Botanical Name: Vanilla planifolia Vanilla, a member of the orchid family is a climbing monocot possessing a stout, succulent stem; short petioled, oblong leaves.Vanilla is one of the oldest and one of the most expensive spices as well as one of the most familiar, but you don’t hear a lot about it’s health benefits. That’s probably because it is more important for its flavoring and aromatic uses. Vanilla extract is taken from the vanilla bean in Central America. The production of this extract began in Mexico in its early centuries. This was done by the Totonacas, and has been used for medical purposes through time including today. It has been used for different medical conditions ranging from breathing issues and reproductive conditions to emotional conditions such as anxiety.