Vanillin is a spice with a pleasant, sweet scent that is extracted from the fruit of vanilla. It is a colorless powder consisting of small crystals. Vanillin is used for the production of baked goods and confectionery, as well as for the creation of perfume compositions.

Natural vanillin is extracted from vanilla pods

Appearance

Vanillin is obtained from a plant called flat-leaved vanilla. This flower belongs to the orchid family. Vanilla is an evergreen, climbing plant. As it grows, it wraps around tree trunks. Its leaves are large, ovate, pointed at the end. The inflorescences are of a very unusual shape - they vaguely resemble a spread out hand. The flowers are about 6 cm in size, usually yellow or green. The seeds ripen in long pods, from which the spice is subsequently extracted.

Vanilla pods are harvested while still green and then they undergo a complex drying process

Only manual labor is used in the production process for drying vanilla and extracting natural vanillin.

Natural vanillin crystals are formed on the pods during the drying process in very small amounts

Where grows

Vanilla is native to the West Indies, a group of islands located in the Caribbean. In the early 19th century, this plant was discovered by the Englishman Henry Charles Andrews, and over the next 200 years, vanilla spread to greenhouses around the world. Currently, the largest amount of flat-leaved vanilla is grown in the southern states of the United States, Central America and the North of South America, as there is the most suitable climate for this flower.

Vanilla plantations are mainly located in Madagascar and Reunion

Method for making spices

Vanillin is extracted from vanilla seeds, which ripen in the pods. First, the seeds are treated with boiling water, then a long process begins, during which the seeds are alternately heated in the sun and steamed in plastic containers. This process takes about two weeks, after which the seeds darken and turn dark brown. Then, the seeds are dried and simply kept for several months to intensify the smell.

For the production of vanillin, the following types of vanilla are cultivated today:

• Fragrant vanilla. It grows in Mexico, Indonesia, the Caribbean and Madagascar. Differs in large inflorescences. Has a rich, "warm" aroma.
• Vanilla Antilles. It grows in the countries of Central America, at an altitude of 0.5 km above sea level. It is most commonly used as an extract.
• Vanilla Tahitian. The place of cultivation of this plant, which is the result of crossing the two species described above, is French Polynesia. This species is grown not only for vanillin production, but also for decorative purposes.

This is how natural vanillin is produced, but most of the spice sold in stores is artificial vanillin. It is made from different raw materials by means of synthesis.

Madagascar Vanilla or Vanilla Bourbon - Highest Quality

Tahitian vanilla is inferior in taste and organoleptic properties

Synthetic vanillin production

Most of the spice sold in stores is artificial vanillin. It is made from different raw materials through synthesis. The possibility of synthesizing vanillin was discovered at the end of the 19th century in Germany by Wilhelm Haarmann and Ferdinand Timann. The production of synthetic vanillin was the first step towards creating artificial flavors. Currently, artificial vanillin can be made from a wide variety of substances, including eugenol, lignin, and petrochemical feedstocks.

Synthetic Vanillin - Artificial Flavor

Flavor identical to natural

Vanillin, obtained by synthesis, belongs to the group of flavors that are identical to natural ones. This means that it has the same chemical structure as natural vanillin and can be used as a food product. A flavor that is identical to natural, as opposed to an artificial flavor, is found in materials of animal and plant origin.

Smell difference between synthetic and natural vanilla

The difference in aroma between synthesized vanilla and natural vanilla is actually very significant. According to research, there are four hundred different components in the smell of vanilla, and vanillin is just one of them. Therefore, the aroma of real vanilla is much richer and more versatile than the smell of an artificial substitute.

The aroma of natural vanilla is much softer and more versatile than that of a synthetic counterpart

Characteristics

• white or colorless powder;
• sweet aroma;
• bitter taste.

Nutritional value and calorie content

Nutritional value and calorie content per 100 grams of product

Chemical composition

Natural vanillin contains:

• essential oil;
• gluco vanillin;
• tannin;
• cinnamon ether.

Where and how to choose

In specialized stores selling professional bakery and confectionery products, vanilla can be purchased in a variety of forms: in pods, in powder, as well as in the form of an extract or essence. Synthesized vanillin is sold at any grocery store.

A quality product should have a strong, rich aroma. If you are purchasing vanilla in pods, make sure they are long, soft and flexible.

