Even asking the question can feel like a betrayal to someone like me who is more than willing to invest in ingredients when they matter most. But the truth is, imitation vanilla has long been a ...

What Is Imitation Vanilla? You’ve seen bottles in the grocery store labeled Imitation Vanilla or Vanilla Flavoring, that are significantly less pricey than true vanilla extract.

As a result, imitation vanilla doesn't offer the nutritional benefits compared to real vanilla — and the corn syrup can have real downsides when it comes to your health and waistline.

Castoreum, which comes from beaver anal glands, can be used as vanilla flavoring. But it’s expensive and artificial vanillin is far cheaper for imitation vanilla.

Both pure vanilla and imitation vanilla have their place in the kitchen, but each brings different qualities to the table. Pricier pure vanilla is valued for its deep, natural flavor, which comes from ...

Imitation vanilla owes its flavor primarily to synthetic vanillin, while vanilla beans boast more than 200 other volatile compounds, leading to a “full, complex, subtle flavor,” McGee writes.

Castoreum, which comes from beaver anal glands, can be used as vanilla flavoring. But it’s expensive and artificial vanillin is far cheaper for imitation vanilla.