Vanillin description. Vanillin - what is it? Differences from vanilla and vanilla sugar

Vanilla is more than just a pleasant, appetite-stimulating flavoring in baked goods. Its benefits for improving the taste of culinary dishes do not end there. This spice has a number of important beneficial properties, including its ability to treat acne, improve hair growth, reduce inflammation, prevent chronic diseases, and speed up recovery.

Most people value vanilla beans not only for their pleasant aroma and sweet taste, but also for the fact that they can help cope with several health problems.

What does vanilla look like and where does it grow?

Vanilla beans are one of the most valuable ingredients in the entire world today. It is in second place in cost after saffron. It is the most popular spice in many culinary dishes around the world. Its aroma is an essential part for most people.

Vanilla spice is obtained from the pods of several species of plants of the genus “Vanilla” of the orchid family. The highest quality vanilla is vanilla (Vanilla planifolia). It is from this species that many cultivars with longer pods are obtained.

There are two more types of this spice with somewhat short pods and inferior in quality to flat-leaf vanilla.

The tropical forests of South America and, above all, the territory of modern Mexico are considered the homeland of vanilla. It also grows in Brazil and other countries of this continent. Vanilla is very rarely seen in coastal areas as it does not tolerate salty environments.

The vanilla plant is a vine that, like most orchids, is an epiphytic plant. It climbs up trees to get sunlight and get enough moisture and nutrients from the air.

Vanilla has a thick stem with small branches, which can reach more than 10 meters in length.

Vanilla blooms with cream, pale yellow or greenish funnel-shaped flowers, the diameter of which is 3 centimeters. This flower is open for pollination for only 1-2 days. Therefore, you need to not miss the time for pollination. In nature, it occurs with the help of orchid bees. Outside their natural habitat, it must be pollinated by hand. Only pollinated flowers produce a harvest.

The fruit is a cylindrical pod of black-brown color. Its length can range from 8 to 30 centimeters and in diameter up to 1.5 centimeters. When ripe, it becomes blacker and releases a strong aroma. The ripening time is from 8 to 9 months.

Inside the pod are tiny, spherical, shiny black seeds. Vanilla is propagated by cuttings and less often by sowing seeds.

Vanilla grows best in hot and humid climates at altitudes up to 1500 meters above sea level. The ideal climate for cultivation is moderate rainfall of 1500-2000 mm, evenly distributed over at least 10 months of the year, and optimal temperatures of 15 to 30 degrees during the day and 15 to 20 degrees at night. The ideal humidity should be around 80%.

This is what vanilla looks like

Vanilla production

Today this spice is grown on an industrial scale on the island of Madagascar, India, Indonesia, Puerto Rico, the Caribbean and South America. It is grown in China. The main supplier of the spice is Madagascar, which accounts for more than 50 percent of all vanilla production.

There are three types of vanilla beans:

Bourbon (or Madagascar);

Mexican;

Tahitian.

Bourbon vanilla is a thin pod with a rich and sweet flavor, the sweetest of the three varieties.

The second most important is Mexican vanilla.

Tahitian vanilla is blacker in color and less aromatic.

Bourbon vanilla is grown in North and South America, on the islands of the Indian Ocean, such as Madagascar, Comoros, Reunion.

Mexican vanilla is grown only in Mexico.

Tahitian vanilla is native to French Polynesia, where it was introduced from the Philippine Islands.

Harvesting the pods is as labor-intensive as pollination. It is made by hand. But all these inconveniences are smoothed out by the high demand for spice. And not only for culinary purposes, but also for treatment.

The pod itself has no odor until it is opened. The aroma appears after opening the fruit. To develop a stronger aroma, the pods are air dried after collection and fermented for 4-6 months.

Extract, powder, whole pods and vanilla sugar are the most common forms found commercially.

Vanilla chemical composition

Like many spice plants, the chemical composition of vanilla is very diverse. It contains:

Carbohydrates;

Fruit sugars: fructose, glucose, sucrose;

Alimentary fiber;

Traces of calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, zinc salts;

Vitamins: B1, B2, B3, B5, B6;

In addition, it contains:

Essential oil;

Alcohols: pentanol, undecanol;

Phenolic compounds, such as cresol;

Organic acids: salicylic, benzoic, anise, acetic, .

Aromatics: nonanal, guaiacol, dodecanal, pentanal, hexonal, heptanal;

In total, more than 169 different aromatic compounds have been found in vanilla. Therefore, it is impossible to compare it with artificial vanillin.

Many of these compounds have antioxidant properties and are components of many drugs.

Vanilla beneficial properties

This spicy ingredient has been and will remain one of the most trusted natural healing agents and is also one of the most popular flavors for our palate. Due to its chemical composition, this spice has many beneficial properties.

Vanilla is a natural tranquilizer. Its aroma has calming properties.

In aromatherapy, vanilla is valued for its relaxing properties, as a natural antidepressant, and is used as an aromatic stimulant.

All these properties are provided by volatile compounds: evengol, limonene, coumarins, benzaldehyde. The sweet aroma of vanilla and its derivatives promotes relaxation.

It helps with:

Anxiety;

Depression;

Insomnia.

The spice is used in weight loss diets.

Vanilla contains coumarin, evengol, phenolic compounds, salicylic acid. All these components have an analgesic effect. Therefore, it can be considered a natural analgesic.

These properties can be used to facilitate:

Muscle pain;

Headache;

Stomach pain;

To improve digestion.

In addition, it contains components such as catechins, which can be used in the treatment of herpes.

Vanilla is traditionally used to help reduce fever naturally. It contains salicylates, salicylic acid, benzoic acid and eugenol, which have an antipyretic effect.

Adding vanilla to food or using it in aromatherapy can be an effective treatment for rheumatic diseases and fibromyalgia.

Vanilla has an enhancing effect and stimulates digestive functions. It has laxative and choleretic properties, stimulates the production of bile.

Due to the presence of substances with antibacterial and antiseptic properties, it can be used for bad breath or halitosis. Among such substances it is necessary to highlight eugenol, tannins, vinyl acid and other organic compounds.

