Vanilla extract is made from vanilla beans, which come from a tree native to tropical regions of Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, according to the UCLA Medicinal Spices Exhibit website. The vanilla bean has a peapod-like shell that contains small, black, vanilla seeds. The pod and the seeds contain the spice's medicinal properties. The extract of vanilla is a concentrated liquid form of the spice that is made by brewing vanilla beans with alcohol and water -- similar to the process for making coffee. The resulting liquid is a powerful culinary and medicinal extract. Using vanilla for its health benefits is recommended only after consulting a qualified healthcare provider.
Stimulates Sexual Desire
Anecdotal reports throughout history have categorized vanilla as a sexual stimulant. As far back as the time of the Aztecs, vanilla has been thought to possess powerful aphrodisiac properties. In 1762, German researchers reported that consuming vanilla helped impotent men restore their sexual function, according to The Epicentre. Today, vanilla's culinary uses often overshadow its medicinal properties; however, vanilla as an aromatherapy remedy is now considered a popular scent for conferring aphrodisiac effects, according to HolisticOnline.com.
Alleviates Anxiety
Vanilla became popular in 17th-century Europe for its sedation properties. Vanilla is an aromatic spice that benefits the nervous system, according to the UCLA Medicinal Spices Exhibit. The Memorial Sloan-Kettering Hospital in New York reported that some patients who suffer from claustrophobia were able to alleviate their symptoms when they were exposed to vanilla aromatherapy, according to HolisticOnline.com.
Reduces Free Radicals
Vanilla contains high levels of antioxidants, according to a study led by B.N. Shyamala from the Spices and Flavour Technology Department of the Central Food Technological Research Institute in Mysore, India. Shyamala's study was published in a September 2007 issue of the "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry." Antioxidants are valuable for reducing free-radicals in your body, which are the waste products from normal as well as harmful metabolic processes. Excess free radicals may cause diseases, including cancer.
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