Vanilla Extract

Question
I read as a tip to use vanilla extract in water to make it more plausible.

Is there any nutrition value in vanilla extract

In your opinion, is this okay to do in moderation or is there any harm?

Thanks in advance.

Answer
Hello Sallie!

   Thank you for your nutrition question.  You will be happy to hear that vanilla extract has many uses in the health world and can be used moderately as you mentioned. Vanilla is one of three flavors most used in medications and syrups, and it is also used as a neutralizer in noxious smelling medicines. In fact, for years Coca Cola syrup was a popular home remedy for an upset or queasy stomach. The syrup contained a high percentage of vanilla, which most likely was the key healing ingredient.  
   In addition, a recent study at the St. George's Hospital in London indicates that vanilla may help you lose weight. Under the guidance of Catherine Collins, a state registered dietician at St. George's, overweight people who were given vanilla-scented skin patches found that their sweet food intake was significantly reduced, leading to greater weight loss than those given dietary advice alone. She concluded that an intensely sweet vanilla-scented candle or essence may have a similar effect though it hasn't been proven in a test environment. Dieticians in the United States working with overweight people are also often testing clients with an array of aromas as a way to reduce food cravings. While vanilla may not work for everyone, it appears to be useful for most. Breathing the aroma of a vanilla bean in a glass tube, or wearing vanilla body products may be helpful.

 Hope this help.  Let me know if you need more information.
-George  

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