Hi everyone, I attended a gluten free cooking class yesterday and the teacher said that vanilla is not gluten free due to the fact that it comes from a vanilla bean which is a plant that is actually related to wheat. Has anyone ever heard of this before? She recommended a vanilla powder that she gets from Bob's red mill. I checked a couple lists of good an bad items and did not find vanilla on any of them.

The vanilla bean comes from an orchid, not wheat. IMO, whomever taught the class is an idiot. Anyone that has done any degree of baking knows that. Also, vanilla powder is still made from vanilla.

I've heard some things about how you have to be careful about artificial vanilla, but vanilla extract is generally made from the vanilla bean being soaked in alcohol. Some people worry about gluten in grain alcohol (if that's what they use for extraction), but the distilling process shouldget rid of any gluten.

Here's a link to a lot of useful info about vanilla:
http://www.vanilla.com/html/facts-extracts.html

I agree--Whoever taught the class had the facts wrong. The only possible concern would be with the alcohol. I always use McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract.

I don't think they were talking about the Pure vanilla, but some "vanilla's" do have other things added to them. The key here is "PURE". Did you happen to take your cooking class at Wegman's? They were probably trying to sell their extracts over other people's brand...Wegman's has extracts that the specifically list gluten-free. You know how marketing goes.
Hugs
Bridge

my family does not use vanilla extract we use pure vanilla from Mexico and we make homemade vanilla syrup so that we dont get all the preservitives and it is cheaper that way.
Lauren

artificial vanillas aren't made from wheat either - they're made from a derivative of the paper processing industry - of wood pulp - and vanillin (the aromatic molecule that makes vanilla taste/smell like vanilla) from either source cannot be distinguished. you can argue that 'natural' vanilla has other compounds in it that add to the flavor, but both are gluten-free. some worry that the alcohol used to distill the vanillin and other volatile aromatics may be distilled from a grain, but the distillation process is a physical process that doesn't allow a molecule as large (heavy) as gluten to pass through.

celiac disease survivor: where in Mexico do you get your vanilla (and if you're in the states, like KY, HOW do you get it??? ) and how do you make your vanilla syrup -- just the beans, water, sugar -- like all syrups??? Thanks for your help! . . . . Lynne

It seemed that I saw a list with artificially flavored vanilla listed as a no-no. I thought maybe it was caramel color?

well the first time my parents bought in mexico but this time my dad got online and bought it. if you want some we got 12 bottles and my dad may be willing to sell some to you b/c one bottle will last us about a year and a half.
and the syrup is really simple it is one part sugar, one part water and one part vanilla.so if you use one cup of sugar you would use one cup of water and one tablespoon of vanilla. anymore questions just ask.
Lauren