Spice

Tonka Bean

Dipteryx odorata

T Traditional use

A seed with a vanilla-almond scent, used in tiny amounts in desserts. Its high coumarin content can damage the liver, so food use is restricted.

General Nutrition
Tonka Bean – Spice

Image: Herbadex Botanik Stüdyosu · Özel Üretim

Pregnancy⚠ Avoid
Breastfeeding⚠ Avoid
Children⚠ Avoid
Drug interactionsInteraction reported
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At a glance

Tonka beans are the seeds of the South American Dipteryx odorata tree. Their scent comes from coumarin, 1–3% of their weight. Because high amounts of coumarin can damage the liver, adding it to food is banned in the US and limited in Europe. Claims that tonka is an aphrodisiac or calming are unproven.

Parts used: seeds
Key constituents: Coumarin (1–3%)

Updated: October 15, 2026

ℹ Compiled from standard pharmacognosy references and clinical literature summaries where no formal EMA monograph exists.

What is it used for?

  • T Traditional use

    Traditional use: Based on at least 30 years of documented traditional use rather than clinical trials.

    How do we rate evidence levels? →

    Traditionally used in tiny amounts to give desserts a vanilla-like aroma; no health effect has been shown. [1]

How is it used?

Food

Add at most a few grated pinches per dessert portion; never eat a whole bean.

Amount: Tiny amounts

[1]

Safety & interactions

Minimum age: 18 years

  • Coumarin can damage the liver: do not use with liver disease.
  • Europe's tolerable daily intake of coumarin is 0.1 mg per kg of body weight; a single tonka bean can easily exceed it.
  • Do not use in children, in pregnancy or while breastfeeding.
  • Not for medicinal use.
[1][2]

Drug interactions

Drug interactions
Medicine / substanceEffectSeverity
Anticoagulants (e.g. warfarin)Coumarin carries a theoretical interaction risk. [2]Moderate
Liver-stressing medicines (e.g. high-dose paracetamol, some statins)May increase the risk of liver damage. [2]Moderate

Side effects

  • Headache, nausea, dizziness
  • Liver damage (large amounts)

⚕ When to see a doctor

  • If high fever, shortness of breath or purulent/bloody phlegm develops
  • If symptoms do not improve within 1–2 weeks or worsen
  • If severe abdominal pain, jaundice, rash or allergic reaction occurs

Did you know?

Coumarin was first isolated from tonka beans in 1820; its name comes from "coumarou", the French name for tonka. [1]

Frequently asked questions

Is tonka bean banned?

Adding it to food is banned in the US; coumarin is limited in Europe.

Is tonka an aphrodisiac?

There is no scientific evidence for this.

How much tonka is safe?

Only a few grated pinches per dessert; more may exceed the coumarin limit.

Sources

  1. EFSA Compendium of Botanicals Reported to Contain Naturally Occurring Substances of Possible ConcernEFSA · 2022
  2. Trease and Evans Pharmacognosy (16th Edition)Elsevier Health Sciences · 2009

Cite This Page

Tonka Bean (Dipteryx odorata). Herbadex — Doğal Şifa Rehberi (2026). https://herbadex.com/en/herb/tonka-bean/

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