The Benefits of Natural Vanilla Flavoring
Vanilla may seem like just another flavoring for your sweet treats, but it offers much more than that. This delicious spice is packed with beneficial compounds that can help boost the immune system, prevent chronic diseases and promote healthy ageing.
Consumer hankering for all-natural products has had an impact on dairy and other food production. It’s no surprise that the ingredients list of vanilla ice cream varies depending on the brand you choose.
It’s Natural
Vanilla is an essential flavoring used in a wide range of foods and beverages. It can bring a creamy sweetness, balance bitterness or acidity and tone or mask umami. It’s an ingredient that makes a lot of other flavors shine, including chocolate, strawberry, and caramel. Vanilla is also the most widely-used spice in the world.
Vanilla comes from the seed pods of a special type of orchid. When the pod is opened, it reveals hundreds of extremely tiny seeds. The seeds are what give vanilla its distinct flavor. The pods also contain other organic compounds, including vanillin, a natural flavor compound. Manufacturers can produce artificial vanilla flavoring from this chemical in the lab.
However, the natural vanilla extract we buy from a grocery store comes from a mixture of sources and isn’t always labeled with its source. There are over 110 species of vanilla orchids, but only two produce Natural vanilla flavoring beans suitable for vanilla flavoring. These are vanilla planifolia and vanilla tahitensis. These are finicky plants that require a limited growing area, so most real vanilla is grown in Madagascar and Tahiti.
The elusive vanilla plant requires special pollination by bees, specifically Melipona and Euglema bees native to Mexico. In addition to their finicky needs, vanilla orchids are very delicate and can only be harvested during a small window of time. This labor-intensive production makes vanilla very expensive.
It’s Organic
Vanilla isn’t just a simple flavoring spice—it’s also overflowing with benefits. Its aromatic scent and bewitching flavor are just the tip of the iceberg. Discover how vanilla, in its many forms, supports a healthy lifestyle.
The world’s most popular flavoring, vanilla is found in a variety of foods and non-foods, including drinks like coffee, tea, and juice. It’s even used in medicines and perfumes. However, it’s the natural health benefits of this beloved ingredient that have made it a hit. It can help boost the immune system, protect against cancer, promote a healthy heart, and encourage weight loss.
Vanilla extract is made from the pods of the vanilla plant, which grows in tropical areas around the world. The pods of the vanilla plant are cured, dried and then treated with water and alcohol to create this dark-colored liquid that can be added to food.
Unlike artificial vanilla, which is often made from petroleum or coal tar, organic vanilla extract is made with vanilla beans that are grown and processed using environmentally friendly methods. The difference is reflected in the way that both types of vanilla taste, with synthetic vanilla tasting more artificial and natural vanilla extract tasting more authentic.
In order to get the best quality vanilla, look for a bottle that uses real Madagascar vanilla beans and contains no chemicals or additives. Candy Flavoring Oil Then, use it in recipes where the vanilla will be a prominent flavor or a supporting actor.
It’s Non-GMO
Vanilla is a versatile flavoring that can be used in a variety of dishes. It is also a popular choice for many desserts, including cookies and ice cream. But did you know that this beloved spice is not only delicious, but it has a lot of benefits for your health and well-being?
Vanilla beans are full of a compound called vanillin, which has shown to be an effective antioxidant. This compound is said to protect the body from oxidative stress, which can lead to conditions such as heart disease, dementia, and cancer. It is also believed to reduce cholesterol, which can help prevent heart attacks and strokes.
The natural vanilla flavoring found in many products on the market is made from extracting the beans from a vanilla orchid. This is a plant that can be found growing in countries like Madagascar, Mexico, and Indonesia. The extract is then mixed with alcohol to produce the final product, which can be used in a number of different recipes and dishes.
There is another type of vanilla flavoring, however, that is often found in foods. This is called artificial vanilla flavoring, and it is made from a chemical substance called castoreum. This is a waxy substance secreted by beavers from their castor sacs, which are located near the base of their tails. It is not as common as the vanilla flavoring derived from vanilla beans, but it is still an ingredient in some processed food items.
It’s Kosher
Vanilla is an ingredient in so many things we eat and enjoy. You’ll find it in everything from ketchup in Aisle 1 to cake mixes in Aisle 5 and it’s present in most other products as well. The flavor industry is responsible for making these ingredients but they aren’t always made from the same substance you’d see in nature. The key to the flavor is that it contains chemical compounds that bind with the taste receptors in your mouth. It doesn’t matter if the chemicals are derived from a natural source or a petrochemical, your palate will likely not be able to tell the difference.
It is possible to produce a pure vanilla flavor using only natural sources but this is expensive and time consuming. The cost is the primary reason that many food makers opt to use an artificial flavoring instead of vanilla extract.
Natural vanilla flavoring can be kosher as long as it is formulated from a combination of kosher ingredients (vanillin sourced from the vanilla plant and non-kosher chemicals such as guaiacol or lignin) rather than using castoreum. This kosher method is a common choice for companies that need to keep their costs down while still wanting to participate in the natural trend and/or sport an organic label.
According to Rabbi Chaim Talmid, who owns Indospice, a vanilla bean export company in Bondowoso Jawa, Indonesia, the only way to truly make vanilla kosher is to travel to this remote area and hand-pollinate the vanilla plants with Melipona bees and Euglema bees. This process is labor-intensive and expensive and only happens during a very small window of time each year.