Are Eggs Plant Based?

Eggs are one of the best sources of protein and an important part of baked and cooked dishes. While plant-based diets focus on fruits and vegetables, including meat-free proteins such as dairy, nuts, soy, seeds and whole grains makes it wholesome and more beneficial. However, a lot of people wonder whether eggs are plant-based. 

So, are eggs plant based? While eggs are not plant based as they are obtained from animals, they can certainly form a part of a plant-based diet. A plant-based diet can include eggs and dairy in some portion for nutritional benefits. This means you can eat eggs on a plant-based diet unless you follow a strict vegan diet.

Let us talk about some of the plant-based egg options that vegetarians and vegans can use in their daily diet. 

Top 3 Egg Substitutes For a Plant-Based Diet

Alternative vegetarian proteins are trending for quite a while now. Due to their health benefits and use in baking, egg-free eggs have been invented to suit plant-based and vegan diets. 

Egg alternatives like VeganEgg have become huge businesses. Here are some of the best egg substitutes that blend well with a plant-based diet. 

VeganEgg

A completely plant-based egg substitute, VeganEgg from Follow Your Heart is one of the most popular products among those who look for vegetarian options for proteins. This egg-less egg provides the taste and texture of eggs like none other. You can not only enjoy it like normal egg but also bake cakes, cookies and even make omelets and scrambled eggs. 

The main ingredient in VeganEgg is organic soymilk powder that delivers the protein you would get from an egg. It also contains volumizing agents and emulsifiers such as cellulose to mimic the fluffy texture of the egg. Salt, herbs, yeast and other dairy and animal free ingredients are also added to the product for the right flavor.  

Aquafaba

A highly trending egg replacer these days, aquafaba is greatly used in recipes to suit plant-based diets. It is the viscous water used to soak legumes like chickpeas. The proteins and starches contained in this water are similar to an egg and hence it makes a great egg replacement. You can use a tablespoon of aquafaba for one egg yolk and three tablespoons to replace an entire egg in recipes that otherwise use eggs.

Aquafaba is quite inexpensive because it is readily found in canned chickpeas and beans. It can also be made at home by cooking beans and straining the liquid. 

Flax Seeds

Ideal for replacing eggs in several baking recipes, flax seeds are full of nutrition and work as an excellent binding agent. You can use ground flax seeds to use in a baking recipe. Simply mix a tablespoon of ground flax seeds with some water and stir the mixture. Place it in the refrigerator for a few minutes and it thickens. 

Flax seeds are full of antioxidants and make a healthy addition to any diet. They also emulate the binding quality of eggs in recipes like cakes, breads, cookies, muffins, burgers and others. This is one of the best plant-based replacements for eggs.