The first thing that comes to mind when someone says the word vanilla is ice-cream! One of the most loved flavors in desserts and confectionaries worldwide, vanilla has various health benefits too. Vanilla oil extracted from vanilla beans is renowned for its delightful aroma. The main components include acetic acid, capric acid, eugenol, furfural, isobutyric acid, and vanillin hydroxybenzaldehyde. These constituents make the essential oil useful in the field of aromatherapy. Check out the incredible benefits of vanilla oil.
1. Excellent Antioxidant Effects
Vanilla essential oil has the ability to prevent damage and oxidation of cells caused by free radicals in the body. This property of vanilla extract can be used in food preservation and in the cosmetics we use for skin care.1
2. Potent Antimicrobial Effects
Being an essential oil, it can effectively manage the symptoms of fever. Researchers have also found out that vanilla essential oil can act against the growth of harmful bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae.2
3. Fights Metastasis Of Tumor Cells
According to a recent study, vanilla extracts can be used to prevent metastases of cancer stem cells. The aggressive behavior of cancer cells is often the reason why some cancers like cancer of the lung do not respond to chemotherapy.3
4. A Natural Anti-Depressant
Just the way a scoop of vanilla ice-cream can uplift our spirits, vanilla extracts have been scientifically proven to ease depressive symptoms. Vanillin hydroxybenzaldehyde in vanilla essential oil has been scientifically proven to be a natural anti-depressant. The effects were found to be similar to the drug fluoxetine which is given for depression.4
5. A Natural Remedy For Insomnia
Pharmacology has not been able to find an effective remedy for insomnia and sleep apnea. Studies conducted with vanilla essential oil has proven its efficacy in treating insomnia and sleep apnea. Its soothing aroma can even calm infants to catch up on some much-needed sleep.5
6. An Effective Aphrodisiac
Vanilla essential oil has been used for centuries as a natural remedy to treat low sex drive and sexual dysfunction. Its aphrodisiac properties have been found to boost libido effectively without any side-effects.6
7. Protective Anti-inflammatory Properties
Vanillin in vanilla essential oil has been proven to have the ability to prevent inflammatory reactions. The anti-inflammatory effects combined with its antioxidant properties help to protect vital organs tissues.7
8. Relaxing And Soothing Effects
In aromatherapy, vanilla essential oil induces a sense of tranquility when diffused in the air. In a case study done at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, patients who were exposed to the vanilla scent before undergoing MRI scanning were much relaxed than the ones who weren’t exposed.8
Next time you hop into a store, look for vanilla essential oil too in addition to that bottle of vanilla essence you frequently buy. Vanilla is more than just a flavoring agent for deserts and indeed should be a part of your daily life for its wonderful benefits.
References
| ↑1 | Shyamala, B. N., M. Madhava Naidu, G. Sulochanamma, and P. Srinivas. “Studies on the antioxidant activities of natural vanilla extract and its constituent compounds through in vitro models.” Journal of agricultural and food chemistry 55, no. 19 (2007): 7738-7743. |
|---|---|
| ↑2 | Bilcu, Maxim, Alexandru Mihai Grumezescu, Alexandra Elena Oprea, Roxana Cristina Popescu, George Dan Mogoșanu, Radu Hristu, George A. Stanciu et al. “Efficiency of vanilla, patchouli and ylang ylang essential oils stabilized by iron oxide@ C14 nanostructures against bacterial adherence and biofilms formed by Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae clinical strains.” Molecules 19, no. 11 (2014): 17943-17956. |
| ↑3 | Srinual, Songpol, Pithi Chanvorachote, and Varisa Pongrakhananon. “Suppression of cancer stem-like phenotypes in NCI-H460 lung cancer cells by vanillin through an Akt-dependent pathway.” International Journal of Oncology 50, no. 4 (1899): 1341-1351. |
| ↑4 | Shoeb, Ahsan, Mukta Chowta, Gokul Pallempati, Amritha Rai, and Ashish Singh. “Evaluation of antidepressant activity of vanillin in mice.” Indian journal of pharmacology 45, no. 2 (2013): 141. |
| ↑5 | Arzi, Anat, Lee Sela, Amit Green, Gili Givaty, Yaron Dagan, and Noam Sobel. “The influence of odorants on respiratory patterns in sleep.” Chemical senses 35, no. 1 (2010): 31-40. |
| ↑6 | Maskeri, Rakshita, Sheetal D. Ullal, Yogesh Belagali, Ahsan Shoeb, and Vani Bhagwat. “Evaluation of aphrodisiac effect of vanillin in male wistar rats.” Pharmacognosy Journal 4, no. 32 (2012): 61-64. |
| ↑7 | Makni, Mohamed, Yassine Chtourou, Hamadi Fetoui, El Mouldi Garoui, Tahia Boudawara, and Najiba Zeghal. “Evaluation of the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective properties of vanillin in carbon tetrachloride-treated rats.” European journal of pharmacology 668, no. 1 (2011): 133-139. |
| ↑8 | Greenwood-Robinson, Maggie. 20/20 Thinking: 1,000 Powerful Strategies to Sharpen Your Mind, Brighten Your Mood, and Boost Your Memory.Penguin, 2013. |