Vanilla pods should be oily and bend well

Natural vanillin is very expensive and is produced in scanty quantities, so it is almost impossible to find it on the shelves.

You will find synthesized vanillin in any store or market

Beneficial features

• calms and relaxes;
• is a good antidepressant;
• has antioxidant and anticarcinogenic effects;
• considered a natural aphrodisiac;
• normalizes metabolism;
• helps relieve allergy symptoms;
• has an anti-inflammatory effect;
• is an antimicrobial agent.

Harm

• can cause a severe allergic reaction, manifested in irritation of the skin and mucous membranes.

Butter

Vanilla essential oil has a strong, spicy-sweet aroma that lasts for many years. It has found application in medicine, cosmetology and aromatherapy. Vanilla oil is found in many cosmetics and perfumery products. It is not only an excellent flavoring agent, but also has a soothing and rejuvenating effect. The beneficial properties of this oil make it possible to use it to fight various diseases. Vanilla essential oil can be used internally, in the form of inhalations or aroma lamps, as well as added to a bath or massage mixture.

Vanilla essential oil awakens sensation and boosts mood

Application

In cooking

• vanillin is added to baked goods to give it a special flavor;
• vanillin is an essential component of many recipes for sweet creams and sauces;
• housewives often add vanillin to berry and fruit jams;
• most confectionery products, including chocolate, caramel, soufflé, and others, contain vanillin;
• sometimes vanillin is used to flavor alcoholic beverages, for example, liqueurs and some varieties of vodka;
• vanillin is added to dairy and curd products to make them more flavorful.

Adding vanillin to any milkshake will make the drink taste rich and sophisticated.

You won't be able to get traditional Easter cottage cheese without vanillin.

Take 4 eggs and separate the whites from the yolks. Whisk the whites slowly, gradually stirring in a glass of sugar and a pinch of vanillin. After that, without stopping whisking, pour the yolks into the resulting mass. Then, kneading the dough from bottom to top, add a glass of sifted flour. Then set the oven temperature to 200 degrees and let it warm up. While the oven is heating up, prepare the baking dish. The bottom can be oiled or covered with parchment paper. The cake should be baked for 20-25 minutes.

Curd and vanilla cream

Whisk into a homogeneous mass 2/3 of a standard package of butter, 170 grams of cottage cheese and 1 tsp. vanillin. Beat at low speed. Then add a glass of powdered sugar and beat the mixture again, this time gradually increasing the speed to maximum. The cream is ready!

In medicine

Natural vanillin can be used as an aid to fight the following diseases:

• rheumatic pains;
• digestive disorders;
• fever;
• mental disorders;
• depression;
• sleep disorders;
• diseases of the nervous system;
• inflammation of the skin;
• feeling unwell on critical days;
• menstrual irregularities;
• intestinal colic.

When losing weight

Many modern weight loss systems include vanilla, not as a food supplement, but as a powerful antidepressant. Breathing in the sweet scent of vanilla helps fight bad moods, relieves anxiety and soothes the nerves. In addition, when this smell is inhaled, a person produces hormones that block the feeling of hunger.

Vanillin is always added to protein shakes for weight loss

At home

If you dissolve a bag of vanillin in water and sprinkle your clothes and skin with this solution, you can safely relax in nature without fear of an invasion of midges, since the sweet smell repels these insects.

Take packets of vanillin on a hike - a water solution of vanillin will save you from midges

• Natural vanillin is considered one of the most expensive spices in the world.
• Some Native American tribes used vanilla pods in place of money.

Vanilla in pods is the fruit of a perennial plant in the Orchid family. It is used as a spice mainly in confectionery and as a flavoring in the perfumery industry. The name vanilla comes from the Spanish word vainilla, which translates as "pod". Vanilla fruits are pods.

Vanilla grows in tropical and subtropical climates. The main suppliers of natural vanilla are Madagascar, China and Indonesia. Vanilla has gained wide popularity in Europe since the beginning of the 19th century, then it was imported to European countries from Mexico.

Vanilla has a very pleasant aroma, which is inherent in the fruit of only this plant, but the taste of natural vanilla is bitter, therefore it is added to confectionery products in small quantities. Too much vanilla in a dish can add a bitter taste to it.

Vanilla Bean Information:

Natural vanilla composition:

Vanilla pods contain:

• Carbohydrates - 12.5%;
• Proteins - 1.2%;
• Fat - 0.1%.

