Powder (True) - Wild Elephant - 100g

In the world of health and nutrition, the "Organic" label is often treated as a magic wand. We are told that organic is always better, always safer, and always worth the premium price tag. But at Whole Food Earth, we prefer honesty over marketing slogans. The truth is more nuanced. 1. What Does "Organic" Actually Guarantee? To understand the value, we first have to strip away the myths. In the UK, organic certification (like the Soil Association or EU Leaf) strictly regulates how a food is grown and processed. No Synthetic Pesticides: This is the big one. Organic farming prohibits the use of most synthetic herbicides (like glyphosate) and pesticides. No Artificial Fertilisers: Instead of chemical sprays, organic farmers use compost, manure, and crop rotation to feed the soil. Non-GMO: Organic standards strictly forbid the use of Genetically Modified Organisms. No "Stealth" Additives: Organic processing bans the use of controversial additives like Sulphur Dioxide (E220)—the chemical used to bleach conventional dried fruits. 2. When Organic Truly Matters (The "High-Impact" Foods) If you are looking to prioritise your organic budget, focus on foods that are "high-absorption" or heavily sprayed in conventional farming. The "Sulphur" Factor in Dried Fruits This is where Whole Food Earth takes a stand. Conventional dried fruits—like apricots and figs—are almost always treated with sulphur to keep them bright and "pretty." Organic certification bans this. When you buy our Organic Sun-Dried Figs, you are getting fruit cured by the sun, free from the respiratory irritants found in sulphured alternatives. Cacao and Superfoods Products like Organic Cacao Powder and Maca Powder are often grown in delicate ecosystems. Organic sourcing here isn't just about your health; it’s about the soil. Organic cacao farming encourages agroforestry (growing trees among other plants), which protects tropical biodiversity and ensures the beans aren't soaking up synthetic fertilisers. 3. When the Label Isn't Everything Is conventional food "poison"? No. And is organic food always "perfect"? Not necessarily. Here is the balanced view: The "Small Farmer" Gap: Many incredible traditional farmers in regions like Portugal or Turkey follow organic principles—they use no chemicals and dry their fruit in the sun—but they cannot afford the expensive paperwork for "Official Certification." At Whole Food Earth, our "Sourcing Revolution" involves finding these high-integrity "conventional" gems that are as clean as organic but more accessible in price. Nutritional Density: Science is still debating whether an organic apple has significantly more Vitamin C than a conventional one. The real difference is often in the Phytochemicals—plants grown without pesticides often develop stronger natural antioxidants to protect themselves. The "Processed" Trap: An organic biscuit is still a biscuit. Don't let the organic label distract you from the ingredient list. Unprocessed is always a higher priority than Organic. 4. The Environmental Impact: Soil is Soul The real reason to go organic often has nothing to do with the calorie count. It’s about Soil Health. Conventional farming can lead to soil depletion, where the earth becomes a sterile medium that only grows food because it's being "fed" chemicals. Organic farming treats the soil as a living organism. Healthy soil traps more carbon, holds more water, and produces food with a more complex "Terroir"—that deep, earthy flavour you can actually taste in our Organic Cacao Liquor Buttons. 5. How to Shop Smart at Whole Food Earth We provide both Organic and high-quality Conventional options because we believe in informed choice. Go Organic for: Leafy superfood powders, cacao, and any dried fruit where you want to avoid sulphur (E220). Go Conventional for: Items with thick natural skins or products from our trusted traditional growers. The Verdict: Integrity Over Labels At the end of the day, the best diet is one built on Whole, Unprocessed Foods. Whether it carries an organic seal or is a meticulously vetted conventional product from our shop, the goal is the same: getting you closer to the earth and further from the factory. Explore our full range of Organic and Natural staples today and decide what matters most for your kitchen.

