V

This is one of the few spices in this book that clearly has more culinary than medicinal interest. Still it was used as a galenical and a carrier for other less tasteful ingredients. Reported to be aphrodisiac, carminative, stimulant, and vulnerary. Venezuelans use the pods against fevers and spasms. Yucatanese use vanilla extract (pod steeped in alcohol) as aphrodisiac and stimulant. Argentineans use it as an antispasmodic, aphrodisiac, or emmenagogue. In Palau, vanilla is used for dysmenorrhea, fever, and hysteria. Vanilla is said to inhibit caries, probably because of the catechin.