What is the difference between vanilla extract and imitation vanilla?

Table of Contents:

1. What is the difference between vanilla extract and imitation vanilla?
2. Is clear vanilla always imitation?
3. Is real vanilla better than imitation?
4. Is Mexican vanilla dangerous?
5. Why is there a worldwide shortage of vanilla?

What is the difference between vanilla extract and imitation vanilla?

And although real vanilla extract is made up of vanillin (plus lesser compounds that add to its varying levels of complexity), sometimes the vanillin is all you need to spark that familiar flavor. ... Using imitation vanilla extract, a product made of synthetic vanillin, results in a cookie with more pronounced flavor.

Is clear vanilla always imitation?

Clear vanilla, by the way, is always an imitation or artificial vanilla product.

Is real vanilla better than imitation?

Yes, seriously, and not just because imitation vanilla actually works better in many cases. Cooking sites love to recommend that serious bakers use only real vanilla extract, and if you're really serious, actual vanilla beans or vanilla bean paste for all baking needs.

Is Mexican vanilla dangerous?

Nov. 31 (HealthDay News) -- So-called Mexican "vanilla" is often made with a toxic substance called coumarin and shouldn't be bought by consumers, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned this week. ... Coumarin is related to warfarin, which is found in some blood thinners.

Why is there a worldwide shortage of vanilla?

There's a global vanilla shortage, generally blamed on crop-destroying storms in Madagascar, which produces 80 percent of the world's supply. ... Skyrocketing prices make the pods attractive to thieves, pressuring farmers to harvest unripe crops, further limiting the supply of high-quality beans.