The chemical composition of natural vanilla fruits includes such mineral elements as calcium, zinc, potassium, magnesium, copper, iron, manganese, sodium and phosphorus.

Vanilla fruits contain vitamins such as B1, B2, B5, B6, B9 and PP.

Vanilla aroma is given to vanilla pods by vanillin, gluco-vanillin, essential oils and cinnamon ether. In addition, the fruits of natural vanilla contain tannins.

The calorie content of vanilla pods is only 287 kcal per 100 grams of product.

How to use vanilla pods in baked goods:

To prepare the dough with vanilla aroma, not the pod itself is used, but the seeds inside it. Therefore, you first need to extract the seeds from the vanilla pod as follows:

1. Just before adding the vanilla seeds to the dough, place the vanilla pod on a clean, dry board with the folded end of the vanilla pod facing up.
2. Hold the vanilla pod with one hand and a small knife in the other.
3. Carefully cut the vanilla pod lengthwise to the center, so that its edges can be pulled apart, but not in 2 pieces. Don't hurt your hands! If you want to add half a vanilla pod to the dish, then it must be cut lengthwise to half its length.
4. Open the edges of the pod with your hands.
5. Gently scrape the seeds from the vanilla pod into the dough, observing the proportions indicated in the recipe. If you add more vanilla than required, the dish may start to taste bitter.

How to make vanilla sugar from natural vanilla bean:

1. Take a small, clean, dry, hermetically sealed container.
2. Slice the vanilla pod lengthwise as above and scrub the contents into a container.
3. Place the vanilla pod in a container.
4. Pour 40 grams of sugar or, better, powdered sugar into a container, it will become saturated with vanilla aroma faster and more intensively.
5. Close hermetically and leave for one week.

How to make vanilla extract from vanilla pods:

1. Take a small, clean, dry and glass half-liter, hermetically sealed container.
2. Place 3 vanilla pods in a container.
3. Pour half a liter of good vodka or rum into a container.
4. Close hermetically and leave to infuse in a cool dark place for 3 months when using vodka and for 1 month when using rum. Shaking the container periodically.
5. Add as an ingredient to dishes in the proportions indicated in the recipes.

The longer the vanilla extract is infused, the more intense its taste and aroma will be.

How to store vanilla pods correctly:

In order for vanilla pods to retain their vanilla aroma for a long time - up to 5 years - they must be stored in a hermetically sealed glass jar in a dark and cool place.

How much does a line of vanilla weigh:

One vanilla pod weighs about 3 grams.

How to replace natural vanilla pods:

If the recipe lists a vanilla pod as an ingredient, but you don't have it on hand, you can replace it:

1. Vanilla sugar. In a ratio, 1 vanilla pod is equal to 15 grams of vanilla sugar.
2. Vanillin. In the proportion of 1 vanilla pod is equal to 1-2 grams of vanillin.
3. Vanilla extract. In a ratio, 1 vanilla pod is equal to 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Vanilla bean production technology:

The technological scheme for the production of vanilla pods is quite complex, which is why natural vanilla is so expensive. The production line includes 7 stages:

1. In the first stage, the vanilla fruit is harvested from the trees.
2. The fruits are immersed in hot water heated to 85 degrees Celsius in order to wash and disinfect them.
3. The vanilla fruit is then immersed in water heated to 60 degrees Celsius and left to ferment for a week. After that, vanilla fruits acquire their unique aroma and recognizable brown color.
4. Next, the vanilla is dried in the shade outdoors for several months.
5. After a light white bloom appears on the vanilla pods, it is ready for use.
6. Vanilla is placed in a container and sent to the warehouse.
7. At the warehouse, natural vanilla is packaged and sent for sale to retail outlets and to various industries.

The benefits of natural vanilla pods:

The benefits of natural vanilla lie in the beneficial effects of the essential oils it contains on the human body. Vanilla helps to restore the functioning of the nervous system, get rid of anxiety, irritability and stress.

It improves appetite, normalizes the digestive system and improves metabolic processes in the human body.

Natural vanilla is also useful for the work of the muscular system. It helps relieve muscle cramps.

In general, vanilla aromas soothe a person, improve mood, create a sense of peace and comfort.

Harm of natural vanilla pods:

Vanilla can be dangerous and contraindicated for people with its individual intolerance and allergy sufferers. The essential oils it contains can cause an allergic reaction. Therefore, people with allergies should consult a doctor before consuming vanilla.

