Avoid eggs

Eggs, milk, are harmful to human health like any other animal products, a risk factor for chronic conditions described in Preventing diseases.

Eggs have a high content of fat and cholesterol, and the nutrients they contain can be easily found in plant foods.

Seventy percent of egg calories are from fat, most of which are saturated. Cholesterol content is very high, about 200 milligrams for a medium-sized egg.

Since the shell is porous and fragile, and since eggs are produced in extremely crowded and poorly-hygienic farms, eggs are the ideal environment for the spread of Salmonella, the bacterium most responsible for microbial contamination of foods.

The only reason eggs are used is because many traditional recipes include this ingredient, used as a thickening agent or as an aid to leavening. But for these two uses, many other harmless ingredients can be used, just by changing habits. Any cake, cookie, or other dessert can be made without eggs, and yet is soft, delicious and appetizing, without cholesterol and lighter! Even meringue can be made without eggs, as well as mayonnaise, pancakes and much more.

Here are some practical tips:

If egg is needed as a binder:

• To replace each egg in baked goods, use 1 heaping tablespoon of soy flour plus 1 tablespoon water, or 2 tablespoons potato starch or cornstarch plus 2 tablespoons water.
• Use 50 grams of silken tofu or 30 grams of tofu compact crushed with a fork, instead of each egg.
• In cakes, in the place of each egg, use half of a crushed banana, although sometimes this slightly changes the taste of the recipe.
• For veggie burgers, use one of the following ingredients to compact all the ingredients: mashed potatoes, boiled rice, sesame seed butter, all mixed with a little boiling water.
• If the recipe calls for only 1-2 eggs, it's often possible to do without. Add a couple of tablespoons (about 30 cc) of water for each egg eliminated to balance all of the ingredients.

If the egg serves as an aid for leavening, instead of 1 egg you can add a teaspoon-tip of baking powder to the recipe, or use 3/4 teaspoon baking soda with a little less than a tablespoon of apple vinegar.

Finally, many natural foods stores are selling egg substitutes, powder products without eggs. During the preparation, just mix it with water according to the instructions.