Does vanilla make my bruises disappear?
Was Gran onto something, or did we just smell bad?
Thinking back on my childhood, I always remember the smell of vanilla. Yes, my gran baked often, but mostly I remember being doused in vanilla essence every time I would hit my head whilst climbing a tree or being hit with a cricket ball on the shin. She believed that dabbing vanilla essence on a bruise, kept the swelling down and prevented it from going all the shades of blue you can imagine. And by all accounts, it seemed to have worked.
But does it really?
What does the science say?
Science says that vanilla contains some compounds that have antioxidant effects, meaning they protect cells against damage. These compounds are called vanillin and vanillic acid. There is some evidence that antioxidants are beneficial in removing the free radicals that are associated with cell damage in the skin, as with a big blue bruise.
Furthermore, vanillin also has anti-inflammatory characteristics, which is important in accelerating wound healing and helps minimize broken capillaries under the skin. By extension, this will also include faster healing of bruises.
Vanillin also has positive effects on acne and skin burns and has been widely used in anti-aging products.
So, all in all, it sounds like a pretty good idea to have vanilla in your first aid kit.
Seems gran was right all along — vanilla does help to stop severe bruising. Smelling like a cupcake didn’t hurt either.
