I Love Me Some Coconut Extract

MMmm.. coffee.  I've said it before - I've got a problem.  I popped out of bed at 6 am (on my day off) and had to have it!  I'm always experimenting with low-calorie ways to mix it up, so I feel like I'm having one of the fancy drinks I mentioned a few posts back.  Sadly, many of the extras and whips and pumps and whatnots add boatloads of 'empty cals' - messing up what could be a guilt-free and yummy start to my day.  There are so many tempting Coffee Mate and International Delight flavors calling to me from the Dairy section.. are they really worth it?  Can't I find a better (and leaner) option?

What I have been playing around with lately and has served me well:  Extracts!  Hello!  Did I miss someone telling me to just use extracts in my coffee?  Because it seems very obvious that I should have just done that a long time ago.  I especially love coconut coffee - it reminds me of early-morning coffee on the porch at what was our family's cabin at Lake Tahoe.  *sigh*  Even in Philadelphia with crows squaking outside and a mile-long to-do list for today I can find a moment of solace somewhere near the bottom of my coffee mug.

(Sidenote: Dunkin Donuts makes a so-so coconut-flavored coffee that I will sometimes sip on my drive to class.. this, as well as any flavored coffee grounds, is when the manufaturer sprays the beans or grounds with a micro-spritz of coconut flavor before brewing.  So, essentially, we are still talking extracts when we are talking about flavored coffee beans.  Additionally, someone just suggested that I should try adding coconut water or coconut milk to my morning cup.. Touche.  Duly noted -  I am going to try that soon, possibly later today to procrastinate said To-Do list.  For now I shall delve into extracts.)

Coconut extract is a delightful option to parry CoffeeMate's yummy Coconut Creme Coffee Creamer - 35 for 1 tbsp, all from sugar and fat.  (Granted, it's not like I stick a silly straw into the stuff and drink 500 cals' worth, but.. you should see how much coffee I prepare and then drink myself. It could potentially add up.)  I also am liking Almond and Vanilla extracts in my brew. 

Imitation vs Artificial Extracts
I recently learned that some manufacturers need to use over 200 different flavor sources to create the flavor profile of their artificial banana extract.  Eep!  200?  I Googled and Bing'ed and even called McCormick for a specific ingredient list of 'Banana,' but all they gave me was what was listed on the bottle: Water, Alcohol (40%), Natural and Artificial Flavors, and FD&C Yellow 5. Alcohol at 40%?  Hell yes!  Party time in the Spices and Baking Accessories aisle!  I did find some organic extract manufacturers, including an organic Coconut Cream Extract.. a 5 Gallon Bucket of which could be mine for a mere $468.75.  McCormick did mention that the ingredients under the umbrella of 'Natural and Artificial Flavors' are on the GRAS list (more on that in a minute) - but there are not 200 N&A Flavors on that list, so I still wonder... hmm.

Side Effects?
My skeptical self is mildly concerned that there's some not-so-great side effect to ingesting extracts as much as I now do, but I may avoid those research studies, at least until I finish this morning mug. ..Ok, I couldn't help but Google mid-post - I found only some research on reactions to extracts when individuals had allergic reactions to specific ingredients, and of course the 'dangers of artificial ingredients' not truly founded on anything scientific for this particular food item.  Many common flavor extract ingredients are on the FDA's GRAS list. (This source is incomplete, but helpful within the context of my little ol' post.)  GRAS stands for 'Generally Recognized as Safe,' and is a list of food additives that the government has deemed as legal and 'safe under the conditions of its intended use.'  (More on GRAS here.)

Super Flavors
Extracts are a nice add-in across many meals and snacks.  Obviously they are used frequently in baking, but they can be added to oatmeal, ice cream, club soda, and even to protein shakes.  The word in Men's Body Building websites is to try LorAnn Flavours for an extra punch of flavor in Protein Shakes.  It's supposed to be a stronger flavor kick than is delivered by a regular (McCormick, generic brand, etc) extract, so less of the substance may be used for the same flavor.  The company even makes a champagne extract/flavor.. Morning Mimosa Protein Shake?  No thanks.  I did, however, order a vial of LorAnn's peanut butter flavor to give it a test run.  I don't typically add a scoop of peanut butter to my post-workout shakes anyway, but I will give this a whirl and see if it adds some zest.  If it does, maybe I'll try their Salt Water Taffy flavouring.. or maybe not.  Their Cheesecake flavour may be worth a go.  ..Now I'm distracted and perusing their flavour list.. I'll contain myself.  ..Ooh!..  Eggnog flavour?  Here's hoping this is a successful experiment.  I'll keep you posted.

In the end, though I drink a lot of coffee throughout the day and might therefore be taking in more of it, and as I have not yet read any breaking news about weird side effects, I kind of like my mini-discovery of extracts. And apparently, I have a whole extract-y world to uncover.  You do the same and report back.  Happy experimenting!