Is it just me, or does the idea of eating vanilla extract raw make your mouth water? If so, you’re probably wondering if you should be consuming vanilla extract raw. The answer is no, it’s not safe to eat vanilla extract raw. So how can you still enjoy a sweet and aromatic taste in your food? Well, luckily there are some other ways to get the flavor without jeopardizing your health and safety.
For example, you could use extracts that come in a bottle to prepare foods like ice cream or sweets. You could also mix a few drops of vanilla oil into sauces and stir-fries.
Because the vanilla oil is made by mixing alcohol and water, it is considered safe to consume. However, as far as raw foodists are concerned, many people now prefer to use extracts instead of oils in order to avoid having any traces of chemicals, additives or preservatives. Although extracts are still fermented, they will not affect your body in the same way or have the same effect as consuming raw vanilla extract.
Raw Vanilla Extract Vs. Vanilla Oil
You may have already noticed that I don’t use “vanilla extract” much in my writing. Instead, I use “vanilla oil.” This is because I am a raw foodist and therefore do not consume anything that has been heated or cooked above 118°F (48°C). However, when you look at your vanilla extract in the store, you may see the following words on the label: “cooked” or “heated.” You may be wondering what that means..
We don’t usually think of “cooking” as being something that happens at room temperature, but with organic materials like vanilla beans and other ingredients used to make extracts, this mild cooking actually begins when they are added to alcohol. This causes them to lose moisture and break down into smaller pieces.
So, strictly speaking, “cooked” refers to the fact that all organic material has been broken down at room temperature. So technically all extracts are cooked even though they haven’t been heated above 118°F.
Organic materials like vanilla beans and certain nuts lose moisture as they break down in alcohol at room temperature. This is an example of mild cooking . . . technically all extracts are cooked even though they haven’t been heated above 118°F.
To understand this process more clearly, let’s first look at the different stages involved in vanilla extract making.
When vanilla beans are harvested, they contain a lot of moisture and their cells contain a lot of air. Once they are dried, the cell walls can set and shrink making it harder for that moisture to escape. Because of this, most vanilla beans need to be treated with heat before they become useful for making extracts. They start as green beans but turn brown as you cook them in alcohol.
Go Green! When You’re Going to Cook Your Vanilla Beans I know you might want all of your foods cooked at high temperatures so that you can be sure that absolutely no bacteria is present in anything whatsoever. But when you buy vanilla beans they are often still green and some are sold even slightly blemished due to mold.
To be able to use these beans for their extracts, the beans need to be cooked first. Here’s how: Place your vanilla beans in a pot, cover them with water and bring them to a boil over medium-high heat. As soon as they start to boil turn the heat down low and simmer them on low heat for 90 minutes without changing the water.
The longer you cook them, the more nutrients will leach out of them and the milder the flavor of your resulting extract will be. After the 90 minutes are up, use tongs to remove them from the hot water and dry them off. Keep in mind that they will remain moist even after they have dried, so don’t try to rehydrate them again using heat.
Once you remove your beans from the boiling water, place them in an airtight jar and cover with a 50-50 mixture of grain alcohol and water. You can also use rum or tequila instead of grain alcohol. Just remember that the alcohol evaporates first during boiling which is why you need to add more in order to get more flavor out of your vanilla beans than if you were starting with 1:1 ratio of alcohol and water.
After you have added the alcohol and water mixture, cover the jar with a cloth to keep out any dust or insects, then shake it every day for between one and three weeks. Remember that you are not supposed to use vanilla beans for more than 3 months because their flavor will weaken as time goes by. As you shake your jar, the vanilla flavor will slowly begin to seep out through the beans into your alcohol mixture. This liquid is what you need to make your extracts from.
To use it in baking recipes, simply replace 1 teaspoon of extract with 2 teaspoons of the vanilla extract that you have just made. You may add more or less of the special liquid depending on how strong a taste you want. Always remember to keep your vanilla extract in an airtight, dark glass bottle.
