7 Health Benefits of Consuming Vanilla

Vanilla is a popular ingredient that's used in all types of products, from beauty to baked goods. Although it has both a delicious aroma and taste, vanilla is actually good for your health as well. Here are seven benefits of consuming vanilla.

Stops You From Consuming Sugar

If you're trying to cut down on your sugar intake, vanilla products may be the way to go. Although vanilla is sweet like sugar, it has fewer carbohydrates and calories, which makes it a great substitute. Using vanilla can help you protect against the negative effects of sugar, such as weight gain, acne and high blood pressure. In addition to consuming food products with vanilla, using beauty products can also curb your sugar intake. Applying some vanilla lip balm can satisfy your sweet tooth without you actually having to consume sugar.

Promotes Healthy Skin

Vanilla is packed with B vitamins, including niacin, thiamin, and vitamin B6. These vitamins all play an essential role in keeping the skin clear and healthy due to their ability to promote skin cell growth. On a similar note, vanilla also has anti-aging properties due to its high levels of antioxidants. Antioxidants have been shown to slow down symptoms of aging such as fine lines, wrinkles and age spots by promoting elasticity and cell turnover. If you're tired of using traditional acne products because they break you out or irritate your skin, give vanilla a try.

Can Treat Respiratory Symptoms

It may sound surprising, but vanilla extract can help ease respiratory conditions such as a cold or cough. Mixing vanilla extract with some warm water can coat and soothe the throat, lessening uncomfortable symptoms like pain or irritation when swallowing. In addition, vanilla's antibacterial properties can reduce irritation and inflammation. This is why you'll often see cough drops with vanilla as one of the main ingredients.

Has Healing Properties

Vanilla is high in antioxidants, which are compounds that help your body protect against cell damage. Therefore, consuming products with vanilla can encourage regrowth and protect against cell breakdown. Another one of vanilla's benefits is its antibacterial nature, which means that it can reduce stress, strengthen your immune system and lessen the likelihood of contracting a disease.

Has a Calming Effect

If you've ever smelled vanilla before, you may understand why it has such a strong calming effect. Previous research has shown that babies who are born prematurely are more calm when they smell vanilla before and during a blood test, and smelling vanilla also reduces crying in newborns. This calming effect doesn't only apply to babies, though. Studies have shown that adults who suffer from sleep apnea can get some relief by smelling vanilla.

Promotes Digestion

Another way to consume vanilla is in the form of herbal tea. Drinking herbal tea has numerous health benefits, such as lowering cholesterol, reducing stress, soothing an upset stomach and improving circulation. Therefore, adding vanilla into an already healthy drink can only provide you with even more health benefits. Drinking vanilla herbal tea can decrease gut inflammation and also lessen other digestive discomfort such as stomachaches and diarrhea.

Can Reduce Anxiety Symptoms

If you suffer from occasional anxiety and are looking for some natural relief, vanilla may be the solution you've been looking for. Vanilla has been used for hundreds of years as an aromatherapy treatment to reduce anxiety, as vanilla can lessen stress and foster a sense of calmness by acting on your body's nerves. Aromatherapy has a number other benefits, such as improving sleep quality, alleviating headaches, reducing acute and chronic pain and boosting the immune system.

From foods to beauty products to warm drinks, there are a countless number of ways that you can consume vanilla. Vanilla has been shown to have numerous health advantages, so be sure to pick up some vanilla extract on your next trip to the grocery store if you want to reap these seven benefits.