Do vegans eat eggs? Is there an alternative to regular eggs?

The question “Do vegetarians eat eggs” is discussed on many vegetarian forums. After all, diets that exclude certain foods and food groups can be difficult, especially when it is not even clear whether certain foods can be eaten at all

At the very beginning of a vegetarian’s journey, one needs to understand whether vegetarians eat eggs or not. After all, eggs come from chickens, which makes them unsuitable for vegans (who avoid eating both animals and their derivatives). But vegetarians just don't eat meat, right? So what's the deal?

Why vegetarians don't eat meat

Ethics

Billions of animals die every year where they are counted as a unit of production rather than as living beings with their own desires, needs and the ability to experience pain. And all this is just to satisfy the belly and the desire to eat deliciously. Animals grow up in very cruel conditions, they are injected with unnatural amounts of hormones and antibiotics, and they die a painful death. All of the above reasons force many people to give up the habit of eating meat. By becoming a vegetarian, you cease to be complicit in the development of this cruel and inhumane industry.

Health

Nowadays, modern medicine confirms that meat-eating is very harmful to health. WHO has declared processed meat a carcinogen. Today, two groups of diseases dominate among the causes of mortality: cardiovascular diseases (about 55% of deaths, including atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, hypertension, heart attack, strokes) and cancer, which causes 15% of deaths, and this number all things grows. That is, two thirds of the population dies from these two diseases, and one of the main reasons is poor nutrition, which is primarily associated with an excess of foods high in saturated fats in the diet. Research confirms that these problems are much less common among vegetarians. By eating a balanced, plant-based diet that includes fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes and nuts, you are creating the cause of whole-body health.

Policy

There is a problem of hunger on Earth. An estimated seventh of the world's population is undernourished. The US farm economy, for example, is capable of providing bread for two billion people on the planet, but most of the harvest is used to feed livestock for meat, which is available only to residents of prosperous countries. If we use resources wisely, we could end world hunger. Knowing that we can contribute to saving people from hunger can be a great inspiration to give up eating meat.

Ecology

People also strive to become vegetarians because they object to the environmental damage caused by animal agriculture. Huge areas of land are used to grow feed for livestock. According to various sources, from 1/3 to half of the total available area of ​​the Earth is used for livestock farming. These areas can be used much more productively if grains, beans or other legumes are grown on them. A side effect of this irrational use of resources is that forests are being cut down from the face of the Earth for pastures. At the same time, livestock farming leads to an increase in greenhouse gas emissions (according to Americans, one cow produces from 250 to 500 liters of methane per day every day).

Moreover, raising animals for food is also a colossal waste of water. It has been found that meat production requires 8 times more water than growing vegetables and grains. In addition, farms pollute rivers and groundwater with waste, pesticides and herbicides, and the methane produced by cows is overheating the planet.

Karma

One of the most important reasons for giving up the harmful habit of eating killer food is understanding the karmic law. By involving himself in the circle of causing pain and suffering, even indirectly, but by eating animals, a person dooms himself to the same suffering, to the same extent that he caused suffering to others. Many great people understood this law. Pythagoras, the great mathematician and philosopher, said: “All the suffering that man causes to animals will return again to man.”

Even the etymology of the word “meat” comes from the words mam and sa.

This is how the sages explain the meaning of the word “meat” (mamsa): “ Let that (sa) devour me (mam) in the future world, the meat of which I eat here!” (Manu – smriti)

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Energy

The quality of food determines not only the state of a person’s health, but also the state of his psyche, mental activity, and even his fate after death. According to the Vedas, food is divided into three types: sattva (goodness), rajas (passion) and tamas (ignorance). Sattva lifts a person to God, rajas makes a person suffer in the fire of his passions, tamas plunges him into complete oblivion.