The volatile substances in this plant, in this case vanilla aromas, have antioxidant properties that are beneficial to the body and prevent premature aging. These substances include phenolic compounds, tannins, vanillic acid and others.

These compounds stimulate natural skin cell repair, suppress free radicals, protect the immune system and reduce inflammation.

To summarize, we can say that vanilla has the following medicinal properties:

Stimulating;

Calming;

Relaxing;

Antifever;

Antirheumatic;

Antibacterial;

Antioxidant;

Painkillers.

Vanilla benefits for the body

Most people appreciate vanilla only for its pleasant aroma and sweet taste that it adds to baked goods and other sweet dishes. But it can also bring special health benefits.

Its use can help:

Reducing blood cholesterol levels, which is important for people at high risk of heart attacks and strokes;

Relieving pain from arthritis, gout and other inflammatory processes;

Reducing the risk of atherosclerosis;

Reducing inflammation;

Increasing the body's defenses;

Cancer prevention;

Reducing nervous disorders;

Improving metabolism, which helps maintain weight;

Improving the functioning of the digestive tract;

Prevention of digestive disorders: vomiting, nausea, flatulence, cramps, diarrhea;

Improving the condition of skin and hair.

Vanilla, due to its properties, is often included in hygiene and cosmetic products for skin and hair care. Vanilla essential oil is most often used for this purpose. Its use can help strengthen hair follicles and improve blood flow to the scalp, which in turn stimulates hair growth.

The antibacterial properties of the spice are effective in fighting acne as it can eliminate the infection and speed up the healing process. Its use prevents the appearance of scars and dark spots from acne.

Vanilla application

The main use of vanilla beans is cooking. It is added mainly to sweet dishes and desserts, and flavors baked goods.

Vanilla extract can be an ingredient in cosmetics and hygiene products.

Medicinal uses are little known and less common than some other spices such as ginger or cinnamon.

It is not worth ignoring it completely in this area. Hot tea with vanilla can be an excellent remedy during respiratory and viral infections, soothe cramps and reduce gas formation in the stomach.

Essential oil can be used as a throat and mouth gargle to relieve a sore throat and eliminate bad breath.

How to grow vanilla

Nowadays many people are interested in growing orchids. Vanilla belongs to the family of such flowers. It is not difficult to grow it at home, provided all the conditions required for its cultivation are met. And this:

Provide the required temperature;

Adequate humidity (which is why purchasing a humidifier may become necessary);

Soil with a pH of 6.6 to 7.5% and rich in humus;

Bright light with shading from the sun.

For its growth, it needs good support in the form of a lattice or just an ordinary board.

Soil can be purchased at the store specifically for growing orchids.

During growth, you need to maintain a certain soil moisture. It should be evenly moist, but not over-moistened.

In spring and summer you need to feed them once every two weeks with special fertilizers for orchids.

After planting with seeds, it begins to bear fruit in the third year. Having waited for flowering, you need not to miss the time for their pollination. They are only open one day.

After successful pollination, pods will set in place of the flowers. If all stages are successfully completed, after 9-10 months you can harvest your spice crop.

To enhance its flavor, the pods are blanched in boiling water, then fermented and sun-dried until they become thin and wrinkled.

How to select and store vanilla

You can buy vanilla in the store in pods or mixed with sugar. When choosing pods, you should pay attention to their appearance: they should be thin-skinned and plump, dark brown (almost black), flexible, so that you can wrap them around your finger without damaging their integrity.

They must be stored in a closed container. The shelf life without loss of quality is about six months.

Contraindications for use

Vanilla is not an allergenic plant and has no side effects. Therefore, there are no contraindications for use and use.

Allergies can occur when picking the pods, which is often the case among collectors of this spice. It can manifest itself as a headache and skin rash.

Vanilla essential oil is contraindicated during pregnancy and children under 6 years of age.

Consumption rate:

Vanilla powder - from 0.5 to 1 gram;

In the form of a tincture - two or three drops taken 3-5 times a day.

If fresh vanilla is not available, extract can be used as a substitute in cooking. Natural, not synthetic, of course. To replace one pod, 3 teaspoons of extract are required.

Vanilla is a favorite spice with a sweetish aroma that creates warmth and comfort in the house. Perhaps this is why many of us choose vanilla-scented products for our homes.

What kind of plant is vanilla? Homeland of fragrant vanilla ( Vanilla fragrans), aka flat-leaved vanilla ( V. planifolia) - Central and South America. This is a perennial vine of the orchid family with a long, up to 35 m, herbaceous stem. Large whitish-yellow or yellow-green vanilla flowers are collected in clusters of 20-30 pieces, the fruits are long pod-like boxes 15-30 cm long and only 0.7-1.0 mm in diameter. When they ripen and dry, they become brownish-black. This is probably why the Aztecs called vanilla tlilhochitl - “black flowers”. They used the fruits, dried and ground into powder, as a spice that was added to cocoa.

In addition to vanilla fragrant, people cultivate another American species, pompom vanilla ( V. pompona). It has shorter pods, shaped like bananas, and the spice they produce is worse. An even lower grade product made from Tahitian vanilla ( V. tahitiensis), which is a hybrid of a local species of vanilla ( V. odorata) and brought by the French to Polynesia V. planifolia. The remaining types of vanilla, and there are about 110 of them, have purely decorative value.

Why is vanilla so expensive? When Europeans discovered overseas spices, they cost incredible amounts of money. But over time, strange plants migrated to plantations and ceased to be rare, and spices became significantly cheaper. However, natural vanilla is still very expensive. Its flowers are pollinated by stingless melipona bees ( Meliponula ferruginea), which live only in Central America. Attempts to move them to other regions were unsuccessful, so vanilla was grown outside Mexico exclusively as an ornamental plant. It was not until 1841 that Edmond Albius, a 12-year-old black boy from a plantation on Reunion Island, came up with a simple method of artificial pollination. This is an extremely labor-intensive task, since each flower must be processed by hand, and it only opens for a day. Fruits are set in only half of the pollinated flowers and develop for 7-9 months. It is not surprising that prices for vanilla in other years can reach up to $500 per kg.

