Despite its benign reputation, vanilla is highly addictive. The active ingredient
in
vanilla is vanillic acid. Vanillic acid is related to the hormones epinephrine
(adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline), both of which stimulate the
brain. This chemical relationship explains why vanilla is a potent and addictive
stimulant. Although people assume that vanilla is harmless, or even beneficial,
companies know otherwise. This is why vanilla is added to ice cream, yogurt,
cola, chocolate, pastry, perfume, and even cigarettes. It is wise to avoid vanilla
and all products that contain vanilla.

Competing interests:
None declared