Do Vegans Eat Eggs? Are Eggs Vegan?

Do vegans eat eggs?

Knowing who vegans are and their type of diet, we can tell that vegans do not consume any animal-related food. Since eggs come from hens it becomes an animal-derived product and vegans are strictly against consuming it. Although some vegans include eggs in their diet, we cannot call them pure vegans. So if vegans do not eat eggs what can be the alternatives they have in place of eggs? Let's first see what nutrients eggs contain- vitamin D, B6, B12 and minerals such as zinc, iron and copper, they are also a rich source of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.

Veganism is a choice and people choose it for their reasons. Some go vegan due to its health benefits and conservation of the environment while others do it because of their love for animals and their rights to live. Either way, it is considered a great choice and it is becoming very common to go vegan recently due to many factors.

Getting back to the topic we now know that vegans don't consume eggs but they must surely consume something else in place of eggs to extract those vitamins and minerals to keep their body moving. Let us take a look at some of the best substitutes for eggs that vegans can consume.

1. Apple Sauce

As the name suggests this is a sauce made from apples. Adding applesauce as an ingredient to your recipe can also help you in reducing your weight. In some places, applesauce is commonly eaten as food while in others it is eaten as a sauce or condiment. You can top apple sauce with nuts, dried fruits or whole-grain cereal. Consuming one-fourth cup of applesauce can replace one egg in your recipes.

2. Mashed banana

Here is another substitute you can consume in the place of eggs. There is one drawback while baking with bananas: your food may have a mild banana taste. All you have to do is crush or mash the bananas then add this as an ingredient to what you want to bake and you are good to go. Bananas contain potassium and even calcium and the high content of dietary fibre lowers the risk of heart diseases making you healthy. Mashed bananas can help you replace fats and allows you to reduce the sugar content in your recipe. This substitute is best for baking cakes, muffins, brownies and quick bread.

3. Commercial egg replacer

It might sound weird but there are egg replacers that may be commercial powdered products that are specifically used to replace eggs while baking and they also act like eggs in a recipe without actually adding eggs to it. Commercial egg replacers are usually made from potato starch, tapioca starch and leavening agents and they do not alter the taste of the final product. There is something called the Vegg which is specifically a vegan liquid egg yolk replacer that is used as a substitute for eggs.

4. Silken tofu

Tofu is nothing but condensed soy milk that is processed and pressed into blocks. The tofu is firmer if you press out more water out of the blocks. Silken tofu is almost flavourless but it has the property of making baked goods heavier and denser so you can use this in brownies, cookies and cakes, you can also use this in pasta dishes because of its creamy texture. This is also a great replacement for eggs and works well in a recipe too.

5. Baking soda and vinegar

One tablespoon of baking soda and vinegar each can be used to replace one egg in any recipe. The mixture of vinegar and baking soda starts a chemical reaction which makes baked goods light and airy. This substitute too works best for cakes, cupcakes and quick bread.

6. Ground flaxseeds or Chia seeds

Both ground flaxseeds and chia seeds are very nutritious even though they are tiny. If you want to replace a flax egg with a regular egg, mix one tablespoon of flaxseed meal and three tablespoons of water and leave it to sit for about 5 minutes. Then add this ingredient to your recipe and you will be good to go. To replace the egg with chia seeds, you can simply add 1 tablespoon of chia seeds to 2.5 tablespoon water and get a chia egg. Doing this makes baked goods dense and heavy which you can use in dishes like waffles, cookies and more but it may have a nutty flavour.

7. Arrowroot powder

Arrowroot is a tuber plant rich in starch extracted from the roots of the plant and sold as powder, starch or flour. It is used as a thickening agent for sauces, puddings, and jellies and can also be used as an ingredient in baked goods like cookies and cakes to act as a great substitute for eggs. Arrowroot contains potassium, iron and vitamin B, which is good for metabolism, circulation and heart health. Arrowroot can stimulate immune cells and boost the immune system if of course the right quality is consumed. Two tablespoons of arrowroot powder and three tablespoons of water can replace an egg in your recipe.

8. Aquafaba

Aquafaba is the liquid that is leftover after cooking legume seeds, mostly chickpeas. This can be used as a direct replacement for eggs because it can mimic the functional properties of egg whites in cooking. It is not only a healthy alternative to eggs with its carbohydrates, proteins and plant soluble solids but also vegan friendly. Three tablespoons of aquafaba can be used to replace an egg in your recipe as a vegan.

9. Nut butter

Almond, cashew or peanut butter can replace eggs in many recipes. They contain high protein, fibre, and essential fatty acids and are used in many ways in a meal. Nut butter contains natural and healthy fats that are good for the heart and one has a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes by consuming this. So these are some of the best substitutes for eggs that one can consume as a vegan. Now we know that though vegans don't eat eggs, there are more than enough alternatives for replacing them and having a healthy diet.

Do Vegans Eat Eggs? Are Eggs Vegan?