Vanilla is a spice derived from orchids of the genus Vanilla, primarily obtained from pods of the Mexican species, flat-leaved vanilla (V. planifolia). The word vanilla, derived from vainilla, the diminutive of the Spanish word vaina (vaina itself meaning a sheath or a pod), is translated simply as "little pod".

Where does pure vanilla come from?

Vanilla comes from a tropical orchid, native to Mexico but now cultivated in various equatorial regions, including Central America, Africa, and the South Pacific. Indeed, more than 80 percent of the world's vanilla comes from Madagascar.

What is artificial vanilla made from?

Artificial vanilla flavor is made from vanillin, a chemical synthesized in a lab. The same chemical is also synthesized in nature, in the pods of the vanilla orchid.