What does vanilla smell like? The vanilla bean is odorless. To obtain the aromatic spice, you need to collect unripe fruits, immerse them in hot water for 20 seconds, and then steam them for a week in woolen blankets at a temperature of 60°C. At this time, enzymatic processes occur in the pods, as a result of which the glycoside glucovanillin is broken down into glucose and free odorous aldehyde - vanillin. Then the pods are dried for a long time and difficultly in the shade in the open air, during which they lose two-thirds of their mass, darken and are covered on the outside with white vanillin crystals. But vanilla does not smell like vanilla alone: ​​cinnamon esters, anise alcohol and aldehyde also participate in creating its unique aroma. Therefore, fruits that contain relatively little vanillin often smell more pleasant and stronger than fruits with a high vanillin content.

How to choose vanilla? High-quality vanilla should have a pleasant, strong and persistent aroma. These qualities depend partly on the harvesting process, and partly on the plant itself. The best varieties retain their aroma for up to 36 years. Low-grade pods quickly crack and the smell disappears. The lowest quality varieties contain mainly not vanillin, but heliotropin (piperonal) and smell like heliotrope, but this is not the same, you know.

A high-quality vanilla pod (stick) is long, soft and elastic, slightly twisted and oily to the touch, dark brown in color with a touch of vanillin crystals. Light colored, cracked or open pods are not suitable. Based on the totality of properties, manufacturers distinguish from three to eight varieties of vanilla sticks. In the simplest division, the first grade (category A) includes pods longer than 15 cm with a moisture content of 30-35%. They are also called “gourmet” or “prima”. Category B pods 10-15 cm long contain 15-25% moisture. Class C includes everything else shorter than 10 cm.

The best spice, as we remember, comes from flat-leaf vanilla. Mexican is considered the highest quality, followed by bourbon - varieties V. planifolia, which are cultivated in Madagascar and Reunion. (Bourbon is the old name for Reunion.) And if you see West Indian vanilla, it's already V. pompona.

What can you make from natural vanilla?

Unlike many other spices, vanilla is used in a limited number of dishes. Mostly it is used to prepare sweet dishes, creams, drinks, and is used as a natural flavoring for cocktails and alcohol.

Vanilla is quite capricious, and therefore it needs to be carefully prepared before you start preparing dishes using it. First, natural vanilla must be dissolved in liquid. It hardly dissolves in cold water. If you dilute it in hot water, it will instantly lose its taste and become bitter - you will ruin the baked goods. But as soon as vanilla is diluted in alcohol or vodka, the spice will give off its unique aroma and taste.

A very convenient thing - vanilla extract. You need to take four pods (category B is usually used), split them in half and pour in 100 g of vodka so that it completely covers the pods. Be sure to cap the bottle tightly. After two to three weeks in a cool place, the extract is ready. And if you take two pods and a whole bottle of vodka, you get vanilla vodka. They insist on it for only a few hours, so you won’t have to languish in anticipation for long.

Vanilla Sugar: With just a vanilla bean, you can provide yourself with vanilla sugar.

Vanilla tastes bitter, so before use it is thoroughly ground into powder in a porcelain mortar along with powdered sugar. Then this vanilla sugar can be used. To prepare it, take 1 vanilla stick for 0.5 kilograms of sugar.

And for sprinkling confectionery products, you can use sugar, with which unground vanilla was stored in the same jar - with its smell it will quickly saturate all the sugar. One or two sticks are covered with 500 g of sugar and stored for a week in a tightly closed jar in a cool place. During this time, it is saturated with the aroma of vanilla. As you consume it, you can add new sugar to the jar; a pod will last for six months.

Vanilla is introduced into the dough immediately before heat treatment, into puddings, soufflés, compotes, jam - immediately after their preparation, as well as into cold dishes. Biscuits and cakes are soaked in vanilla syrup after cooking.

Use vanilla in small quantities - 1/20 of a stick per serving or 1/4 of a stick per kilogram of products put into the dough. It is worth remembering that the sweet smell of vanilla is deceptive. If you overdo it, the dish will become bitter.

It has long been noted that the combination of vanilla and milk always gives excellent results. That is why it is added to milkshakes, curd cheeses, and ice cream.

The jams are also flavored with aromatic vanilla to give a brighter and more unique taste. True, not everyone likes it when this spice interrupts the taste of fruits and berries, so you should handle it with caution.

The combination of cocoa, cinnamon and vanilla has always delighted chefs, and therefore the spice is widely used in the manufacture of chocolate and drinks.

Vanilla has a special place in baking. True, today it is not as popular as it used to be. Partly, the spread of the spice is hampered by its high cost, and on the other hand, many manufacturers abandoned it because synthetic vanillin appeared long ago, which easily dissolves and does not require compliance with the rules when preparing dough.

Alcoholic cocktails with vanilla are very popular today. Just a few milligrams of natural vanilla is enough to make the cocktail taste rich and rich. If you add half a vanilla pod to a bottle of vodka and leave it, you will get a very unusual aromatic alcohol.

Chef's Tips:
The aroma of vanilla (like vanillin) quickly disappears, so these spices should be stored carefully sealed and added to the dish shortly before serving.

To prepare natural vanilla sugar, you need to split the pod into two parts, add sugar, seal the jar tightly and store in a cool place.

For vanilla extract, you will need 4 pods, each of them must be split into 2 parts, put in a narrow bottle, pour 100 g of vodka so that it covers the pods completely, seal and put in a cool place for 2-3 weeks.

Indian chefs prepare the extract differently and faster - they boil the pods in milk, and then add the aromatic milk to the dishes.

What products is vanilla used with?