Proper nutrition clears the mind. Eating products of violence pollutes not only the body, but also the mind. An animal, when it is deprived of life, experiences colossal horror, and fear hormones are released into the blood. Eating dead living creatures fills a person with vibrations of fear and increases the tendency to see only shortcomings in people, greed and cruelty increase. Leo Tolstoy said: “The first thing a person will abstain from will always be the consumption of animal food, because, not to mention the stimulation of passions produced by this food, its consumption is directly immoral, since it requires an act contrary to the moral sense - murder, and is only caused greed, desire for delicacy

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General information

Vegetarianism is a food and lifestyle system that has been known since ancient times and is inherently an important part of human culture.
The history of this movement goes back a long way. Many famous people in different historical periods did not consume meat. In this context, we can recall the ancient thinkers Plato, Aristotle, Pythagoras, and the great minds from later historical periods - Albert Einstein, Ilya Repin, Henry Ford, and many of our contemporaries. The principles of this movement are in great demand both among its ideological followers and among those who simply strive to lead a healthy lifestyle. However, there is still active debate about how beneficial strict vegetarianism is, and whether it is worth adhering to its principles. What vegetarianism is, why people become vegetarians, and what are the reasons that prompt such changes in diet and life will be discussed in this article.

Do vegetarians eat fish?

Sometimes you can meet people who consider themselves vegetarians, but at the same time happily eat fish. Such people are even called a separate word - “pescatarians”. But this is not vegetarianism yet.

The Vegetarian Society of Great Britain gives the following definition: “A vegetarian does not eat the meat of animals and birds (both domestic and those killed during hunting), fish, shellfish, crustaceans and all products related to the killing of living beings,” which means that vegetarians don't eat fish

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Fishing is no less cruel than killing other animals. Fish have a very complex nervous system and, accordingly, experience the same pain as humans. Most fish die in the water from the inability to breathe in the net under the weight of their fellows. In addition, along with the necessary catch, turtles, dolphins, fur seals and whales fall into the trap - many also suffocate in the nets. Animals that fishermen are not interested in, whether dead or not, are thrown back into the water.

Moreover, nowadays, fish live in water so polluted that you would not even think of drinking it. And yet some people continue to eat the flesh of the inhabitants of the sea, absorbing this poisonous cocktail of bacteria, toxins, heavy metals, etc.

Some people argue that eating fish contains calcium, phosphorus, omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins, however, as the experience of people who have eliminated fish from their diet shows, healthier plant sources can be found. The record holders for calcium content are poppy seeds, sesame seeds, greens, cabbage and nuts. Sources of phosphorus include: grains, legumes, peanuts, broccoli, various seeds. Omega-3 can be replenished by eating flax seeds, soy, walnuts, tofu, pumpkin and wheat germ. In addition to acids, this plant-based food provides the body with immunostimulating fiber and antioxidants. They also do not contain toxic heavy metals and carcinogenic substances found in fish.

How to replace fermented milk products?

A number of plant products can replenish the set of substances contained in milk. These include:

• Cabbage, broccoli, spinach, parsley, salad - will cover calcium needs;
• Potatoes, oatmeal and salads will help replenish vitamin D deficiency;
• Dried fruits contain large amounts of K and Fe (potassium with iron);
• Nuts (cashews, walnuts, hazelnuts) are very rich in fats, carotene and other vitamins;
• Coconut milk contains vitamins C, B, as well as lauric acid;
• Nut milk contains high amounts of magnesium, iron and zinc.

It is important to understand that a vegan diet must be well balanced. There are not many universal plant foods, so most of the diet will be “specialized” in delivering certain nutrients to the body. A nutritional deficiency in one or more of them will cause much more damage to the body than the benefits of veganism. It would be best to consult a nutritionist to create a diet and avoid unpleasant or dangerous consequences for the body.

There are many dishes, vegetable mixtures and drinks, the recipes of which are quite simple and are popular among vegans. Almost all types of vegetables, fruits, and nuts used in these dishes are usually on sale in a typical supermarket. Tables of the energy value and content of nutrients in plant foods will also help in creating a diet - after all, those types that cannot be replaced in a vegan diet with any analogue simply cannot exist.

Do vegetarians eat eggs?

People often have a question: why do many vegetarians stop eating eggs, because by doing so they are not depriving anyone of their life?

There are some arguments for this question.

The fact is that now, during industrial breeding, chickens are treated very poorly. Each egg is the result of 22 hours spent by a hen, in most cases in a cage the size of a drawer. Due to forced immobility, birds develop lameness, and due to constant egg laying, osteoporosis (all calcium is used to form the shell).

One of the authoritative dietary databases, Nutritional Data, which publishes scientific information and research in the field of nutrition, provides data on the connection between egg consumption and diseases such as diabetes and cancer. Research shows that eating just one egg per week significantly increases your risk of diabetes, a leading cause of lower limb amputation, kidney failure, and new cases of blindness. The risks of eating 2.4 eggs per week were also examined. In addition, eggs are an allergen and can cause salmonellosis.

