If you think that the name 'vanilla' is associated only with production of the mouth watering ice creams, custards, pastries, chocolates, soft drinks, biscuits and cakes, then you are wrong. Read on to know about pure vanilla essential oil properties and health benefits.
The vanilla essential oil is extracted by solvent extraction of a resinous substance obtained from fermented vanilla beans. Vanilla plants, scientifically known as ‘Vanilla Planifolia’, are creepers and are mainly grown in Mexico and neighboring countries. These plants bear vanilla beans which contain acetic acid, caproic acid, eugenol, furfural, isobutyric acid and vanillin hydroxybenzaldehyde. Vanilla is widely used as a flavoring agent in culinary, in the food, beverages and pharmaceutical industries but vanilla essential oil has found its uses in the world of medicines.
Vanilla Facts
The familiar vanilla bean pod is obtained when the green pods of the plant are cured, fermented and dried. Then the whole pods go through CO2 process. Finally with the 'total' extract process, vanilla oil is obtained. The CO2 distillation is responsible for producing exceptional quality aromas from pure vanilla essential oil. The unique aroma of vanilla is offered by the chemical component 'vanillin', present in it. Concentration of this component is different in different varieties, from just a few percent in some varieties, to about 27% in the CO2 distillate from Madagascar. You would not get vanilla oil by steam distillation of vanilla beans since CO2 and solvent extraction is necessary to obtain the precious aromatic and flavorful components of vanilla essential oil. Read on essential oil uses.
Vanilla Essential Oil Properties
Relaxing
Febrifuge
Tranquilizing
Anti carcinogenic
Anti depressant
Aphrodisiac
Sedative
Antioxidant
Vanilla Essential Oil Uses
Antioxidant: Anti oxidant property of vanilla essential oil is the most beneficial property as it helps avoid oxidation, which is the biggest cause behind most of your troubles and diseases. Free radicals or oxidizers are responsible for oxidation of living cells and tissues, burning them to death, which leads to weakened immune system, loss of memory, organic and nervous malfunctioning, gradual loss of vision & hearing, mental instability, etc. Antioxidants neutralize the free radicals and thus protect the body against diseases. They also repair the damages already done to the body.
Anti Depressant: Vanilla aroma makes you happy and relaxed.The aroma is exclusive if it is real vanilla, but synthetic vanilla or artificially synthesized Vanillin Hydroxybenzaldehyde also offer good aromas and they also work great for depression. The flavor is so pleasant, sweet and soothing that everybody, ranging from toddlers to elders, loves it. Vanillin Hydroxybenzaldehyde is the component of vanilla essential oil which particularly acts as anti depressant and mood up-lifter.
Aphrodisiac: It is well proven that vanilla essential oil, taken under proper guidance, can help relieve the problems of impotency, erectile dysfunction, frigidity, loss of libido etc. This oil enhances secretion of certain hormones like testosterone, estrogen etc. which results in normal sexual behavior and promotes arousal.
Febrifuge: Some of the elements like Eugenol and Vanillin Hydroxybenzaldehyde present in vanilla essential oil help reduce fever by fighting infections and by reducing inflammation. Being a sedative, it helps reduce inflammation due to fever (Anti Phlogistic property).
Anti Carcinogenic: As seen above, the free radicals or oxidants causing certain type of cancers are neutralized by vanilla essential oil and thus the growth of cancerous cells is prevented.
Sedative: Vanilla essential oil soothes all types of inflammations and hyperactivity in all the body systems. It helps reduce the effects of stress, anxiety, allergy, fever and convulsions.
Tranquilizing: Vanilla essential oil offers you a sound sleep. The sedative and relaxing properties of the oil help lower blood pressure and have a sort of tranquilizing effect on the brain too.
Relaxing: The vanilla essential oil has a relaxing and soothing effect on the brain and the nerves, because of which you can get rid of anxiety, anger, restlessness etc. within short period of time.
Blending: Vanilla oil blends well with other essential oils of orange, lemon, neroli, jojoba, chamomile, lavender, sandal wood, etc.
Other Benefits: It helps regularize menstruation by activating certain hormones like estrogen.
Vanilla Essential Oil Recipe
Vanilla Rose Bath Fizz
Take Ѕ cup baking soda, ј th cup cornstarch, ј th cup citric acid in a glass bowl. Mix them well. Take 1 tsp melted cocoa butter and 1 tsp vanilla essential oil in another small bowl and add to it Ѕ tsp rose otto oil. Now, take 1 tsp rose water and slowly blend the mixture of vanilla and otto oils with butter, in it. Mix everything well. Pack the mixture into molds. Take out by turning it out on wax paper, by slightly pressing the mold. Let them dry for 24 hours and then store them in air tight containers. Every time you can add a fizz to the tub full of warm water and enjoy the bath.
Vanilla bean carbon dioxide or vanilla bean absolute are expensive. You can create an alternative vanilla extract essential oil which is alcohol based.
Vanilla Extract Essential Oil
Ingredients
8 oz. clean, dark glass bottle with cap
Muslin for straining
7-8 ounces of vodka (doesn't matter if you choose an inexpensive variety)
3-4 fresh, high-quality 6" vanilla beans. Remember, vanilla beans should be dark with consistent coloring on the entire bean. If you want more concentrated extract, you can use 1 or two more beans.
Procedure
Cut the vanilla beans lengthwise carefully.
Again cut them into small pieces of about 2 cm.
Put all pieces into the bottle.
Pour vodka into the bottle, leaving some space at the top, so that you will be able to shake the bottle well.
Close the bottle with the cap, tightly.
Place the bottle in a dark area for 30 days, do not forget to shake the mixture daily.
After 30 days, carefully strain the extract through the muslin fabric. All beans and particles should be removed.
Strain the extract as many times as required.
Re-bottle into a clean, dark glass bottle.
Read on:
Vanilla Bean Substitute
Vanilla Extract Substitute
I hope you find the above recipe easy and simple. As you have read the health benefits of vanilla essential oil, I am sure you will agree with me that vanilla essential oil is a feast to nose and palate.
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