There are several natural vanilla-based products widely available on the market:

  • vanilla powder, a powder made from dried and ground vanilla beans, it retains its aroma well under high heat and is therefore most often used in bakery and confectionery production. Vanilla does not like other herbs and spices too much - perhaps only saffron and cinnamon are in harmony with it;
  • vanilla extract, an alcohol solution infused for several months with crushed vanilla pods. The result is a transparent brown liquid with a strong vanilla aroma; it is added to creams, desserts, etc., since the extract does not tolerate heat treatment. US trade regulations require vanilla extract to contain 13.35 ounces of vanilla bean per gallon and be 35% ABV (pure alcohol by weight).
  • vanilla essence, a type of vanilla extract with a very high content of vanilla beans. If products say natural vanilla flavor, then you can be sure that the product contains pure vanilla extract or essence. Vanilla extract and vanilla essence were created by the American scientist Joseph Burnett in 1847;
  • vanilla sugar, fragrant sugar, it is made by mixing vanilla pods with powdered sugar or granulated sugar (usually in the proportion: 2 pods per 500 g of sugar). This mixture is stored for a week in tightly closed containers, and then the pods are removed. Flavored sugar is used in baked goods, as well as for decorating fruits, desserts, etc. Vanilla pods lose only part of their aroma and can be used for another 6 months.

Having become acquainted with vanilla, the Europeans initially used it in the same way as the Aztecs - they added it to cocoa. Then they began to flavor smoking and chewing tobacco with it, and even later they began to use it in cooking. Queen Elizabeth I of England was very fond of vanilla cakes.

Vanilla is added to all sorts of sweet dishes and flavored with coffee, cocoa and liqueurs. It should be borne in mind that vanilla is bitter, so before use it is thoroughly ground into powder along with powdered sugar. Take a quarter of a stick per kilogram of food. If you take more, the food will be bitter, and no amount of sugar will save it.

Heat-resistant vanilla powder is added to baked goods and other dishes that will be cooked.

Extract and essence lose their aroma at high temperatures and are only suitable for cold products. Sometimes they impregnate ready-made biscuits and cakes. You can also flavor the dish with milk in which the pods have been boiled.

Flavored vanilla sugar is sprinkled on baked goods, fruits and desserts. Cinnamon and saffron are sometimes added to dishes with vanilla; it does not go well with other spices.

What are the benefits of vanilla? Oil is obtained from vanilla pods. In addition to vanillin, it contains various resins, fats, tannins, and enzymes. Its aroma is healing, it relieves irritation and helps with insomnia, stimulates digestion and neutralizes alcohol, acts as a mild pain reliever and generally improves well-being. The smell of vanilla increases adrenaline levels, so it serves as a mild stimulant. The oil can not only be smelled, but also added to baths, rubbed with it, and made into compresses (it has a beneficial effect on the skin).

Experts also claim that vanilla oil reduces cravings for sweets: you drop a drop on a piece of cake, and you don’t want it anymore.

What is synthetic vanillin?

Global demand for vanillin significantly exceeds the actual amount produced from vanilla pods. According to statistics, for example, the need for vanillin in 2001 was 12,000 tons, but only 1,800 tons were produced naturally. Accordingly, all the missing vanillin was created artificially, that is, chemically synthesized.

Vanilla is so beautiful and yet so expensive that it was the first spice for which people found an artificial substitute. Attempts made in the second half of the 19th century by English, German and French scientists were not very successful: artificial vanillin was more expensive than natural one. However, by the beginning of the twentieth century, it was possible to establish the production of a cheap product, first from clove oil, and then from safflower, a component of the essential oil of camphor laurel, from young pine wood. So the white powder in sachets that most of us replace with black-brown oily sticks coated with vanillin frost is a by-product of the production of rosin from pine resin. It cannot stand comparison with a natural product, because the smell is sharp, unstable and lacking in nuances. But it costs a penny.

Nowadays, the most popular method for producing synthetic natural vanillin is the synthesis from guaiacol and glyoxylic acid.

Since the familiar vanillin is a product of the chemical industry, the result of synthesis, it has nothing to do with vanilla. This is what causes allergic reactions in children.

According to the laws of most developed countries (for example, the USA), the ratio of artificial and natural substances must be indicated on the label of a vanilla-flavored product. If the ice cream label says vanilla ice cream, it uses only natural vanilla extract or powder; if it says vanilla flavored ice cream, the product may contain up to 42% artificial vanillin, and the inscription artificial vanilla-flavored ice cream eloquently indicates that the ice cream does not smell of natural vanilla. We won’t give any recipes - just eat real vanilla ice cream and listen carefully to how you feel. But first, try putting a little vanilla in a seafood soup or in a sauce for poultry, or even vegetables - this is how modern chefs are trying to experiment with vanilla and, I must say, quite successfully...

How to handle synthetic vanillin?

Crystalline vanillin has a classic vanilla scent. It appears as small crystals or white powder. Synthetic vanillin is sold either pure or mixed with powdered sugar; in this case, the bag says “vanilla sugar.” There is little vanillin in this mixture, and it fizzles out quickly. Therefore, it is better to buy pure powder and grind it with sugar immediately before use.

It is resistant to high processing temperatures and does not lose its qualities for 25 minutes even at temperatures of 220-250°C. It is actively used in baking and the production of flour confectionery products, and in the production of ice cream.

Vanillin must be diluted before use. But in cold water it dissolves very poorly and precipitates. Hot water (75°C) is also not good: in it, vanillin quickly fizzles out and produces bitterness. But it is diluted in alcohol at 20°C.

Crystalline vanillin can also be mixed with other dry ingredients (flour, sugar, from 1 to 10 g per 1 kg of dough) before heat treatment. Since vanillin from different manufacturers can impart flavor and aroma to varying degrees, it is recommended to first test the dosage on small quantities of the product.

Compiled based on materials from the following sites.

A cocktail or cake cream becomes softer and more refined, and the unique aroma of fresh baked goods will be even richer if vanillin is added to these dishes during preparation. What is it, why do confectioners and ordinary housewives love it so much? You should understand this issue well in order to learn how to apply all the beneficial properties of the product in practice.

Oh, what aromatic vanilla!

Vanillin owes its unusually spicy aroma to the fruits of a plant growing in South America. Vanilla is a “relative” of the orchid, grows on vines and has yellow-white flowers. After they bloom, green pods remain, which form white crystals when they dry. This is the real natural vanilla.