If you have given up eating eggs, then replacing them in almost any dish will not be difficult. Several replacement options, where for 1 chicken egg:

• 1 table. a spoonful of corn starch, which needs to be stirred until smooth in 2 tablespoons. spoons of water and add to the dough;
• 2 table. spoons of potato starch;
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder and the same amount of water, you can add 1 tablespoon to the mixture. a spoonful of vegetable oil;
• 1 table. a spoonful of ground flax seed and 2 tbsp. spoons of hot water (soak flax in water until it becomes a gel);
• half a mashed banana, 3 tbsp. spoons of puree from apples, plums, pumpkins, zucchini, apricots;
• 2 table. spoons of oatmeal soaked in water;
• 3 table. spoons of chickpea flour and the same amount of water;
• 3 table. spoons of nut butter

Summarize

Strict vegans exclude all animal products, including eggs, for a variety of reasons, but one of the main motivators is concern for animal welfare.

However, there is a trend among some vegans to include eggs in their diet as long as they are assured that they come from ethically raised chickens.

Including eggs in a vegetarian diet can provide vegans with additional nutrients that can benefit everyone, especially children and pregnant women.

What vegetarians shouldn't eat

If you, as a conscious person, strive to minimize the harm caused to the environment, it is also important to become familiar with those products where traces of murder and violence may be hidden. We provide a list of the most common products.

Albumin is dried stabilized whole blood or formed elements of animal blood. Light albumin is used instead of the relatively expensive egg white in sausage production, in the confectionery and bakery industries, since albumin beats well in the presence of water and forms foam. Black food albumin, from which hematogen is made, contains a huge number of allergens, primarily from erythrocyte membranes. For this reason, when consuming hematogen, allergic reactions are detected in children and adults.

Vitamin D3. Fish oil can be a source of vitamin D3.

Gelatin.

Its production uses meat, joints, tendons of cattle, most often pork, as well as seafood. Through complex production processes, an extract of sticky substances is formed from this raw material; it is of protein origin, since eighty-five percent of gelatin consists of protein. Today, gelatin is used in the production of marmalade, creams, soufflés, jelly, marshmallows, aspic, and aspic. But it is used not only in the food industry, but also in pharmacology, the photographic industry and cosmetology.

Abomasum.

Usually produced from the stomach of calves. The production of most cheeses and some types of cottage cheese cannot be done without rennet. There are cheeses that do not use rennet, for example, Adyghe cheese. You can find other rennet-free cheeses - read the labels carefully. Examples of non-animal rennet names: Milase, Meito Microbial Rennet (MR), Fromase®, Maxilact®, Suparen®.

Cheap butter.

Some cheap butter, some spreads, mixes and margarines, and store-bought ghee may contain seal or fish oil.

Therefore, you should not save on the price of butter, and it is better to make ghee yourself.

Pepsin

- an ingredient of animal origin, an analogue of rennet. If the packaging states that pepsin is microbial, then it is of non-animal origin.

Lecithin

(aka E322). Vegetarian and soy lecithin are considered vegetarian, and non-vegetarian is when it is simply written: “Lecithin”, because. it's made from eggs.

Coca-Cola and other drinks containing red dye E120 (carmine, cochineal), produced from insects.

Diet rules for vegetarians

When following such a nutritional system, one must not only eat “allowed” food, but also adhere to some rules that adherents of this system consider very important. It is believed that if a person confidently says about himself: “I am a vegetarian or a vegetarian,” then even in small things he should behave correctly. Most adherents of this movement follow these rules:

• You should eat only when you are hungry. If a person is full and an appetizing dish appears in front of him, this is not a reason to eat again.
• Vegetarians do not eat immediately after completing hard physical or mental work. First, they must give the body time to restore balance.
• You should only sit at the table in a normal mood. It is believed that a bad mood can negatively affect digestion.
• During the period of a cold, you need to eat as little as necessary. The body's forces should be aimed at fighting viruses, and not at digesting food.
• It is important to remember not to eat too quickly. To make it easier to digest, you need to chew the pieces thoroughly.

A person should become satiated gradually so as not to end the meal in a state of overeating.

Vegetarianism: recipes for every day

Numerous recipes for vegetarian dishes make it possible to eat varied foods and prepare very interesting dishes. Those who want to master very complex recipes are advised to watch a step-by-step video that will help you prepare the dish correctly. Almost every vegetarian website contains such videos.