You may also use your homemade extract for cocktails. In fact, harvesters used to add vanilla pods to the rum that was used for making the original daiquiris. Most commercial extracts today are of course made through the use of machines but you can still make your own personal extract at home. All you need is a few bottles of rum, some vanilla beans and a few weeks free time on your hands.
If you would like to store your extract for longer than 3 months, then the pure vanilla extract that is sold in shops is probably the best choice. It will have the same pleasant flavor but more importantly, it already contains all of the preservatives and additives which will keep it from going bad for much longer than homemade extracts.
Aromatic Vanilla, as we have seen, there are quite a few varieties of vanilla beans in existence today. Some of these variations may just be slight differences in height or coloration such as those between Madagascar and Mexican vanilla or “Tahitian” Madagascar beans. However, there are also many types of vanilla that show up distinctly different depending on their geographical location. Just like coffee, you can find vanilla beans at their best when grown tolerably close to the equator but some of the vines can also be harvested in colder regions as well.
The vanilla industry is not so much concerned with this fact though thankfully because it makes identifying and selecting a particular vanilla bean extremely difficult. The main players in the world’s vanilla trade have today only one thing in common: they come from far away from the equator. The rest of it all depends on how much money you are willing to spend on a certain type of bean and where in the world you live to get them. That is why the vanilla industry is divided into two very different types of cultivation: The first type is commonly known as “Far East” vanilla and the second type as “Near East” vanilla.
Almost all of these beans will have an extraordinary sweet taste and smooth, velvety appearance like the Tahitian or Mexican varieties. Even though they may not be able to change their color any further, they are all very pretty – both harvested and in their flavored extracts. The Far East versions will come in various colors ranging from gold to green to brown but they always have a rich, deep aroma that is still very recognizable in spite of being rich and strong.
Does pure vanilla extract need to be cooked?
Vanilla extract is a product that needs to be somewhat cooked before using. This is why it is usually prepared by blending a couple of vanilla beans into alcohol and then heating the mixture for cooking purposes. The goal of this process is to slowly boil off the vanilla’s natural oils and flavors, leaving behind only its essence or flavor.
Is vanilla extract harmful?
It is said that vanilla extract can be very harmful to some people. There are some reports that it contains high levels of vanillin. Vanillin is a chemical substance that has been proven to cause headaches and dizziness. In response to these reports, producers have reformulated vanilla extract in order to reduce the amount of vanillin produced during the cooking process.
Are there healthy benefits from pure vanilla extract?
Pure vanilla extract is said to contain certain antioxidants, which help people resist diseases and stay strong against most illnesses. It also helps people improve brain functions, balance their body’s pH levels, and prevent many skin problems like psoriasis or acne.
What happens if you drink straight vanilla extract?
Most people would probably stay away from drinking straight vanilla extract because of its strong taste. However, it is said to have a calming effect on people and can help reduce allergic reactions. It is also said to be an aphrodisiac for both women and men.
How do you make homemade vanilla extract?
While you still have dried vanilla beans in your possession, you can start making your own vanilla extract. You will need the following ingredients: one split vanilla bean, 1 cup of vodka, a sterilized and clean glass jar with a tight lid to store the finished extract, and a funnel for pouring the contents of the jar into small bottles or containers that can be used later.
How much vanilla extract can you drink?
You can drink as much vanilla extract that you want if you are sure that the brand of extract that you are drinking is healthy and contains high level of antioxidants. Keep in mind though that vanilla extract contains alcohol, which is dangerous for pregnant women to consume in large quantities.
Is pure vanilla extract safe for children?
Parents who would like to give their children a sip of vanilla extract should always check with their pediatrician first for safety reasons. It is not recommended that a child under the age of 10 take even quite small amounts of pure vanilla extract on a daily basis due to its high alcohol content.
We hope this vanilla extract information article helped you. If you still have questions, comments or if you need more information, feel free to visit our website. Whether you are a beginner or an expert, we hope that this article was interesting to read and helpful in learning more about vanilla extract. If you enjoyed reading this post, please share with your friends using the buttons provided at the bottom of the page.
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