Ask The Tufts Experts: Vegan Egg Replacements … Cutting Sugar in Baking

Q: What makes a good vegan egg replacement?

A: Melissa Townsend, MS, RD, CDN, Registered Dietitian, Tufts N19, answers: “Eggs are an important ingredient in baking and cooking because of their functionality, including emulsifying, binding, foaming, leavening, and thickening. For those who are looking for a vegan egg replacement, the best option depends on what you’re trying to make.

• Ground flaxseeds or chia seeds are one of the most common egg replacements. To replace one egg, combine one tablespoon of ground flaxseed or chia seeds with three tablespoons of water and let sit for 10 to 30 minutes to create a gel that works well in cakes and brownies.
• Aquafaba, the liquid from canned chickpeas, is another option. It can be whipped to stiff peaks like egg whites. Three tablespoons can be used to replace each egg white or whole egg in meringues, cakes, or cookies. (Note that this brine can be high in sodium.)
• Two tablespoons cornstarch mixed with three tablespoons water is a flavorless option to replace each egg in custards and pies.
• One teaspoon of baking soda mixed with one tablespoon of white or cider vinegar per egg can be used in cakes, cupcakes, and quick breads.
• One-quarter cup of pureed silken tofu or soy yogurt can be used for each egg in breads, muffins, and pound cakes. This will result in a denser, moist texture. Extra baking powder may be necessary.
• Fruit or vegetable purees, such as one-half to one mashed banana or one-quarter cup of applesauce, pureed pumpkin, or mashed sweet potato can be used in breads and muffins. With these options, you may need to reduce the sugar in the recipe.
• Three tablespoons of creamy nut butter can be used per egg in cookies. Make sure you choose a recipe that will taste good with a nutty flavor!
• Commercial vegan egg replacers are also available. These are made from starches and have directions for how to replace whole eggs or egg yolks when mixing the replacer with water.”

Q: What are some ways I can decrease sugar when baking?

A: Judith C. Thalheimer, RD, LDN, managing editor of Tufts Health & Nutrition Letter, answers. “The added sugars, refined carbohydrates, and saturated fats in baked goods like muffins, cakes, and cookies are associated with numerous chronic health problems, and nutrition experts universally recommend cutting back on their intake (see A Report Card on the American Diet on page 6). For those who want to bake a treat, reducing the amount of sugar in the recipe (and adding fruit and whole-grain ingredients) improves the nutritional content.

“Sugar plays many roles in baked goods beyond providing sweetness. Cutting sugar can make baked goods less moist and blander. Their shelf-life will be shorter and brownness will not be as good an indicator of doneness. Cookies made with less than the recommended amount of sugar will not spread as much, and they will be cakier and less crunchy. It will take some trial and error to adjust recipes to your liking.

“One popular way to cut back on sugar is to substitute fruit. Fruit provides sweetness along with fiber and other bioactive compounds. One-quarter cup of applesauce or puree of banana, figs, or other fruits can be used to replace one cup of sugar in a recipe, although this may result in changes to texture and rising. Sprinkling in chopped dried fruit can also replace a few tablespoons of sugar (and add beneficial fiber).

“Sugar substitutes can be used: for example, one teaspoon of a Stevia replaces one cup of white sugar (or 1/8 teaspoon Stevia for every Tablespoon of sugar). So-called ‘baking blends’ that mix sugar with a sugar substitute are available in many markets. See product packages for substitution details.

“Sprinkling sugar on top of a baked good or drizzling on a glaze of confectioners’ sugar mixed with milk or water can provide a strong sugary taste with less sugar overall.

“Remember, while making adjustments to recipes is fine, cutting back on portion sizes and overall intake of sweets and baked goods (and choosing sweet fruits when the craving hits) is considerably better.”

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