Vegan EgWhaaaa?
Yup you heard that right, Vegan Eggs, a genuine oxymoron, is not an oxymoron anymore (There is another apparent oxymoron which exists in the Vegan Industry. We've covered in out blog - Vegan Protein - An Oxymoron? – Vegan Dukan)! Vegan companies across the globe have started shipping this seemingly impossible product (is it just a coincidence or is the adjective ‘impossible’ reserved for vegan products and companies :P). Let’s dive deep into this seemingly mysterious product and figure out everything about it, right from what it’s made of to whether it can be a substitute for real eggs. Speaking of what it’s made up of..
So what exactly are Vegan Eggs?
Unlike eggs, vegan eggs are not oval shaped and are not laid by a female reptile, bird, fish or invertebrate. Instead, Vegan eggs are basically a combination of ingredients which are made to replicate the taste, texture and even smell of regular eggs. Now that we’ve understood what vegan eggs are in brief, let’s see what they’re made from.
Insert “The question that we stated in the last line….”
We hate to break it to you, but vegan eggs don’t really have a singular recipe. Instead, their recipe varies, depending on the product that you buy. This is so as unlike regular eggs, vegan eggs aren’t a single thing, but rather a combination of various different ingredients. Hence depending on what you buy, your vegan eggs could be made from anything, right from a combination of soymilk powder, modified cellulose and natural flavours, to mung beans. One other thing that vegan eggs can be made from is your effort. That’s right, you can even make your own vegan eggs from scratch, right in your home. As a suggestion, we’d advise you to use black pepper while making your own vegan eggs as not only does it spice up your creation, but it also gives the vegan eggs a distinct, egg-like smell. Alright, so they taste like regular eggs. But what’s the point of Vegan Eggs?
Benefits of Vegan Eggs
The benefits of vegan eggs over regular eggs can be broadly grouped into 3 categories
- Environmental - The environmental benefits of vegan eggs are pretty straight forward. The various emissions from the production of the plant based ingredients are completely dwarfed by the emissions from the production of regular eggs.
- Ethical - In regular egg production, hens are kept in small and cramped cages, where they are unable to make their regular social circles and hence, end up clawing and biting one another. To stop this, their claws and beaks are cut. They are injected with various antibiotics to keep them healthy and are inseminated artificially to increase egg production. Their offsprings i.e the eggs are taken away from them as soon as they are laid and the male offsprings are gassed and shredded since they can’t reproduce. Vegan Eggs are simply made from plant based ingredients which are farmed like regular plants. So ethically speaking, vegan egg production and regular egg production are in 2 completely separate leagues.
- Health - From the aspect of health, regular eggs are high in protein. However, they are also high in cholesterol, TMAO and salmonella, all of which increases one’s risk of heart diseases, cancer and, well, salmonella. Vegan eggs on the other hand, are also high in protein but do not have any cholesterol, TMAO and salmonella. Vegan eggs are also generally rich in nutrients such as Vitamin D, Vitamin B12 and antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin. These nutrients play an important role in bone health, cognition, energy and eye health.
If you're looking for a more broader perspective about why you should look forward to going vegan, check out our blog - Why Go Vegan? – Vegan Dukan.
Drawbacks of Vegan Eggs
While Vegan eggs are superior to regular eggs in every way, the one area where they don’t compete yet is price. Since these products are brand new, they currently can not achieve the economies of scale that regular eggs can. Hence the only way to reduce the prices of vegan eggs is for consumers to keep buying more of them. If customers spend money on healthier alternatives today, then it enables our future generations to access the same healthier alternatives at lower prices. Now that we’ve discussed the various aspects of vegan eggs, let us see some of the brands selling vegan eggs in India.
Brands selling Vegan Eggs in India
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PlantMade - Buy PlantMade Vegan Egg Online – Vegan Dukan
Plantmade’s Vegan Eggs are made from locally sourced moong dal and chickpeas and are lactose, soy, gluten, and nut free. They can be used in scrambled eggs, bhurji, fried rice, wraps, sandwiches, burgers, etc and they offer more protein per gram than a regular egg. Their egg is cholesterol free and has just 1/5th the fat found in regular eggs. They also have no artificial preservatives, allergens, antibiotics or sugars. The best part is that it's vegan, Jain and kosher, and is great for a Keto or any other diet.
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Evo Foods - – Evo World (evofoods.in)
Mumbai based startup’s EVO Foods’ Vegan Egg is packed with plant protein, is delicious and fluffy, and is rich in BCAA and in Vitamins B12 and D3.
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Vezlay - (Bangalore Only) Vezlay Vegan Scrambled Egg, 1kg – Vegan Dukan
Vezlay’s plant based alternative to eggs is a great option for anyone looking for a healthier alternative to eggs. Their vegan scrambled eggs have no preservatives or cholesterol. In addition to this, they are also low in fat and high in protein.
Or if you’re comfortable with exploring other options
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Vezlay - (Bangalore Only) Vezlay Soya Bhurji – Vegan Dukan
Vezlay’s Soya Bhurji is a great alternative to regular eggs. It has a high protein content and tastes just like eggs. As an added bonus, it can also be used in traditional egg based recipes as a replacement of eggs such as in sandwiches, curries etc.
If you'd also like to try out some Vegan Meats but first want to know what exactly that would be, check out our blog - Vegan Meat: Types, Benefits, and Brands – Vegan Dukan
