中国的“杀伤性武器”：桂皮香料让老外彻底崩溃！（在线收听）

桂皮是什么?

　　桂皮又称肉桂、官桂或香桂，为樟科植物天竺桂、阴香、细叶香桂、肉桂或川桂等树皮的通称。本品为常用中药，又为食品香料或烹饪调料。商品桂皮的原植物比较复杂，约有十余种，均为樟科樟属植物。各地常用的有8种，其中主要有桂树、钝叶桂、阴香及华南桂等其他种类多为地区用药。各品种在西方古代被用作香料。中餐里用它给炖肉调味，是五香粉的成份之一。

　　中药记载桂皮为补气食疗食物。樟科乔木植物天竺桂、阴香等的树皮。异名：川桂、土桂皮、月桂。

　　【功用】开胃进食，温中散寒。主治：脾胃有寒，食欲减退，或脘腹冷痛，呕逆;外伤瘀血疼痛，或妇女产后血瘀腹痛。

　　What is Cassia?

　　The dried bark of the cassia tree (Cinnamomum cassia, Cinnamomum aromaticum) is one of the ingredients of five spice powder. Cassia is related to and similar to the better known cinnamon, a native of Sri Lanka. An alternative name for cassia, Bastard Cinnamon provides a clue that, outside of China at least, it is considered inferior to cinnamon, the flavour being more pungent, not as sweet and delicate, and slightly bitter. What is sold as cinnamon is often actually cassia. Cassia bark is also used in traditional Chinese medicine.