Do you like vanilla? Adding vanilla to recipes sure can make food taste really good!!! No matter what it is, oatmeal, banana bread, heck, it's even in almost everything we buy at the store. After reading this you may think twice before picking up that vanilla flavored yogurt...

I recently came across some disturbing information that led me to do a little research to find that what everyone in America (including myself) is eating on a daily basis is pretty disgusting. When going to the grocery store you'll notice there are two different kinds of Vanilla. One being Pure Vanilla Extract being around $5 for a very small bottle or if you're trying to save a "buck" you can opt to buy the "Imitation Vanilla Flavoring", which is usually the choice I make because it tastes and smells the same and is much cheaper. Have you ever wondered what the difference is other than the price? Or what "imitation" means? Well, to me it means "artificial" or "man made". No, apparently it's not "man" made at all. It's in fact made from a beaver! That's right. The friendly beaver produces a gooey substance called "Castoreum" which is used to mark territories like other animals. However, this fluid smells and I guess tastes like pure vanilla. Where does this "castoreum" come from u ask? Well, it's produced in a gland inside the beaver's butt near the pelvis called the "Castor Sac". Yep, it has to be "milked" straight from the ass of a beaver. As the milking process is occurring you can imagine the difficulty to get it in the jar, you know with the beaver's ass and genitals in the way and the fight it puts up during the process. Piss and shit everywhere... From the info I've read apparently it's not a pleasant process for all parties.

So, now we know where it comes from and how we get it. Let's talk about where it goes. We know pure vanilla extract is way expensive. I guess the process to get it from a plant is more difficult than an animal and more readily available. So with pure vanilla being so expensive let's turn to a cheaper source to produce products for human consumption so the price of these products can remain low or so that the manufactures can make more $$$. Imagine everything that has vanilla flavoring or vanilla scents that isn't actual vanilla. Cookies, ice cream, pudding, perfume and body spray for you ladies, scented candles, car air freshener, oooo, ooo, how about your vanilla protein? Dang! I'm in the same boat because I just bought a 5 lb bag!!!

Apparently in America everything that does not have pure vanilla in it is likely to be produced with castoreum. Manufacturers have been using this great tasting beaver juice in foods for the past 80 years! I don't know how it works in other countries but this is how our country feeds us, lol! The FDA (food and drug administration) thought it was a pretty good idea to utilize this in almost everything. Also, the bad part is that the manufacturers do not have to list castoreum on the ingredients list of their product. They can use the term "natural flavorings" instead...a little too natural.

So, nation just something to think about the next time you make that vanilla shake or spray that vanilla body spray. Makes me wonder what else I'm eating that is more than I bargained for. Research it and let me know what you find. I'm sure I've missed the mark on some info but this just got me too ramped up...

Allen

Allen - see the links below on artificial vanilla flavoring.  I think you'll feel much better.  :)

http://www.joepastry.com/2013/beaver-butt-my-eye/

http://www.joepastry.com/2013/vanilla-and-vanillin/

Wfeeew... That's pretty interesting. Not that I was going to stop eating this delicious vanilla juice. Lol.

My brother, a pretty educated man, explained this to me. Kinda blew myind so I had to look it up. All the web pages I read I never came across one saying it wasn't in fact used in food. Appears I shouldve read more... I knew there had to be some kind of law against it but with all the acceptable "corner cutting", if u will, in our food industry and all the nasty garbage we consume on a daily basis I wouldn't've thought any different. The tolerances in the food preparation is enough to raise eyebrows with how much of animal hair and bacteria they allow. Ahh well... it was a good story anyhow. Thx for ur insight... Now I feel like an idiot and will tell my brother he's an idiot too

Allen

The more important question is "who discovered that castoreum tastes like vanilla?" Was someone out sniffing beaver ass and tasting beaver bodily fluids? Both of these are shocking revelations and questions.

The bottom line is one should never choose artificial or man-mad anything. Nature is the way to go even with simple things like salt - choose pure sea salt which is healthier than the iodized salt everyone usually uses.

John