Is Vanilla Flavouring Vegan?

Recipes for cakes, cookies, brownies and cupcakes are often incomplete without the addition of vanilla flavouring, but is it vegan? 

Vanilla flavouring

There are two key types of vanilla flavouring: vanilla essence and vanilla extract:

• Vanilla extract is made from vanilla pods soaked in water and ethanol, therefore a more natural flavouring
• Vanilla essence is a more processed product made from artificial flavours and colourings  

Is vanilla flavouring vegan? 

Regardless of which type of vanilla flavouring you choose, they’re both completely vegan-friendly, so both are great choices for anyone on a plant-based diet! We would recommend the natural option of vanilla extract for a more delicate flavour, but this can be more expensive. 

In the not-so-distant past, some vanilla flavourings contained castoreum (which is made from a beaver’s anal glands), however, this is out of practice today and a rare find, but if you want to be on the safe side, this is something you should check for on the ingredients list. 

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