The first mentions of it are associated with the Aztec tribes. The Indians added spice to their traditional drink - hot chocolate. The first European to taste vanilla was Christopher Columbus. This happened at the beginning of the 16th century. Since then, the spice came to Europe and became widely used in cooking.

Vanilla sugar at home

If vanillin is obtained artificially in the laboratory, then vanilla sugar can be made independently at home. To do this, just take 1 long vanilla pod, 1 kilogram of granulated sugar, and a little powder.

To prepare vanilla sugar, the vanilla pod is cut in half lengthwise, the seeds are removed, ground in a mortar to a powder and mixed with powdered sugar. After this, the resulting mixture is combined with sugar, a vanilla pod is added and the whole thing is sent to a dark place for storage for 3-4 days. After the specified time, the food supplement is ready for consumption.

To get aromatic sugar, one vanilla pod will be enough, and the seeds can be used to prepare some dessert.

Unfortunately, natural flavoring cannot be stored for a long time due to the fact that the pleasant smell quickly evaporates. To keep the aroma longer, add it to the dish at the end of cooking.

Difficult choice: vanillin or vanilla sugar

Before you buy a flavor supplement, you should know how to distinguish a natural product from one synthesized in a laboratory. After all, in essence, vanilla sugar and vanillin are the same thing, the difference is only in the method of their preparation. Of course, vanillin can be obtained from natural raw materials, but it is almost impossible to find such a product on store shelves.

When purchasing vanillin, you should carefully read the label. If a product contains a flavor identical to natural, or ethyl vanillin, then this product was synthesized in the laboratory. It is usually packaged in 1 gram bags. It is this aromatic additive that is most often used by confectioners when baking due to its low price. One bag of vanillin costs about 3 rubles.

Vanilla sugar is sold in bags of 8-15 grams. The composition of such a food additive must include sugar, as well as crushed seeds of vanilla pods or ethylvanillin. The latter option has the same qualities as artificial vanillin. The price for it ranges from 8-10 rubles. Vanilla sugar with a natural vanilla aroma is more expensive - about 30 rubles per bag weighing 15 grams.

When preparing a culinary masterpiece at home, it is better to give preference to a product with a natural composition, and leave artificial substitutes for mass production.

Vanilla is a perennial plant. According to biological classification, it is classified as a liana. Belongs to the Orchidaceae (Orchidaceae) family.

The genus name comes from Spanish, where it means “pod,” but the fruits of vanilla are capsules.

Vanilla pods are boxes with fragrant grains hidden in them.

Name in other languages:

  • lat. Vanilla planifolia,
  • German Mexican Vanille, Echte Vanille,
  • English Vanilla, common vanilla
  • fr. Vanille, Vanille du Mexico.

It is noteworthy that in all European languages ​​“vanilla” - “Vanilla” is spelled almost the same, with the exception of the endings of the word, and there are no other names for this spice.

Vanilla is a vine from the Orchid family.

Vanilla flowers are beautiful and delicate

Appearance

Can climb trees up to a height of 15 m.

The vanilla trunk is knotty, relatively thin: its diameter is up to 2 cm. The trunk practically does not branch.

The leaves are long, flat and fleshy, pointed-oval in shape. They grow on the stem between the nodes and are attached by shoots to the tree around which the vine wraps. At the nodes, on the reverse side of the leaf, the root grows. Due to it, the vine is also tightly attached to the tree.

Clusters of flowers are on short stalks. They are formed in the axils of the leaves and contain about 15 yellow-green flowers, which have a rather pungent aroma. The perianth consists of five leaves, and the sixth contains a pistil and stamen. Since it is enclosed in a tube, it is more difficult for butterflies to pollinate it.


Vanilla blooms in the third year of the vine's life and only for one day

The flowers form green fruits in boxes (many people mistakenly call them pods). The ovary forms a fruit of a narrow oblong shape, which is a box with three sides in the shape of a cylinder. The length of the fruit can reach 25 cm. Their width is about 1.5 cm. They contain pulp that resembles mousse, which contains many black seeds. The fruits are harvested when they turn yellow.

Vanilla grows wild in North America.

The first vanilla factory has been built in Madagascar, but only manual labor is used.

Kinds

There are officially 103 types of vanilla. Most of them are considered decorative.

Spice is obtained from three types:

  • Flat-leaved(Vanilla planifolia) - provides the best quality spice, has pods reaching a length of up to 0.25 m. It has the widest application.
  • Tahitian(Vanilla tahitensis) - This species grows in Tahiti. It has red-brown pods that have a floral, exotic aroma with hints of fruit and a slight hint of tobacco. They contain less vanillin and therefore cost less. Used in the preparation of desserts, ice cream, creams. In addition, it is used in the field of perfumery.
  • Guadalupe(Vanilla pompona) from Central and South America - vanilla from pods of this species is no longer of such good quality and is less valued. The aroma is similar to Tahitian, used for the production of perfumes and flavoring of tobacco.

Flat leaf - the highest quality vanilla

Guadalupe vanilla is cultivated in Central and North America

Tahitian vanilla is mainly cultivated on the island of Tahiti

Where does it grow?

Vanilla grows in tropical and subtropical regions. Most often it is cultivated in countries located on the equator. The largest volumes of vanilla production belong to the island of Madagascar. At the same time, vanilla is exported to China and Indonesia.

Vanilla originated from Mexico and Central America, after which it gained its popularity in other countries.

Method of making spices

The most famous spice, vanilla, is obtained from vanilla pods. The process of extracting spices from vanilla is quite complicated. The fruits themselves do not smell.


Unripe, fermented and dried vanilla beans

To give them their unique aroma, they are fermented:

Initially, the pods are collected when they are not quite ripe, before they have had time to open.

