If you cook regularly, you’ll know that eggs are a common  ingredient found in many baking and cooking recipes.So it is necessary to have egg replacers as a vegan.

In a lot of cases, the eggs are called for to act as a binding agent for the dish as opposed to adding any additional flavor.

For example, many cookie and meatloaf recipes call for egg to help the ingredients hold their shape as they cook.

The texture of the egg is what is needed, not the actual flavor, and understandably so – who would want to bite into a chocolate chip cookie and taste egg?!

Unfortunately, hens bred today for their eggs (called “layers”) are intensively farmed and deprived of any opportunity to exercise their natural instincts.

They are only kept alive as long as they are deemed “useful” and can keep producing eggs.  

Once this slows, they are slaughtered for low-grade chicken meat or pet food.

Something to bear in mind: the label “organic” has nothing to do with animal treatment.  

While the term “organic” is standardized and regulated in many countries, it only applies to what the animals are fed and has no bearing on how they are treated. 

Terms like “free run” and “free range” have no legal definitions in Canada and therefore, aren’t regulated.

For example: “free-run” means birds aren’t caged but are housed in a barn or shed.

READ: 13 Best Vegan Milk Substitute To Dairy Milk

However, these buildings are often so overcrowded that most birds still don’t have enough room to extend one wing.

“Free-range” means birds have access to the outdoors but that “access” could mean one small opening for thousands of birds.

Because there are no standardized requirements for these terms, it can really mean anything from farm to farm.  

Mostly it means that the consumer is charged extra for what they think is a more humane choice but really, these birds all share in a large degree of exploitation.

They certainly all share the same fate.

Eggs are also extremely high in cholesterol so if you can find egg replacers in some of your cooking and baking, it’ll make the dish healthier just by doing that.  

Flax seeds (one of the egg replacers described below) also contain Omega-3 fatty acids which are essential for anyone’s diet so that’s a bonus too.

Here are three different vegan option for eggs you can use in many baking and cooking recipes.  

You can also buy egg replacer powder at most health food stores and just add water to it when ready to use.  

By far the egg replacer I use most is unsweetened applesauce mainly because I’m lazy and it’s the easiest.  

I used to buy big jars of apple sauce but when I couldn’t use it all in time it would spoil, so I switched to the individually sized apple sauce cups and keep them in the pantry until I’m ready to go.

So what do vegans use instead of eggs? Here’s 3 Vegan Egg Replacers:

1. Flax Seed Eggs

Equivalent to one egg
Recommended for use in cakes and breads.  Chia seeds can also be used.

1 tablespoon of ground flax seeds
3 tablespoons of water

In a small bowl or ramekin, measure out the ground flax seeds.
Add water and stir with mini whisk or fork.
Refrigerate for a minimum of 15 minutes or up to an hour to thicken.

Use as directed in recipe as egg replacer .

*Note: if you are using whole, raw flax seeds, first grind them up into a fine powder using a food processor, hand blender or coffee grinder before adding water.  

Always keep flax seeds (whole or otherwise) in fridge or freezer after opening.

2. Unsweetened Applesauce

Equivalent to one egg
Recommended for cookie and burger recipes.

3 tablespoons of unsweetened applesauce

Use as directed in recipe to replace egg.

3. Banana

Equivalent to one egg

Recommended for use in sweeter recipes such as pancakes, puddings and desserts.

½ banana

Cut whole banana in half, mash, and use as directed for vegan option for eggs replacer.

When your goal is to avoid the use of eggs in a recipe, you need to be sure of the purpose of the egg use in that particular recipe.

For example, when baking a cake like and angel food cake, an egg free recipe does not typically turn out well.

It may be best to do some more research and find another egg free friendly recipe or one that uses less eggs for binding or leavening.

There are many different variations and combinations that will give you the affect of using eggs in many recipes. 

Substitute for eggs can not only be used to mix into a recipe but some can used to whip up some good ole’ fashioned scrambled eggs for breakfast.

READ : Can Vegan Eat Egg Whites?

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