The QueenSometimes store-bought vanilla extract has SUGAR added to it. So, today we’re making our own homemade vanilla extract. It’s an easy and yummy alternative and it’s fun to make!
Cutting sugar from my life was an integral habit I formed while lowering my blood pressure. And this was one way I did that.
Vanilla is extracted from the mature pods of certain orchids, and is one of the most expensive spices in the world. It has a plant compound called Vanillin that is an antioxidant. It’s also anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective, which means it can help protect your brain against neurodegenerative diseases.
And, according to a 2019 study by Penn State, adding vanilla to a beverage makes that beverage seem sweeter, which means you can use less sugar to make the beverage taste sweeter.
If you’ve watched my videos about the 12 habits I created to lower my blood pressure, you know one of those is cutting refined sugar out of my life. And this is one great way to do that.
How It’s Made
It’s so easy. You just pour vodka over vanilla beans and store it for six months and then you have vanilla! I made one in 2019, but I decided to make another batch to let sit for six months, while I use the original one.
The homemade vanilla kit I ordered from Amazon comes with 10 Tahitian vanilla beans. It was reasonably priced at $25 and would make a great gift for someone you love who loves to cook or is struggling with high blood pressure or sugar issues.
You have to cut into the vanilla bean pod to reveal the vanilla beans. These are the source of the extract. The vodka will soak in those tiny beans and create a yummy extract.
When I purchased the vodka, I made sure to get a potato-based vodka, because they make rice-based vodka as well. So if you are making gifts to give away and the people you love have any gluten sensitivities, this is something to keep in mind. The rice-based vodka will have gluten in it, and the potato-based vodka will not. If you’re unsure about this, I recommend you discuss this with the proprietor of your local liquor store.
Vanilla originated in South and Central America and the Caribbean. According to the Smithsonian, the oldest reports of vanilla usage came from the pre-Columbian Maya. The Maya used vanilla in a beverage made with cacao and other spices.
I’m using the little funnel that came with my spice jars. And it was perfect for this project. But I got a little overzealous and added a little too much vodka and had to pour some out before the lid would fit correctly.
I should mention that the process I was talking of earlier, where I will be trading off between these bottles so the vanilla beans always have a chance to soak. I will be adding a few beans to the jar after it’s empty. So that we have fresh beans to soak in the voka. Not all of the old beans will have to come out but a few. And I’ll use those pods I take out to make a vanilla bean paste that I can then use in recipes, before finally composting those bean pods.
Let me know if you make your own vanilla! I’d love to hear about your experience with it!