  • It is necessary that the pod be dried (to prevent rotting) for 8-10 days, but at the same time moisture must be retained in it, and in no case should the enzymes responsible for the production of vanillin be damaged. It is impossible to determine this from instrument readings. Vanilla farmers can only rely on their own abilities.
  • Then they are kept in the shade for 5 weeks. At the same time, they become brownish-black, acquire elasticity and begin to smell.
  • After this, they are tied into bundles and left in metal boxes for another month, where they acquire their unique bouquet.
  • Vanilla is shipped in wooden boxes lined with wax paper. In this case, each beam is checked.

The white coating on the pods is natural vanillin, the content of which in vanilla is no more than a few percent. The pods lose most of their weight during drying, but begin to exude aroma.

Producer cooperatives invite special tasters who identify the defective pod by smell. This pod is removed, because it can render the whole bunch unusable.

This is how vanilla pods are dried on the island of Mauritius

Vanilla pods ready for sale are packed manually

How to choose?

The quality of vanilla depends on the type of vine and drying conditions. The appearance of the pods is taken into account. They should be quite elastic and curl slightly. Their surface should be slightly oily and brownish in color with a white coating.

The white coating indicates the high quality of the pods; these are crystals of real vanillin.

In markets and retail chains, vanilla is sold in the following forms:

  • pods;
  • powder;
  • vanilla sugar;
  • extract.

Vanilla pods and powder must be sealed. When purchasing powder, pay attention to the composition on the packaging. The fact is that vanilla powder is expensive and unscrupulous manufacturers often replace it with a synthetic analogue. If synthetic raw materials were used in the production of the spice, the presence of lingin will be indicated on the packaging. Just 20 grams of this powder can replace one kilogram of natural vanilla powder.

The vanilla beans should be oily and the powder should be a rich dark brown color.

When buying vanilla sugar, carefully study the composition

Vanilla extract can be purchased in retail chains, or you can make it yourself

How to store?

In order to preserve all the organoleptic and beneficial properties of vanilla pods, the spice must be stored in a glass container with a tight-fitting lid. It is advisable to protect from exposure to direct sunlight. Many people store vanilla beans along with granulated sugar, which acquires a delicate vanilla aroma that is transferred to drinks and baked goods.

Extracts and essences should also be stored in a dark place and the bottle cap should be tightly closed.


It is very convenient to store vanilla in a glass flask with a cork stopper.

Peculiarities

Vanilla is one of the rather expensive spices. It is quite difficult to grow due to pollination difficulties. At the same time, the artificial production of vanillin does not give the same taste and aroma that is obtained from natural production. Under the right storage conditions, the scent can last up to 36 years.


If stored properly, vanilla will retain its properties for many years.

The following characteristics of vanilla are known:

  • it is used as an aphrodisiac;
  • it contains a large amount of minerals and antioxidants;
  • Sugar, vanilla extract, essence and syrup are made from it;
  • it is actively used in cooking.


Vanilla syrup is commonly used by bartenders to make cocktails.

Smell

The smell of vanilla gives dishes, especially confectionery, a subtle, unforgettable aroma. However, it is also used in perfumery. Many perfumes have subtle notes of vanilla in their scent. Vanilla, which grows in Reunion, is most often used for perfume purposes.

Vanilla scent:

  • invigorates,
  • improves memory,
  • helps with concentration,
  • gives joy,
  • causes our brain to produce serotonin - the hormone of happiness.

Vanilla is rightfully considered a feminine spice, because it is women who most often suffer from changeable moods and depression.


Vanilla is rightfully considered almost the main women's spice.

Moreover, seratonin can act on smooth muscles, so the smell of vanilla helps with painful menstruation. The smell of vanilla is a powerful aphrodisiac that not only stimulates libido, but can also prolong sexual intercourse.

Eau de toilette with notes of vanilla - a powerful aphrodisiac

Vanilla and chocolate - a shock dose of the hormone of happiness

Surprisingly, vanillin, which is part of vanilla, is just one of the 400 components present in natural vanilla.

The remaining components are present in the aroma in very small doses, but are very important for the overall impression, because these 399 components add up to the full aroma. That is why, to enjoy the smell of vanilla, we recommend using only natural vanilla.

Nutritional value and calorie content

Nutritional value and calorie content of 100 grams of product

One vanilla pod weighs about 3 grams.

You can learn about the properties of vanilla from the following video from the TV show “1000 and 1 Spice of Scheherazade”.

Chemical composition

Beneficial features

Vanilla has the following beneficial properties:

  • makes the skin more elastic;
  • helps get rid of acne and skin irritations;
  • whitens skin;
  • normalizes digestion;
  • helps with hormonal problems;
  • improves metabolism;
  • acts as a powerful aphrodisiac;
  • tones and relaxes;
  • improves mood;
  • Helps women during menstrual cycles.

Vanilla is actively used in aromatherapy, restoring appetite and improving the functioning of the nervous system.


Creams with vanilla extract moisturize, tighten and whiten the skin well.

Harm

But vanilla has not only beneficial, but also harmful properties:

  • intoxication by smell;
  • increased sensitivity to sunlight.

Vanilla essential oil tends to cause excessive sensitivity to ultraviolet rays, so after using it you should not expose your skin to direct sunlight.

Contraindications

Vanilla consumption is contraindicated:

  • pregnant women;
  • in the presence of personal intolerance;
  • if you have allergies.

Oil

Vanilla essential oil is a product that is very often subject to falsification. It is obtained from fermented pods, followed by an extraction process with oil solvents. It is long and requires high-quality technological equipment. The output amount of oil is very small. But they also use it in very small doses.

In appearance, vanilla oil is viscous, thick and greasy, with shimmer in the light. Vanilla oil has a strong, spicy-sweet aroma that lasts for many years. It has found application in medicine, cosmetology and aromatherapy.


Vanilla essential oil will lift your mood and relieve insomnia

Vanilla oil is actively used in aromatherapy.

It promotes:

  • calm,
  • stress relief,
  • insomnia.

The oil is added to many perfume compositions. It also has a beneficial effect on the condition of the skin, making it elastic, soft and tender. It allows you to treat skin irritations and even out its color.

