We often associate vanilla extract with sweet foods like cakes, pies, cookies, and ice cream. But, does vanilla extract on its own contain added sugar?
This article simply covers the topic of whether there is sugar in vanilla extract. Let’s get into the information!
Sugar In Vanilla Extract?
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), sugar, including invert sugar, is an optional component of vanilla extract. Many pure vanilla extracts are made with just vanilla bean extractives in water and alcohol with no added sugar.
However, there are some extracts that have added sugar. Unfortunately, vanilla extract is one of those products where some have added sugar whereas others do not.
Below you will find popular vanilla extract brands, whether they have added sugar, and a list of their ingredients. In summary, most products listed do not have added sugar but a couple of them do have it.
| Vanilla Extract Brand | Added Sugar (Yes or No)? | Ingredients |
|---|---|---|
| McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract | No | Vanilla Bean Extractives in Water, and Alcohol. |
| McCormick Organic | No | Vanilla Bean Extractives (Organic) in Water and Organic Alcohol. |
| Watkins Original Gourmet Baking Vanilla | Yes | Water, Sugar, Propylene Glycol, Vanilla Extract (Water, Alcohol, Extractive Of Vanilla Beans), Alcohol, Artificial Flavors, Caramel Color. |
| Badia Vanilla Pure Extract | No | Water, Alcohol, and Extractives of Vanilla Bean. |
| Simply Organic Pure Madagascar Vanilla | No | Organic Vanilla Bean Extractives in Water, Organic Alcohol. |
| Nielsen-Massey Pure Vanilla Extract | Yes | Water, Alcohol (35%), Sugar, and Vanilla Bean Extractives. |
| Nielsen-Massey Pure Vanilla Extract – No Sugar Added | No | Water, Alcohol (35%), and Vanilla Bean Extractives. |
| Morton & Bassett Pure Vanilla Extract | No | Water, Alcohol (35% Min) and Vanilla Bean Extractions. |
| Spice Islands Pure Vanilla Extract | No | Water, Alcohol, Extractives of Vanilla Beans |
| Great Value Pure Vanilla Extract | No | Vanilla Bean Extractives in Water, Alcohol (41%). |
| Good & Gather Pure Vanilla Extract | No | Vanilla Bean Extractives In Water, Alcohol. |
| Stonemill Pure Vanilla Extract | No | Water, 41% Alcohol, Vanilla Bean Extractives. |
Ingredients can change at any time and without notice. Be sure to read the product label at the store for the most up-to-date and accurate ingredient information.
How Much Sugar In Vanilla Extract
If a vanilla extract contains sugar, it will generally not have a lot of it. The USDA’s FoodData Central is a database that provides nutritional data on thousands of foods. It indicates that the sugars in vanilla extract are about .5 grams for a teaspoon and about 1.6 grams for a tablespoon.
Considering most recipes that use vanilla extract call for a tablespoon or less of it, it does not provide a meaningful amount of sugar for most people to be concerned about it.