At Wholefood Earth, we want to inspire you to discover new things for your cooking and baking by constantly expanding our offer with new ingredients and flavours. We source and purchase fresh quality herbs and spices, most of which are organic. We have brought unique and hard-to-find ingredients of the best quality to our whole foods store. Our rare herbs and spices are available to buy online and in bulk. Before you learn to cook meals with more flavour(s), you must learn how to buy the best herbs and spices and how to store them. Here's a little guide we've prepared for you. Essential herbs and spices you should have in your kitchen pantry This is just a shortlist for beginners. These herbs and spices are the most popular and often used in different cuisines and recipes. Of course, the list could have been much longer, but this is where you should start. Herbs basil parsley thyme rosemary oregano chives dill sage Spices black pepper paprika cinnamon cumin ginger turmeric chilli coriander allspice Storage tips for herbs and spices There are some ways you should keep your spices organised to keep them best for the longest and always have them at hand. Store your spices in a jar or can in a clean, dark, dry cupboard or drawer. You can also store them on a small shelf on top of your kitchen counter, where they will be easy to access. Avoid storing your spices on top of your cooker. This is where the steam goes each time you cook. Spices and herbs don't like humidity and heat. There, they may get mouldy quickly and lose all the aroma. When you open a new spice bag or jar, use a marker to note the date. This way, you will always know how old your spices are and if they're still good before you throw them away. How do you check if your seasonings are still good? Just smell them, and you will know! Quality of herbs and spices matters Remember, much cheaper herbs and spices are also of worse quality. Things are cheaper for a reason! Always buy quality and organic herbs and spices whenever possible. Non-organic cheap dry seasonings may contain some nasty ingredients you would not like to eat or even hear about! Shall we name a few? Mould, insects, rat hair, microplastics, string... etc. Buying spices in a specialist shop Supermarkets are not the best places to buy your seasonings. Dried herbs and spices on the shelves of your supermarket or grocery store may have been there for a very long time - even a few years before you buy them! And before that, they were stored in a warehouse for a long time. Although the average shelf life of ground spices is quite long (1-3 years), chances are that you're buying spices that are not very fresh and they will lack the aroma and flavour they are supposed to provide. Plus, depending on where you live supermarkets will have limited spice selection. Ethnic shops, organic shops, or wholefood shops specialise in real more natural food, and they will have the best choice of herbs and spices for cooks and food lovers. Which spices have the longest shelf life? Whole spices like peppercorns, whole chilli or whole cinnamon and nutmeg have a long shelf life, and these you will more likely find in specialist shops. If you cannot find a spices specialist in your area, consider buying them in an online store specialising in health foods, like Wholefood Earth.

Since prehistoric times, people have been using herbs and spices for seasoning to give flavour to food as well as to preserve food. In the past, herbs and spices were also used as medicine. Many of these plants have medicinal properties and can help prevent and fight diseases. Herbs and spices were so precious in the past that they were often used as currency in trade. Today, herbs and spices are essential ingredients in our daily cooking. They create the look, smell and taste of our meals. How do you distinguish herbs from spices? Often herbs and spices are considered as the same group of seasoning, but in fact, they vary from each other. They are made from different parts of plants and processed in different ways. They can be perfectly used together to create unique flavours, colours and aromas for our dishes. What are spices? The name “spice” comes from the Latin word 'species', which means something of special value, as compared to ordinary. Spices are made from bark, aromatic seeds, flowers or roots of plants. These parts have been dried and crushed. Spices are usually stronger in aroma and flavour because they are made from parts of plants rich in essential aromatic oils. One great example is Cinnamon which is a spice made from the powdered bark of trees from the type of the genus Cinnamomum. The best cinnamon is Ceylon Cinnamon, originally from Sri Lanka. The most popular spices are: paprika, chilli, turmeric, cinnamon, cumin, coriander, cardamon, cloves, nutmeg, mustard seeds. What are herbs? Herbs are typically aromatic leaves of various plants. Most of them come from relatively small herbaceous plants and bushes (plants with fleshy stems rather than woody stems). However, a few do come from woody plants. One example is the bay leaf which derives from a large tree found in the Mediterranean. Oregano is an example of a herb that comes in the form of leaves of a tiny herbaceous oregano plant. You buy herbs online in different variants: whole, chopped or dried. The most popular herbs are: oregano, basil, thyme, parsley, cilantro, rosemary, marjoram, tarragon. What are the most popular spice mixes? Garam Masala is a mixture of ground coriander seeds, ground cumin seeds, cardamom, black pepper, cloves, cassia, red chilli, fennel and turmeric. The best option is Organic Garam Masala. Curry contains different aromatic spices usually including turmeric, coriander, cumin, fenugreek, and chilli pepper. It can also include ginger, black pepper, mustard seeds, curry leaves, fennel seeds and curry leaves. Chinese Five Spice is an aromatic mixture of ground star anise, cinnamon, cloves, fennel seeds and szechuan peppers. Italian Herbs are made from a classic blend of Mediterranean herbs: oregano, basil, thyme and rosemary. Herbs de Provence mix contains dried Mediterranean herbs: rosemary, marjoram, tarragon, thyme, oregano, fennel seed, dried savory and organic lavender. Caribbean Seasoning is a mix of allspice, hot bonnet peppers, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, thyme and garlic.