2024 Author: Josephine Shorter | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 21:43
Vanilla
Useful properties and uses of vanilla
Vanilla is a climbing liana belonging to the orchid family. The fragrant liana parasitizes tall trees, clinging to the tree trunk with its roots and climbing to the very top of the tree to the crown. The leaves of the plant are oval, fleshy and lanceolate. Nice smelling vanilla flowers are collected in a brush. The size of the flowers is quite large, the flowers are light green in color.
The perianth consists of 5 leaves, and the sixth leaf forms a lip and is rolled into a tube. The tube contains one stamen and a pistil, which is why only one species of butterflies pollinates vanilla.
The fruit of vanilla is a box in the form of a brown pod, about 25-30 cm long, and no more than 1 cm wide. The fruits contain numerous seeds, the color of which can be from dark brown to black.
There are varieties that have a bloom of white crystals. Vanilla can bear fruit for 20 to 50 years.
There are almost 100 types of vanilla in the world. However, the most common are only three types:
1. Vanilla planifolia. This type of vanilla produces only a couple of high quality cultivars of vanilla, the capsules of which are very long (20–25 cm);
2. Vanilla tahitensis - it is called Thai vanilla. This plant is reddish-brown in color, with pods 12-14 cm.
3. Vanilla pompona - the lowest quality vanilla, very short bolls.
Liana grows very quickly, it can grow one meter in just 30 days. However, she needs to create good conditions.
Vanilla is native to Mexico, Panama and the Antilles. But plants are also cultivated in other tropical countries: Brazil, Oceania, Paraguay, Ecuador and others.
Vanilla can only be propagated by cuttings. Already in the first year of life, the plant begins to bear fruit. The fruiting period lasts up to 20 years, and there have been cases when vanilla yielded at the age of about 50 years.
Vanilla fruit
Vanilla fruits are greenish bolls. You need to pick vanilla fruits in an unripe form (during this period, the fruits contain 80% water), when they just start to turn yellow. Further, after collection, you need to carry out a special processing of the fruits, which is carried out in 3 stages. Let's take a closer look at these stages.
Stage 1 - ripening. Vanilla fruits must be put in boiling water, after pulling them out of boiling water, it is necessary to wrap the fruits in a woolen towel. So the fruits are left for a day in a warm place, where the temperature is 60 degrees Celsius.
Stage 2 - fermentation. First you need to take out the fruits in fresh air in a sunny place. An hour later, you need to bring them back to the room. Every day, the time that the fruits will be in the sun should be increased. They should be dried like this for two weeks.
Stage 3 - drying. This stage must be performed in a dark place outdoors for a month. At this stage, a white bloom of crystals will appear on the fruits. You can also smell the sweetish, subtle and refreshing aroma of vanilla.
After going through all three stages, the volume of vanilla will be 2/3 less than the original. However, after processing, the raw material will acquire all the necessary properties.
Vanilla sticks are twisted and oily in appearance, their color is brown-brown. If you touch the sticks, they are soft. If stored properly, vanilla will last for many years.
Vanilla chemical composition
The fruits of vanilla contain the following beneficial substances: vanillin (due to which vanilla has a specific smell), essential oil, gluco-vanillin, tannin and cinnamon ether.
The beneficial properties of vanilla
Vanilla is a plant, preparations from which are used as an aromatic essential oil. Vanilla contains vanillin, aroma components, fat, resins and enzymes - all of which are the main active ingredients. Vanilla is added in the production of galenic preparations, in the production of medicines as a flavoring agent.
Since ancient times, vanilla has been considered a powerful aphrodisiac, which is why it was used by men who want to increase potency.
Vanilla has an effect on the systems and internal organs of a person, namely, it relieves insomnia, improves digestion processes, normalizes blood sugar levels, stabilizes acidity, relieves pain of premenstrual syndrome, improves mood and human performance.
Vanilla essential oil
Vanilla essential oil smells amazingly delicate. This oil is a natural and powerful aphrodisiac that helps to awaken sensuality and instincts in a person. In addition, the essential oil of this fragrant plant has a sedative effect. Experts advise using it after a hard day at work: it will relax and calm you down.
Vanilla oil is used to flavor rooms. To scent a room with vanilla, you need to drop a few drops into an aroma lamp - and a pleasant smell will float in the air (for 15 square meters - 3-5 drops of oil).
Essential oil is used for massages and baths. You need to add 2–5 drops of vanilla oil to the bath - and you can take the aromatherapy bath. Massage is done as follows: mix 3-5 drops of oil with 15 grams of regular massage oil and perform massage exercises.
Vanilla application
Vanilla is used for nervous disorders, neurosis, insomnia, delayed menstruation, diabetes mellitus, colic and flatulence. Vanilla is especially valuable as a remedy in the treatment of anemia and a drug that not only excites, but also stimulates the muscles.
In folk medicine, vanilla is used for rubbing, as a means for compresses, skin care, for aroma massage and aromatherapy.
Vanilla as an additive: the plant is added to food products to fully saturate the body (1-2 drops per product, for example, in a cake).
Anti-cellulite scrub from vanilla. To prepare it, you need to take 150 grams of sugar, half a glass of ground coffee beans, 10 drops of vanilla oil, 10 ml of almond oil. First, mix the coffee with sugar, then add almond oil to them and stir. Then add the vanilla oil. If a thick mixture is obtained, add a little almond oil. This scrub should be used during the washing process, after which the skin will become softer and more elastic. This scrub can be stored in the refrigerator, but no more than 14 days. The scrub should not be used if the skin is damaged or the skin is too delicate.
Vanilla for face massage. We take 30 ml of transport oil, add 3 drops of vanilla, 1 drop of rose and sandalwood oil, 2 drops of limette oil and the same amount of parsley to it. We mix everything and massage with this oil.
Contraindications to the use of vanilla
There are no contraindications to the use of vanilla, the only thing that can be is an allergy in case of individual intolerance to vanilla.
The author of the article: Sokolova Nina Vladimirovna | Phytotherapist
Education: Diploma in "General Medicine" and "Therapy" received at the Pirogov University (2005 and 2006). Advanced training at the Department of Phytotherapy at the Peoples' Friendship University of Moscow (2008).
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