The trend of being as healthy and unique as possible has transformed green juice into a trend. This movement is now on a mission to make a rather new ingredient, aquafaba, the new point of interest for the vegans and the adventurous alike. Known as the “vegan egg,” aquafaba is taking over the food world one recipe at a time.
Origins
Aquafaba is derived from the liquid in a can of legumes. This new substance was discovered by French chef Joel Roessel in 2014 and is now considered to be the vegan egg. It miraculously mimics the functions of egg whites and forms a foam similar to a protein isolate.
It is composed of carbohydrates, proteins, and other soluble plant solids that are released from the seeds in the water during the cooking process. This substance is a savior for those with special dietary, ethical, or religious guidelines.
How to Use It
Due to its consistency, Aquafaba can replace egg whites in sweet foods like meringues, macarons, nougat, icing, ice cream, fudge, and savory foods like mayonnaise and cheese.
Assuming that one is open-minded to the possibilities of utilizing Aquafaba, the simplest way to start using it is to decant the precious liquid from a can or box of legumes. Then, it will be time to either steam, boil, pressure cook, or microwave it. Simply add this concentrated potion to your recipe. This ingredient may surprise you.
Cocktails, Anyone?
And if you’re not looking to use this in foods, then maybe using it in a cocktail will interest you. The foaming agent in your cocktail that can be so tasty can now be swapped out for something leaner.
Benefits
Aquafaba is natural and the biggest part of it is water, so it seems pretty hard to go wrong. It’s packed with starches and protein and is very low in calories. The studies and experiments done on aquafaba are rather new, so we don’t yet know its full potential and benefits. But as of right now it is an eggless egg, which is benefit enough.
Are You Sold?
Despite the cynic in me, there is no judgment here. We should all indulge our vegan side and insert ourselves into this craze. You know you will sooner or later—it is just like the green smoothie that started us all. And there’s a chance you’ve unknowingly already had this vegan egg. An open mind, my fellow foodies, that’s the key