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Imitation Vanilla
Imitation Vanilla
Imitation Vanilla
What is it:
Imitation vanilla is made from synthetic vanillin and is used as a flavoring substitute for pure vanilla extract. You can purchase imitation vanilla on its own as a flavoring substitution for vanilla. Synthetic vanillin is made from water, propylene, glycol, vanillin, caramel color, sodium benzoate (added as a preservative), phosphoric acid, and Ethyl Vanillin.
Vanillin is made up of eugenol, guaiacol, or lignin. Eugenol and guaiacol are petrochemicals derived from crude oil, whereas lignin is a waste and a by-product of the wood pulp industry. Lignin is chemically treated to resemble the taste of true vanilla. Imitation vanilla is found in many processed vanilla-flavored products, such as ice cream and coffee syrups.
Rating:
Synthetic vanillin is simply a processed and cheap alternative to pure vanilla extract.
Many imitation vanillas contain sodium benzoate. Research has suggested that a high intake of this preservative may be linked to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children. One animal study showed that short-term sodium benzoate consumption can impair memory performance and increase brain oxidative stress in mice.
Pure vanilla extract has a much more diverse nutritional profile than imitation vanilla, which lacks minerals and has added preservatives. Either way, imitation vanilla is a byproduct of waste rather than a natural vanilla bean extract.
Resources:
- Vanilla-Natural Vs Artificial: A Review (Review)
- Green Chemists Synthesise Vanillin From Sawdust
- Vanillin Production from Lignin and Its Use as a Renewable Chemical (Review)
- Effects of sodium benzoate, a commonly used food preservative, on learning, memory, and oxidative stress in brain of mice (Animal study)
How we rate ingredients
Health is like a bank account, certain ingredients make a deposit into your health bank, meaning they add to
your health. Certain ingredients withdraw from your health bank. We want health promoting ingredients in our diet. To keep things simple, we rate ingredients on a green, yellow, red scale:
Clean
It is naturally occurring in food and has no harmful effects on the body. It is real food. It is health promoting.
Caution
It goes into one or more of the below categories
- It is not naturally occurring in food but doesn’t have data showing it has a harmful effect on the body (additives like Gellan Gum)
- It is naturally occurring but can have some harmful effects on the body (added sugars, oils, gums etc.)
We Avoid
It is known to have a harmful effect on the body (ex. All food colorings, Natural Flavors, MSG, Potassium bromate, aspartame, artificial flavors)
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