The Journal

Spice Blog

Recipes, health benefits and culinary stories from Sri Lanka.

teaauctionhistory

The Colombo Tea Auction: Sri Lanka's Global Tea Hub

Every major Ceylon tea sold on the global market passes through the Colombo Tea Auction — the world's single largest auction of any commodity.

CeylonBlends Editorial4 min read

teahealthgut

Ceylon Tea and Gut Health: The Prebiotic Connection

The polyphenols in Ceylon black tea selectively feed beneficial gut bacteria — making your daily cup a simple act of gut health.

CeylonBlends Editorial4 min read

teahealthantioxidants

Theaflavins and Thearubigins: The Science of Ceylon Tea Antioxidants

Black tea's signature amber colour comes from antioxidants that form during oxidation — and they are uniquely powerful defenders of cellular health.

CeylonBlends Editorial4 min read

spicescinnamonhistory

The Story of True Cinnamon: Ceylon's Finest Spice

Ceylon cinnamon is the original spice that drove the Age of Exploration. Its story of desire, trade wars, and botanical deception is extraordinary.

CeylonBlends Editorial5 min read

spicescinnamonhealth

The Health Benefits of Ceylon Cinnamon

Ceylon cinnamon has been used medicinally for thousands of years — and modern research is now quantifying exactly why.

CeylonBlends Editorial4 min read

spicesblack-pepperhistory

Black Pepper: The King of Spices from Sri Lanka

For two millennia, black pepper was so valuable it was used as currency and demanded as tribute. Sri Lanka still produces some of the world's finest.

CeylonBlends Editorial4 min read

spicesblack-pepperhealth

Piperine in Black Pepper: The Science of the Health Benefits

Piperine gives black pepper its heat — and it's also a remarkable bioavailability enhancer that makes the nutrients in other foods work harder.

CeylonBlends Editorial4 min read

spicesturmerichealth

Turmeric and Inflammation: What the Research Actually Shows

Curcumin's anti-inflammatory credentials are genuine — but the full picture is more nuanced than most headlines suggest.

CeylonBlends Editorial5 min read

spicescurry-powdertraditions

Inside Sri Lankan Curry Powder: Ingredients and Traditions

Sri Lankan curry powder is not Indian garam masala or Malaysian curry powder — it is a unique blend with its own logic, its own spices, and its own soul.

CeylonBlends Editorial4 min read

teaceylon teatea grades

A Beginner's Guide to Ceylon Tea Grades

What do letters like OP, BOP and FBOPF actually mean? A plain-English introduction to how Ceylon tea is graded by leaf size, processing and appearance.

Ceylon Blends Tea Room6 min read

teaceylon teablack tea

Ceylon Orthodox Black Tea: Whole Leaf & Broken Leaf Grades

From the long, wiry OP to the well-balanced BOP — a tour of the orthodox whole-leaf and broken-leaf grades that define classic Ceylon black tea.

Ceylon Blends Tea Room7 min read

teaceylon teablack tea

Ceylon Black Tea: Fannings & Dust Grades

The smaller end of the Ceylon black-tea scale — fannings and dust grades that brew quickly, pour dark and give that strong, brisk cup found in tea bags.

Ceylon Blends Tea Room6 min read