Despite what you might think, vanilla is anything but boring.

When you think of your favorite flavor of ice cream, what comes to mind? With so many decadent flavors of rich, creamy goodness out there, it can be hard to choose. Despite the prevalence of unique ice cream flavors on the market to choose from, ranging from cake batter to mac n’ cheese to olive oil, vanilla ice cream remains one of the most popular flavors across the board.

So why is it that this plain-Jane ice cream flavor continues to reign supreme?

There may, in fact, be a scientific reason why!

While ice cream, in general, is an instant mood booster for most people (bad day? Here’s a colorful, sweet scoop of Besties Ice Cream to make it better), scientists at the Institute of Psychiatry in London have tested this fact and found it to be absolutely true. These scientists actually used machines to scan the brains of people eating vanilla ice cream and found that the sweet treat immediately affected the brain in a positive way. Parts of the brain that are proven to be active when people are happy or enjoying themselves lit up when people were tasting vanilla ice cream.

In addition to science, vanilla comes from a beautiful flower—what’s not to love about that?

In case you didn’t know, vanilla comes from the vanilla orchid which originated in Mexico. It may seem like an unrelated reason as to why vanilla is popular, but what’s not to love about an ice cream flavor that comes from a flower that’s beautiful to look at and comes complete with an amazing scent?

Another reason to love vanilla is that it’s a universal flavor.

Vanilla is in everything from cakes to cookies to drinks and, of course, to ice cream! Many beloved flavors start with vanilla as a base and build out the flavor profile from there. Even if your favorite ice cream flavor doesn’t start with vanilla, there may be components in the recipe that contain this universal ingredient! What about cookie dough ice cream, for example? Well, one of the main ingredients in cookie dough is—you guessed it—vanilla.

Vanilla says a lot about you if it’s your favorite flavor.

You might think that if you like vanilla it means that you’re boring but, in fact, it means quite the opposite! Fans of vanilla are reportedly more likely to be colorful, impulsive, and risk-takers—anything but boring. People who loved vanilla in studies performed by Dr. Alan Hirsch were also found to be expressive in their emotions and have prosperous close relationships. So take that, all you vanilla haters!

Vanilla is definitely more than just a simple ice cream flavor. While it’s decidedly less extravagant than pear and blue cheese ice cream, there’s something to be said for tried and true vanilla. 

Whether you’re more of a vanilla ice cream person or a chocolate ice cream lover, we’ve got just the flavor to satisfy your ice cream cravings at Besties Ice Cream. Reserve our world-famous ice cream truck for your next event today!