Is it Possible I Have a Vanilla Addiction? (2024)

I have claimed for years I am addicted to the flavor of vanilla. There are countless items I steer towards which contain or have hints of vanilla within them. I like Diet A&W Root Beer, and I am a glutton for baked goods with plenty of this flavoring. Don’t get me started on vanilla ice cream or shakes. Even the smell of vanilla brings a certain amount of calm into my life. I know vanilla is the culprit for certain, so I finally decided to look further into it to see if there is any validity to my addiction.

First, some pertinent information about vanilla is explained on Britannica.com.

vanilla, (genus Vanilla), any member of a group of tropical climbing orchids (family Orchidaceae) and the flavouring agent extracted from their pods. The vanilla beans of commerce are the cured unripe fruit of Mexican or Bourbon vanilla (Vanilla planifolia), Tahiti vanilla (V. tahitensis), and occasionally West Indian vanilla (V. pompona); all three species are thought to be derived from a single species native to Mexico, Central America, and northern South America.

The vanilla flavoring we all know and love comes from the fruit of this vanilla orchid. The flower is hermaphroditic, consisting of male and female parts but unable to self pollinate…