The oil is not only an excellent flavoring agent, but also has a rejuvenating effect. The beneficial properties of this oil allow it to be used to combat various diseases. Vanilla essential oil can be used internally, in the form of inhalations or aroma lamps, and also added to a bath or massage mixture. The oil is also used in cooking in appropriate dosages.

Juice

The juice is extracted from the leaves of the plant. One of the uses: rub into the scalp to improve hair growth.

Application

In cooking

The range of uses of vanilla in cooking is quite extensive:

  • it is used in the preparation of confectionery products;
  • vanilla is added to drinks;
  • Vanillin is often added to chocolate, including chocolate drinks;
  • vanilla goes well with fruit;
  • Many alcoholic drinks contain vanilla essence;
  • Vanilla sugar is made from vanilla.


Vanilla has a bitter taste, so it is usually ground into powder and added to powdered sugar. There is only one pod per half a kilogram of sugar. Vanilla is added to puddings, jams, fruit dishes and salads, and baked goods. The cake layers are soaked in vanilla syrup.

A true Italian panna cotta cannot be made without natural vanilla.

Natural vanilla is an important ingredient in the famous French dessert "Crème Caramel"

Vanilla essence is often added to liqueurs.

However, you should be careful with the dosage. Adding too much vanilla will spoil the dish, giving it a bitter aftertaste.

Vanilla sugar is made by mixing vanilla with powdered sugar. Vanilla extract is obtained by infusing small pods in an alcohol solution, and then adding it to desserts.

Vanilla powder is obtained by grinding dried pods. Essence is a type of vanilla extract, only more pods are used in its preparation.

The coffee-vanilla combination is one of the most successful. It is on this tandem that the aroma of the famous liqueur "Sheridan's" is based.

Sheridan's liqueur is a combination of vanilla and coffee liqueur, the amount of each can be adjusted independently

The combination of yolks, white wine and vanilla is a classic French dessert cream Sabayon

Vanilla is often used to make vanilla creams. When cooked in cream or milk, the cut pod begins to exude its unique aroma. Then you need to take it out, scrape off the pulp and just add it to the milk.


Real vanilla will add a unique aroma to the cream.

Recipes

Sugar

After cooking, the pods need to be washed; they can be used to make syrup or vanilla sugar: the cleaned pods are placed in a jar with sugar. Close the jar tightly - and in 1-2 weeks you will have excellent vanilla sugar.


You can make your own vanilla sugar

Syrup

After preparing the vanilla sugar, the pods are placed in a bottle and filled with sugar syrup. In a short time you will receive aromatic vanilla syrup, which can be used to sweeten desserts and sauces. Shelf life - 4-6 months.

Vanilla extract

You can also make vanilla extract at home.

  • Take 1 vanilla pod and 30 ml of alcohol.
  • First, the pod is cut lengthwise, then cut into pieces.
  • Place the vanilla in a specially prepared jar and fill it with alcohol.
  • The composition is infused for three weeks.
  • After this period, the pods are taken out and new ones are added so that the extract is more concentrated.


Vanilla extract can be used to make desserts, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks

How to separate the pulp

Separation of vanilla pulp is a rather labor-intensive process.

It must be remembered that:

  • most of the flavoring substances are contained in the pods, and not in the pulp of the seeds and oil itself;
  • vanilla must be of high quality;
  • real vanilla is expensive, but the pods can be used repeatedly.

To separate the pulp you need:

  • Place the pod on the board, take it by the base and cut it lengthwise with a knife;
  • Press down the cut pods and carefully run them along with a knife, separating the pulp;
  • The pulp can be used to make vanilla sugar or syrup.


Separating the pulp from the pod is a labor-intensive task

vanilla ice cream

Required: 0.5 l. milk, 3 yolks, 100 g sugar and vanilla extract.

  • Beat the yolks with sugar and heat in a water bath until thickened.
  • Heat 250 ml of milk in a separate container, add vanilla extract and mix the milk with the yolk mixture.
  • The resulting mixture is heated for 10 minutes, stirring constantly.
  • Remove the mixture from the heat, add the remaining 250 ml of milk and cool.
  • After the mixture has cooled, place it in a plastic container in the freezer.
  • During the first few hours, the mixture is stirred periodically to ensure the ice cream is smooth.

Vanilla ice cream can be made right in your kitchen

In medicine

Vanilla is often used in traditional medicine. Using it:

  • relieve fever;
  • eliminate pain and discomfort in the stomach;
  • treat nervous system disorders;
  • treat mental illness;
  • eliminate drowsiness;
  • treat rheumatism;
  • stimulate muscle function;
  • improve digestion;
  • treat intestinal diseases;
  • suppress the tendency to drink alcohol;
  • treat sleep disorders;
  • used for delays in the menstrual cycle and premenstrual syndrome;
  • used for antibacterial purposes;
  • used in the fight against cancer;
  • treat anemia.

It is known that adding vanilla extract to food can save you from harmful bacteria.

When consuming vanilla during PMS and menstrual cycles, women feel much less discomfort and pain.

When losing weight

Nutritionists have discovered that the smell of vanilla can be used in the fight against excess weight. It helps suppress cravings for sweets and chocolate. Therefore, an effective method is when overweight patients wear pendants containing vanilla oil.

Many modern weight loss systems include vanilla, but not as a food additive, but as a powerful antidepressant. Inhaling the sweet aroma of vanilla helps fight bad mood, relieves anxiety and calms nerves. In addition, when inhaling this smell, a person produces hormones that block the feeling of hunger. You can also add a drop of vanilla oil to the finished dish, and then saturation occurs much faster.

Other

Many cosmetic companies have long learned about the benefits of vanilla for the skin and began producing creams based on vanilla extract.


Many leading brands produce vanilla-based skin care series

And, of course, this is one of the favorite scents of perfumers.

A mini diffuser with vanilla essential oil will fill your home with intoxicating aromas.

Vanilla notes are often used in perfumes

Growing

“Mora, Mora” (“Calmly and without haste”) - this is exactly what they say about capricious vanilla in Madagascar. After all, in addition to the humid tropical climate of the north of this island, it needs to devote a lot of time so that the fresh fruits turn into fragrant vanilla.

