Eggs have many functions, such as binding, thickening, and emulsifying

Cutting Down on Eggs? 14 Effective Egg Substitutes To Try Seeds, beans, vegetables, and fruit purees make effective substitutes

Eggs have many functions, such as binding, thickening, and emulsifying

• Eggs help bind and thicken ingredients in recipes. They're also a good source of protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals.
• If you can't have eggs due to allergies, diet, concerns about food safety, or any other reason, egg substitutes are a good choice.
• Many seeds, beans, and pureed fruits and vegetables make effective egg alternatives—mimicking function, taste, texture, and nutrition.

People may prefer egg substitutes for many reasons. Some have allergies or dietary restrictions. Others are concerned about food safety, animal welfare, and sustainability.

Outbreaks like the recent bird flu can also lead to egg shortages. This, in turn, can cause prices to rise sharply, making some egg substitutes a more affordable option.

Eggs help thicken and hold ingredients together, trap air for fluffiness, and add moisture and elasticity. They also emulsify ingredients that usually don't mix, such as oil and water. Eggs are rich in protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals.

When egg substitutes provide these qualities, they can be used as an alternative.

1. Chia Seeds 

Chia seeds have binding properties similar to eggs. They absorb liquid and create a gel-like texture, which helps retain moisture in baked goods.

Chia seeds are rich in protein, providing 4.6 grams per ounce, compared to 6.2 grams in one large egg. To replace an egg, mix 1 tablespoon of chia seeds with 3 tablespoons of water.

2. Aquafaba 

Aquafaba is the leftover water from cooked beans. It works like eggs because it can emulsify, thicken liquids, create foam, and form a gel-like texture. Chickpea aquafaba is one of the most popular egg substitutes. It can be used in baked goods or plant-based mayonnaise.

Nutritional value can change depending on the bean's nutrients, composition, cooking method, time, and temperature. A study reported that 100 milliliters of chickpea aquafaba contains about 2-3 grams of carbohydrates and 0.1-2.8 grams of protein.

3. Garbanzo Beans 

Garbanzo beans, or chickpeas, are a protein-rich alternative to add moisture when you don't prefer using eggs. You can use a quarter-cup serving of chickpeas to replace an egg.

This serving size of chickpeas contains 3.6 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber. Chickpeas are also rich in iron, magnesium, zinc, and B vitamins.

4. Soft Tofu

Soft tofu is one of the highest-ranking egg substitutes among consumers for taste, aroma, color, and texture. It works well for trapping air to add fluffiness and for creating creaminess to improve texture. You can use 40 grams of tofu to replace one large egg.

Tofu is rich in protein, containing about 7 grams per 100 grams. It also contains iron, selenium, magnesium, and calcium—similar to eggs—but less fat.

5. Soy Flour and Water Mix

Soy and eggs both contain lecithin, compounds that have emulsifying properties. For this reason, soy flour mixed with water is used as an egg substitute. It is suitable for making mayonnaise, which requires mixing oil and vinegar. It can also replace eggs in baked goods.

To make the egg replacement, mix three parts water with one part soy flour. Studies suggest not replacing more than 75% of the eggs used in a recipe.

This makes soy flour and water a good option for people looking to reduce their egg intake rather than eliminate it completely. If a recipe calls for 60 grams of eggs, you can use about 45 grams of the soy-water mix and only 15 grams of eggs.

6. Commercial Egg Replacers

Many commercial egg replacers are made from different ingredients, with various protein and nutritional content and uses. They may contain a combination of ingredients, including but not limited to starches (such as potato or corn starch), bean or seed flours, gelling agents, xanthan gum, psyllium husk, and baking soda.

However, commercial egg replacers generally do not match the nutritional composition of eggs. Among many alternatives, you can find the best one for your diet. There are options with high protein, low protein, low fat, or low sodium. You should read the Nutrition Facts labels to ensure the product matches your nutritional needs.

7. Black Gram Flour

Black gram is a type of pulse (legume seed) from the urad bean. Its flour is an effective egg replacer in small amounts. 

Black gram is rich in protein, fiber, and iron. A study showed that one whole egg can be replaced with 20 grams of black gram flour, resulting in the best outcomes for biscuits.

8. Chard Puree

Some vegetable purees, such as chard puree, can effectively replace a portion or all of the eggs used in recipes with good results. Swapping eggs for vegetable purees can also add fiber and lower the fat content of baked goods. You can replace about 20% of eggs with chard puree in baked goods.

9. Banana

Mashed bananas can be used to create a foam and bind ingredients. A study compared sunflower butter cookies made with eggs, Cavendish bananas, or chia seeds. The results showed that cookies made with bananas had the least greening, which is desirable.

You can replace an egg with about one-quarter cup of mashed bananas.

10. Flaxseed

Flaxseed acts as a glue, binding ingredients and adding chewiness and volume. To replace one egg, mix 1 tablespoon (about 15 grams) of milled flaxseed with 45 milliliters of water.

Flaxseed is also nutrient-rich, containing protein, fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, iron, magnesium, zinc, and selenium. Just 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed (7 grams) contains about 1.2 grams of protein and 1.9 grams of fiber.

11. Kala Namak

Kala namak, also known as black salt, contains sulfur compounds similar to those found in eggs. Using this salt in non-egg foods can mimic the flavor of eggs. It also contains less sodium than table salt, which can be helpful for people trying to reduce their sodium intake.

12. Applesauce

Applesauce can add moisture and bind ingredients together. It's also easy to find compared to some other egg alternatives. A quarter cup of applesauce can replace one egg. This substitute works best in sweet baked goods such as muffins, cakes, and cookies.

13. Baking Powder

Eggs help baked goods rise, making them fluffy. If you're not using eggs, baking powder can help. Add one-half of a teaspoon of baking powder for each egg a recipe calls for.

14. Potatoes

You can use mashed or sweet potatoes to provide moisture in place of eggs. Potatoes also act as a thickener; potato starch is good for thickening sauces or dressings. 

One egg can be replaced with one quarter cup of mashed potatoes. This substitute works best in dishes like meatloaf, patties, pies, and muffins.

A Quick Review

Many ingredients, including chia seeds, soft tofu, chickpeas, and applesauce, can replace eggs.

Some egg substitutes provide similar nutritional value, while others can mimic egg flavor or functions like binding ingredients, adding moisture, emulsifying, or stabilizing the blend.

Certain egg substitutes may be better suited for specific recipes.

This story originally appeared on: Health News - Author:Merve Ceylan