Below are some original vegetarian recipes.

Exotic salad

Required : 150 g spinach or lettuce, 1 cucumber, 1 bell pepper, 1 avocado, 3 tbsp. l. pumpkin seeds, 2 tbsp. l. apple cider vinegar, 2 tsp. mustard, 2 tsp. vegetable oil.

Preparation : wash the spinach and place it on a dish. Cut the vegetables into strips and mix. Place them on a plate with spinach. Prepare the sauce by mixing mustard, vegetable oil and vinegar. Season the salad, add salt to taste and sprinkle pumpkin seeds on top.

Solyanka

Required : 100 g oyster mushrooms, 100 g cabbage, carrots, 2 tomatoes, 1 sweet pepper, bay leaf, sea salt, 1 tsp. honey, 60 g vegetable oil, dried herbs, black pepper.

Preparation : cut the peppers and carrots into strips and simmer in oil. Grate the tomatoes, after peeling them, and add to the frying pan with the vegetables. Chop the cabbage and chop the mushrooms, place everything in a saucepan. Pour 300 ml of water, add stewed vegetables and all the spices, as well as herbs and honey. Simmer everything over low heat for about half an hour. Remove from heat and sprinkle the dish with ground black pepper.

Oatmeal pudding with carrots

Required : 1 cup of grated carrots, 300 g of milk, 1 cup of oatmeal, a pinch of ground ginger and nutmeg, 0.5 tsp each. cinnamon and vanilla, 100 g chopped nuts, 2 tbsp. l. coconut flakes, 2 tbsp. l. sugar, 50 g raisins, 1 tsp. lemon juice.

Preparation : heat the milk, adding ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg. Add oatmeal and carrots to the heated milk, boil for 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove the thickened mixture from heat, add raisins, nuts, vanilla, sugar. After mixing the mixture, place it in the pan and bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Transfer the finished dish to a large plate, sprinkle with coconut flakes and sprinkle with lemon juice.

Syrniki

Required : 100 g cottage cheese, 1 tbsp. l. semolina, 50 g raisins, 20 g flour, 20 g butter, a pinch of salt.

Preparation : Squeeze the curd until it is as dry as possible. Add semolina to it and stir well. Wash and dry the raisins. Add it, as well as flour and salt to the cottage cheese and stir everything well. Fry until a crust appears. Can be served with honey.

conclusions

Without a doubt, in many ways our era is the era of vegetarians. There is now an entire industry dedicated to providing plant-based consumers with the products and services they need. There are vegetarian cafes and restaurants in big cities. Very often you can see invitations to a vegetarian festival, to a hobby club, and even to special cooking courses.

In most cities it is not difficult to find a store that sells everything for people practicing this lifestyle. And those who live in small towns can easily order everything they need through the online store.

But still, those who want to change their lives and start practicing veganism or less radical forms of vegetarianism should still carefully prepare for such a step. To do this, it is necessary to study as much information as possible about this movement, reading books, watching documentaries, which provide a detailed presentation of this philosophy. It wouldn’t hurt to visit a thematic forum - there are a lot of them on the Internet, or corresponding VK groups. On the social network VKontakte you can make numerous acquaintances with like-minded people and even find suitable vacancies for people who practice this philosophy.

However, you need to remember that many resources (Lurk, etc.) contain a lot of rather contradictory information.

But if a person truly consciously strives to become a vegetarian, then, using the advice of experienced people, he can gradually move on to this practice. But such nutrition should be as balanced and varied as possible - only in this case will it bring benefits to the body and good health to the person.

Interesting Facts

Below are some interesting facts about vegetarianism:

• In India, more than 80% of the population does not consume animal products. The fewest vegetarians live in China.
• By giving up meat consumption, a person reduces the likelihood of developing cataracts by 40%.
• The study confirmed that the body odor of people who have excluded meat from their diet is more pleasant than that of meat eaters. It has been noted that red meat has the most negative effect on body odor.
• It was vegetarians who created the Kama Sutra. Therefore, you can find the statement that people who give up meat are more skilled lovers.
• Even vegans can gain weight. The answer to the question of how to gain weight for vegetarians is simple: you need to consume more high-calorie foods and introduce a variety of nuts, seeds and starchy vegetables into your menu.