Vanilla is propagated by cuttings. The plant is pollinated artificially, and the first fruits appear after three years of cultivation. Liana has a high growth rate. In just a month it can grow a meter. But for this to really be the case, she needs to create the most favorable conditions.


Liana grows very quickly in favorable conditions

Flowers can bear fruit for several decades.

Pollination under natural conditions is carried out only by a single species of bees and hummingbirds. But only a few percent of the flowers can be pollinated in this way.

The length of the vines can reach up to 50 m. Vanilla is planted on plantations next to supports or pre-planted trees so that the vines have something to attach to.

Watch a video of how vanilla grows on a plantation in India.

At home

Growing a vanilla flower at home is very difficult. However, even if you managed to grow the plant, achieving a harvest will be even more difficult, since you will have to pollinate the vanilla yourself.

  • Vanilla requires a tropical, hot and humid climate, so first you will need to build a greenhouse.
  • Before planting, vanilla shoots should be soaked in water for 10 minutes.
  • Then pull out the plant, but not completely, leaving the ends in the water. Leave the shoot in this position for 5 days. Don't forget to add water periodically.
  • Fill the pot with special soil for orchids. Make sure that the plant has support around which it can twine. The place in which the pot will stand should be in the shade for half the day.
  • Plant the plant in a pot. The lower part of the plant (on which the shoots are located) should lie horizontally and be sprinkled with a thin layer of soil. Tie the flower.
  • During the first month, the soil should be dry, but not overdried. Moisturize it from time to time. In the following months, water, spray and fertilize the plant regularly.
  • It takes several years for vanilla to bloom.
  • When the plant blooms, you should pollinate it by hand. This must be done very carefully and at a strictly defined time. It is best to call an experienced florist for help, or turn to specialized Internet sites.
  • If everything goes well, the pods will set in a few months. When the pods begin to turn yellow on the bottom, they can be harvested.

Growing vanilla in a pot is a difficult but very interesting task.

  • Vanilla was known to the Aztecs and Incas. Representatives of the nobility gave it a special aroma to drinks made from cocoa beans.
  • The Aztecs sweetened dark chocolate with it and then used it to pay taxes.
  • Due to the difficulty of growing and preparing the spice, vanilla is considered a very expensive spice.
  • Vanilla was brought to Russia at the beginning of the 17th century.
  • Among the entire Orchid family, only vanilla has edible fruits.
  • Since ancient times, vanilla has been considered healing. This discovery was made by the Indians.
  • In France, tobacco used to be flavored with vanilla.
  • Vanilla came into widespread use after the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus.
  • There is a youth fashion trend "Vanilla Style".


Synthetic vanilla flavor

Due to its high cost, vanilla is often adulterated. It is very rare to find real vanilla; artificial analogues are more often sold, since vanilla of natural origin is quite expensive.

You will learn even more about the benefits of vanilla by watching the program “Live Healthy.”

Vanilla is a genus of the same name of perennial vines and their fruits of the Orchidaceae family.

Vanilla is a spice that, due to its subtle but rich and persistent sweetish aroma, is actively used in cooking, cosmetology and perfumery. However, due to the labor-intensive processing and cultivation process, vanilla is one of the most expensive spices in the world. The fruits of vanilla, for which the plant is actually cultivated, are brown or almost black elastic, soft and oily slightly rounded pods 10-20 cm long, sometimes covered with a coating of white crystals, but this feature belongs to the best varieties of vanilla.

Vanilla is native to Central America and Mexico. Currently, vanilla is also cultivated in Madagascar, China and Indonesia.

Composition of vanilla (per 100g)(we are talking about pods) the following: proteins - 1.2 g, carbohydrates - 12.5 g, fats - 0.1 g, essential oils, aromatic substance vanillin aldehyde (1.5-3%), resins, tannins, sugars. And also a small amount of B vitamins (B2, B5, B1, B3, B4, B6) and minerals - calcium, magnesium, potassium, manganese, iron and zinc.

Vanilla calories is about 287 kcal/100g.

In cooking, expensive natural vanilla are replaced with a synthetic analogue - vanillin, which often acts as a raw material for flavoring baked goods and desserts. But only the most expensive confectionery shops can afford to use natural vanilla. In general, vanilla, and more often vanillin, is used in the manufacture of chocolates, chocolate, biscuits, cookies, creams, vanilla sugar, jellies, puddings, mousses, cottage cheese casseroles, cottage cheese desserts, confectionery and bakery products.

In addition, vanilla flavoring is used to improve the taste and aroma of tea, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and cocktails.

Beneficial properties of vanilla

Vanilla has antioxidant, sedative, antipyretic and calming properties. In addition, vanilla is an aphrodisiac and with regular use of vanilla essential oil, it is beneficial for frigidity, impotence, erectile dysfunction and loss of libido. Vanilla essential oil stimulates the secretion of certain hormones such as testosterone, estrogen, etc., which contribute to normal sexual desire.

The antioxidant properties of vanilla neutralize free radicals and protect the body from some forms of cancer.

Vanilla essential oil can effectively reduce fever while fighting infections due to the presence of components such as eugenol and vanillin hydroxybenzaldehyde in it.

Thanks to its sedative properties, vanilla and vanilla essential oil relieve all types of inflammation and hyperactivity in all systems functioning in our body, namely the respiratory, circulatory, digestive, nervous and excretory systems. It relieves inflammation due to fever, cramps, hypersensitivity allergies.

In addition, vanilla essential oil will help normalize healthy sleep. It lowers blood pressure and has a calming effect on the brain.

Vanilla has a positive effect on women's health, in particular helps to normalize the menstrual cycle.

Vanilla essential oil and vanilla extract are used and in perfumery to create subtle sweetish notes in the bouquet, as well as in cosmetics- shampoos, shower gels, scrubs, liquid soap and bath foams.

However, in addition to the beneficial properties and widespread use vanilla has contraindications: individual intolerance and pregnancy.

Use vanilla incense sticks to create a romantic mood, light the stick and enjoy this subtle, sophisticated aroma!