Vanilla should be used with extreme caution by pregnant women. They should consult their doctor regarding its use.

For everyone else, vanilla can only benefit, when consumed in moderation, as an ingredient in proven dishes.

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

Ah, what a fragrant vanilla!

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

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

Vanilla sugar at home

If vanillin is obtained in a laboratory artificially, then vanilla sugar can be made independently at home. To do this, it is enough to take 1 long vanilla pod, 1 kilogram of granulated sugar, 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 state and mixed with powdered sugar. After that, the resulting mixture is combined with sugar, a vanilla pod is added there and everything is sent together to a dark place for storage for 3-4 days. After the indicated time, the food supplement is ready for consumption.

One vanilla pod will be enough to get the flavored sugar, and the seeds can be used to make some kind of dessert.

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

Difficult choice: vanillin or vanilla sugar

Before buying a flavoring supplement, you should know how to distinguish a natural product from one synthesized in the laboratory. After all, in fact, vanilla sugar and vanillin are one and the same, the only difference is in the way they are prepared. Of course, vanillin can be obtained from natural raw materials, but it is almost impossible to find such a product on the shelves in stores.

When buying vanillin, you should carefully read the inscription on the label. If the composition of the product contains a flavor identical to natural, or ethyl vanillin, then this product is synthesized in a laboratory. It is usually packaged in sachets of 1 gram. It is this aromatic additive that is most often used by pastry chefs when baking due to its low price. One packet of vanillin costs about 3 rubles.

Vanilla sugar is sold in sachets, packaged in 8-15 grams. In the composition of such a food additive, sugar is necessarily indicated, as well as crushed seeds of vanilla pods or ethyl vanillin. The latter variant 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 15 gram bag.

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.

Such a fragrant, inviting vanillin. Its benefits and harms have been studied almost completely. But they are known to a very narrow circle of people. This means we are filling the knowledge gap. Moreover, many people still confuse vanillin and vanilla.

Definition

Vanilla is a long brown pod. Vanillin is a synthetic substance, a flavoring agent. That's the whole difference. Therefore, in the store, do not rush the seller asking for a bag of vanilla or that vanillin pod over there.

By the way, there are several types of synthetic flavoring. It all depends on the materials from which vanillin is prepared. It can be:

• oil
• waste of paper production
• tonka beans
• coal tar

Yes Yes exactly. Did you think that the product is obtained directly from the pods? Dudki. And more recently they figured out how to get vanillin even from manure. True, the scientific world did not appreciate the discoveries and awarded the scientist Shnobelevk. To be discouraged.

The benefits of vanillin

For health or in the process of treatment, vanillin does not bring any benefit. Absolutely. Unless its delicate scent can slightly soothe a shattered nervous system or banish insomnia. But don't smell the vanilla scent for too long.

After a short time, it becomes obsessive, and then it is suffocating. The body reacts with aggression and irritability instead of appeasement.

Did you know? It turns out that someone started a bike that you can pacify an outbreak of anger with vanilla. And after all, as one believed and repeat this heresy. Didn't even bother to think logically. How can vanillin relieve anger? While a person sniffs a sweet aroma, he will have time to blow everything to hell. And then it will calm down. Of course, vanillin helped! By the way, you can throw the powder into a person's eyes. Then he will definitely have no time for anger. This means that vanilla is also honored and praised here.

Why is vanillin useful?

But the benefits of fragrant powder are still there. In the kitchen. There is no need to tell you how vanillin is used for culinary purposes. A fragrant spice is added to baked goods, puddings, cocoa. Some housewives even add a pinch of it to the compote. To smell like childhood.

But few people know that the vanilla smell goes well with meat dishes. Especially if you make a sweet and sour fruit sauce and sprinkle it a little with vanilla.

Council. You should not sprinkle the spice too much, trying to enhance the smell of the finished dish. The aroma will become sugary and suffocating, and it will be impossible to eat food because of the strong bitterness.

Vanillin in cosmetics

Some sources claim that there are benefits from vanillin besides the cuisine. Supposedly washing with water and dissolved powder works wonders. For those who are inclined to believe in fairy tales, we advise you to go up the article a little higher, and read again - from what this flavor is obtained.

Think for yourself, which of the following will benefit the skin and miraculously change it for the better? That's right, absolutely nothing. Therefore, do not translate in vain a smelly powder.

