What is VANILLIN? What is VANILLA?

What Is VANILLIN?

Vanilla beans are highly prized in culinary circles, and many foodies consider it an essential ingredient for any pantry or baking cabinet. There is, however, a common artificial vanilla flavoring called vanillin that is produced as a way to get "the same thing" at a reduced cost. Unfortunately, vanillin is lacking in flavor and consumption of this artificial enhancer may not be a great idea.

Vanillin is a vanilla extract alternative made from wood pulp. It is commonly used to reduce production costs. And, unlike real vanilla extract which is produced from real vanilla beans, vanillin is synthetic and may be produced using petrochemicals and by products from the paper industry. Unfortunately, because it's cheap, the stuff is everywhere. Vanilla flavored over-the-counter medicines, beverages, and cookies are all places you're likely to find vanillin.

Information was taken from an article written by Dr. Edward Group on the www.globalhealing.com. Read full article on the global healing website.

Lignin (

wood pulp

) to make vanillin

Despite eugenol being a slightly cheaper way to make vanillin, development has continued and nowadays most of the vanillin is not made from eugenol anymore, instead it is made from lignin and guaiacol. (Go to www.foodcrumbles.com for complete article)

The lignin-based vanillin is the type made from wood pulp byproduct and has a richer flavor. The guaiacol based vanillin was found to be a more cost effective solution to the shortage of vanilla flavoring. The chemicals used to produced vanillin give the product a vanilla taste by essentially tricking the brain into thinking it’s the real thing.

I only gave you the names of the ingredients that are used in aartiicial flavoring. There is so much information on the internet. Just google Lignin and Guaiacoi and you can determine if you want to ingest those or not.

WHAT IS CLEAR VANILLA EXTRACT?

Clear vanilla is made by combining propylene glycol or glycerin with artificial vanillin. Artificial vanillin simulates 1 flavor component out of over 250 different flavor components found in natural vanilla. It is a by-product of the wood industry or is produced from petrochemicals. Artificial... Yum!

it is important to realize that vanilla as a natural product consists of a number of organic compounds.(Over 150 organic compounds make up the flavor of vanilla.) The FDA rules are, vanilla extract must have minimum of 35% alcohol and 65% water. Other additives, like sugars and preservatives can be added so check your ingredients. I have chosen to make my own homemade vanilla. It takes a long time to cure, depending on the amount of beans you use. Vinilla beans are expesive, but the amount of organic vanilla extract will be much cheaper (and cleaner) in the long run,

I make my Vanilla extract using Organic Vodka (present brand I used is RAIN). For Non Alcoholic I used Food Grade Glycerin and filtered water (3 parts glycerine 1 part filtered water) It's easy to make, you just have to be patient. It takes weeks to months to infuse the flavor. The longer you leave it, the stronger it becomes (the less you will have to use in your recipe)