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The health benefits of Vanilla Essential Oil can be attributed to its properties like anti oxidant, aphrodisiac, anti carcinogenic, febrifuge, anti depressant, sedative, tranquilizing and relaxing.
If you always thought that the name ‘Vanilla’ was a proprietary property of all those industries producing those mouth watering ice creams, chocolates, cakes, pastries, custards, biscuits, confectionaries and soft drinks, and there could not be a better use of it, then you were wrong. The Essential Oil of Vanilla is extracted by solvent extraction of a resinous substance obtained from fermented Vanilla beans. These beans grow in vanilla plants, a creeper that grows mainly in Mexico and neighboring countries and bears a scientific name ‘Vanilla Planifolia’. Its main components are Acetic Acid, Caproic Acid, Eugenol, Furfural, Isobutyric Acid and Vanillin Hydroxybenzaldehyde. Most of the flavors with a ‘Vanilla’ tag on them are not derived from original vanilla at all. They are synthesized from hydrocarbons.
Apart from its widespread use as a flavoring agent in the food, beverages and pharmaceutical industries and in culinary, the Essential Oil of Vanilla found its uses in the world of medicines too. We shall see how.
- Anti Oxidant: This property alone can take care of most of your problems. I do not know whether you are aware of it or not, but oxidation is one of the biggest causes behind most of our troubles and diseases. It is directly and indirectly responsible for a number of diseases caused by organic malfunctions and infections. Oxidizers or free-radicals cause oxidation of the living cells and tissues and burn them to death. Gradually, this result in weakening of the immunity, loss of memory, organic and nervous malfunctioning, gradual loss of vision & hearing, mental instability, macular degeneration etc. and the body becomes prone to diseases. The anti oxidant property of Vanilla Essential Oil neutralizes these free radicals and protects the body from wears and tears, infections and even some forms of cancer, such as those of prostrate, colon etc. It also repairs the damages already done to the body.
- Aphrodisiac: A systematic administration of Vanilla Essential Oil to the patients of impotency, erectile dysfunction, frigidity, loss of libido etc. can relieve them of their problems, and it is well proven. This oil stimulates secretion of certain hormones like testosterone, estrogen etc. which help bring about normal sexual behavior and promotes arousal.
- Anti Carcinogenic: To some extent, the anti carcinogenic property of Vanilla Oil comes from its anti oxidant properties. The free radicals or oxidants do not only damage tissues, but can also cause certain type of cancers, such as those in prostrate, colon etc. Certain components Essential Oil of Vanilla checks growth of cancerous cells, thereby helping cure cancer.
- Febrifuge: The vanilla oil can effectively reduce fever by fighting infections due to presence of components like Eugenol and Vanillin Hydroxybenzaldehyde in it. Being a sedative, it also reduces inflammation due to fever (Anti Phlogistic would be the right word for it) and this also contributes to reducing fever.
- Anti Depressant: You were sitting alone, depressed. Then somebody brings you a vanilla ice cream or a vanilla flavored drink, you have that and lo! The depression is gone! You start feeling pleased, satisfied and get into mood. This is one of the biggest advantages of vanilla aroma (better if it is real vanilla, but synthetic Vanilla or artificially synthesized Vanillin Hydroxybenzaldehyde works good too) that it makes you happy. The flavor alone is so pleasingly sweet and soothing that everybody, ranging from toddlers to centurions, likes it. Vanillin Hydroxybenzaldehyde, a component of Vanilla Essential Oil, is an effective anti depressant and mood up-lifter.
- Sedative: The Essential Oil of Vanilla soothes. It soothes all types of inflammations and hyperactivity in all the systems functioning in our body, namely, the respiratory system, circulatory system, digestive system, nervous system and the excretory system. It sedates inflammation due to fever, convulsions, anxiety, stress, hypersensitivity of allergy etc.
- Tranquilizing: Vanilla Essential Oil helps you get a sound sleep too. This is due to the sedative and relaxing properties of this oil. It lowers blood pressure and has a sort of tranquilizing effect on the brain too, and you cannot keep you eyelids open anymore. All you see then is your bed and pillows.
- Relaxing: This oil has a relaxing and calming effect on the brain and the nerves and gives relief from anxiety, anger, restlessness etc.
- Other Benefits: It helps regularize menstruations (although not exactly an emenagogue) by activating certain hormones like estrogen, which
Blending: Essential Oil of Vanilla blends well with essential oils of Orange, Lemon, Neroli, Jojoba, Chamomile, Lavender and Sandal Wood.
This article was contributed by Aparup Mukherjee
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