Differences between Flavourings, Extracts & Essences

What are the differences between Flavourings, Extracts and Essences?

The different terms used for food flavourings can sometimes be confusing, especially when you're reading labels and trying to understand what’s really in your food. On ingredient lists, you’ll often see either "flavourings" or "natural flavourings." While they may sound similar, they actually mean different things.

The term "flavourings" is a general one. It can refer to either artificial or natural flavourings, but most of the time, it's used to describe artificial flavours—those made from artificial ingredients to mimic real tastes. "Natural flavourings," on the other hand, means the flavour is made from natural sources, like plants, fruits and spices.

Understanding this difference can help you make more informed choices, especially if you're looking to eat more naturally or avoid artificial ingredients.

What do the terms Flavouring, Extract, and Essence mean?

Flavouring

Natural flavourings come from real, natural sources such as plants. To be called "natural," they have to follow strict rules.

They’re made by blending plant materials and extracts in a specific way to create a certain taste.

Natural flavourings are usually much stronger than regular extracts.

Extract

Extracts are made directly from the ingredient they’re named after.

They're made by soaking a natural raw material (like vanilla pods or mint leaves) in alcohol or another solvent, which draws out the flavour compounds. Nothing else should be added to an extract for it to be a pure extract.

Essence

In the UK, the word "essence" is just another name for a flavouring used in home cooking and baking.

The term comes from the early days of flavour making and usually refers to shop-bought flavourings at a strength suitable for everyday kitchen use. So, when you see "almond essence," it simply means a flavouring – not something different or special.

In summary, if you're baking and want to use natural flavourings, you’ll want to choose either an extract or a natural flavouring. While both are great options, a high-quality natural flavouring can sometimes be more stable when baked. That’s because alcohol-based extracts can lose some of their flavour when exposed to heat in the oven.

At Foodie Flavours, we make sure every product is clearly labelled, so you always know what you’re getting. All of our flavourings and extracts are 100% natural, and we’re proud to offer professional-quality, high-strength flavours for home bakers, food manufacturers, and everyone in between.