Updated on April 9th, 2023
For fiber and omega-3 fatty acid boost, many people typically know to sprinkle flax seeds over morning oatmeal or put a few spoonfuls into the dough for making bread. However, not many people know that flaxseeds can be an egg substitute!
When flax seeds are pulverized into a smoother consistency and whisked with water, the gum contained in the seed coating thickens and becomes gelatinous. This acts as an emulsifier and aids in the structure of baked foods, similar to the way eggs function in recipes.
If all of this is news to you too, and you’d like to find out more about how to replace eggs with flaxseed meals in your recipes, you’ve come to the right place. We’ll also describe recipes in which this substitution works best and appropriate substitution measures for the best results.
Flaxseed Nutrition Facts
Flaxseed Meal Vs. Egg
Flaxseed meal is typically made from ground flax seeds into a powdery form. Flaxseed is a plant-based food item high in fiber, antioxidants, and omega-3 fatty acids. It’s commonly referred to as a “functional food” because it can be consumed to improve one’s health.
Flax was first grown in ancient Egypt and China and has since been used in Ayurvedic treatment in Asia for thousands of years. To get the most health advantages from flaxseeds, they must be processed into flaxseed meals. This flaxseed meal is then incorporated into several recipes, and it is quite an adaptable ingredient.
On the other hand, Eggs are one of the few food items that may be referred to as “superfoods.” They’re chock-full of nutrients, some of which are hard to come by in today’s diet. Whole eggs are one of the most nutrient-dense foods globally, with a small amount of practically every nutrient required by the human body for proper functioning.
Eggs are popular ingredients in a wide number and range of recipes and can serve as the main course of a meal or be used as one of the ingredients being incorporated into other recipes.
Substituting Flaxseed Meal for Eggs
When flaxseeds are being used to replace eggs in recipes, they are typically used in a flax egg. A flax egg is a plant-based egg substitute made from powdered flax seeds and water.
Not all recipes allow for egg substitution with flax eggs. Flax eggs work nicely in baked products, pancakes, and other flour-based recipes when used in tiny amounts. Flax eggs also produce a “gluey” material comparable to egg whites that aid in binding the ingredients in a recipe.
Flax eggs also have some fat, just like actual egg yolks, and they also provide some fiber, which you won’t get from real eggs. Flax eggs, unfortunately, don’t have the same structural support as actual eggs and therefore won’t function in egg-based dishes like frittatas or scrambled eggs.
In the recipes described below, you can substitute flax eggs for actual eggs:
Baked Goods
Flax eggs can be used in most baked products in which you have to use a lot of flour. Pancakes, chocolate chip cookies, waffles, and quick bread such as banana bread and muffins are excellent flax egg experimentation choices. The flax egg, when properly blended, will result in the same gluey quality that is required to hold the baking elements together.
Combine flaxseed meal and water in a bowl and whisk to make flax eggs if you want to use them instead of eggs in baking recipes. Allow 5 minutes for the mixture to thicken. Substitute this mixture for one egg in your recipes (depending on how many eggs the original recipe requires).
Because the flax egg mixture doesn’t bond and stiffen as an egg does during baking, don’t expect it to be an exact 1:1 substitution in every recipe.
Salad Dressings
Salad dressing mimics mayonnaise according to FDA regulations, in that it is an emulsion of oil and vinegar, and recipes for salad dressings typically include eggs as an emulsifying ingredient.
The thick and gelatinous quality that flaxseed meal develops when whisked with water allows flax eggs to sufficiently replicate the emulsifying effect that actual eggs impart into salad dressings. As a result, flax eggs can adequately replace eggs in recipes for salad dressings.
To substitute one egg, use one tablespoon of flax seeds and three tablespoons of water. You’ll need a coffee or spice grinder to crush the flax seeds into a fine powder, then whisk in the water until the mixture develops a gelatinous quality. In your salad dressing recipe, the flax “eggs” can then be used instead of conventional eggs.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can I use applesauce instead of flax egg?
Flaxseed egg replacers perform well in denser recipes, such as cookies or muffins. Applesauce or other pureed fruit types (prunes) also work well as egg substitutes since they bind ingredients together, introduce moisture, and are low in fat.
Is Chia egg or flax egg better?
1 flax egg or one chia egg can be used in muffins, quick bread, cakes, cookies, burgers, and other baked goods. Use chia egg when you need extra binding and flax eggs for the other needs, depending on the recipe.
Are flax eggs and Chia eggs the same?
A flax egg is a plant-based substitute for actual eggs made from crushed flax seeds and water. Instead of flax, you can also use ground chia seeds. Because they’re so similar, you may interchangeably use ground chia or flax “eggs” in recipes, depending on which seed you have available.
Conclusion
With many health advantages to benefit from, flaxseed meals can be sufficiently used instead of eggs to replicate some of their functions in recipes. This is a terrific technique to have up your sleeves, even if you’re not vegan or very health-conscious.
You can try out this substitution on any day that you happen to run out of eggs and need some in your recipe. Ensure to adhere to the right substitution methods, and use flaxseed meal correctly in the recipes with which it is compatible. This will ensure that you get the best results.