If you really really want to do something necessary for your skin and always with vanilla, then just add a few drops of the essence or solution to your body milk or caring cream. No, this will not add value. Such an amount of vanillin will not bring harm either. Why then add? For the scent. The smell on clean, damp skin remains for a very long time. At least sniff your fill.

Council. You can add a few drops to your hair balm. So the subtle sweet aroma will accompany you a little longer.

Chemical production fragrances are interesting in that they always present a lot of surprises in laboratory research. However, vanillin is not at all part of this story. Its negative sides were clear from the very beginning. After all, scientists knew what the substance was made of.

Especially insidious is the aromatic powder from the tonka beans. It contains a lot of coumarin. This substance is dangerous because it is not excreted from the body, but gradually accumulates. Upon reaching a certain concentration, coumarin begins to poison the human body. Especially the liver gets. After all, it is she who takes the brunt of all toxins and poisons.

But don't be scared. Otherwise, you will stop using vanillin altogether. In order to get poisoned, a person of average body constitution needs to eat 80 g of aromatic powder at a time. But no one in their right mind will eat vanillin with spoons. And not so much of it is eaten by the average person. Even throughout life.

Therefore, you can safely add flavoring to your diet. Of course, in adequate doses. By the way, if you carefully read the inscriptions on the bags with spices, then you can easily avoid the terrible coumarin. Just be careful when buying.

What is the harm from vanillin

Absolutely all sources, like parrots, repeat the mantra one after the other: dermatitis and eczema may occur with individual intolerance to the fragrant powder. Who invented this? With individual intolerance, only anaphylactic shock occurs! Is it eczema for a person at such a moment? Eh, would-be writers. At least look for accurate information before misleading people.

Another very "important" statement of such authors: vanillin is very high in calories, therefore it is not suitable for dietary nutrition. And one more stupid myth. No doubt, the calorie content of the flavor is high. Consists of 288 Kcal per 100 g of product. Read it again. For 100 g! How many grams of vanillin do you add to the dough? Maximum 1-1.5. Well, where is the danger for the figure or a contraindication to use in the diet? Always think before you believe any nonsense.

Otherwise, vanillin will not bring any harm. Well, if only you do not overeat them to the dump. Although, this is hardly possible. It tastes very bitter.

It turns out that he is the most ordinary, this vanillin. The benefits and harms of it are now no secret for you. Therefore, in a conversation with friends, you can show off your knowledge. Well, and of course, use the information for personal purposes. For example, in the kitchen. Then your household will thank you. A trifle, but nice.

Video: how to make vanilla sugar from vanillin

In the manufacture of bakery products, special requirements are imposed on vanilla. Regular powdered vanillin loses much of its excellent flavor at high temperatures. For such products, crystalline vanillin is considered the best. It does not lose its properties even at temperatures over 200 degrees. Such vanillin is widely used in the production of chocolate and ice cream.

What is vanillin and how do you use it? Vanillin is made from vanilla pods that grow in tropical latitudes, mainly in the Caribbean and South America. The demand for this product is much wider than its supply, so it is also chemically synthesized.

Crystalline vanillin is produced today in countries such as China, Canada, the United States, and some European countries. Outwardly, it is a small white or yellowish needle-like crystals. Its taste is bitter and quite pungent. When dry, it has a light pleasant typical aroma.

It is very important to use this food additive correctly. Before using it, the question always arises: how to dilute crystalline vanillin so that it maximizes its aroma. If you use it incorrectly, then the resulting products may be completely without vanilla smell or even taste bitter.

Crystalline vanillin: how to use to achieve maximum effect

First of all, it must be dissolved. It should be noted that it is very poorly soluble in cold water and almost always precipitates. In too hot water, it also does not bring any benefit, but only gives bitterness, while the aroma quickly disappears. Experienced chefs suggest dissolving vanillin in alcohol or vodka. One packet of crystalline vanillin is dissolved in 50 ml of vodka and mixed with cooled sugar syrup (for 400 g of sugar, 1 glass of water). This solution can be used as needed.

If alcohol-containing liquids cannot be used in the recipe, or they can spoil the consistency of the finished product, for example, when making ice cream, vanillin is mixed with dry ingredients just before heat treatment. In baked goods, it is mixed with flour and sugar. Depending on the quality of crystalline vanillin, it may take from 1 to 10 g for 1 kg of finished dough.