Pure vanilla extract is made by steeping vanilla beans in water and ethyl alcohol. If vanilla extract is “pure” it means that the vanilla flavoring comes from only the vanilla bean, so the price is a little higher Synthetic vanillin is an artificial vanilla flavor. It is a chemical compound designed to taste like vanilla. There are no health benefits to consuming this artificial compound. Artificial Vanillin has been shown to cause headaches and allergic responses. So keep it real.