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If you’ve been vegan for a while, you probably have realized that there are more ingredient substitutes than you could have ever imagined. While many believe that plant-based diets can be restricting, especially with baked goods, that’s far from the truth!

The global plant-based food market is expected to double in growth by 2030 and reach $77.8 billion. It’s never been a better time to go vegan for your health, the environment, and the animals! Check out these seven common ingredients and all of the amazing vegan things you can swap it out with!

1. Eggs

Going vegan makes you realize just how many recipes call for eggs. It’s a building block in many baked goods and acts as a binder. Chia and flax seeds can make amazing egg replacements. Check out our Tips for Using Flax and Chia Seeds to Replace Eggs in Baking and Cooking. You can also use applesauce, aquafaba, and mashed bananas, and many companies are coming out with vegan egg replacement powders to do the job!

Source: Simply Quinoa/Youtube

2. Heavy Cream

There’s no denying the dairy industry is cruel, and dairy is far from healthy for us. So what can we swap for heavy cream? Coconut cream is a healthy alternative and is great for whipped cream toppings and to add to soups. Silken tofu is also popular for replacing heavy cream in recipes. You can also try some nutritious cashew cream that’s great for sauces and soups!

Source: Irene Coco Queen/Youtube

3. Butter

Coconut oil is a great vegan butter replacement. It’s rich, creamy, and fatty and melts perfectly! Use it in place of butter when baking or in place of oil on the stove or in the oven; just remember it has a very low smoke point! Sweet potato can also be used to replace butter. It has a rich and thick consistency that can be similar to butter.

4. Egg Whites

A substitute that doesn’t get the attention it deserves is chickpea juice or aquafaba. That’s right, the liquid leftover from cooked or canned chickpeas can be used as a substitute in so many recipes! It can be whipped up into foam to replace egg whites in recipes like vegan mayonnaise, ice cream, and marshmallows.

Source: The Green Creator/Youtube

5. Protein Swap 

Of course, a staple in many vegan diets is tofu. Tofu is a great protein source swap and absorbs flavor so well. You can flavor it like meat, eggs, or anything you want! Cut it into cubes and marinate for a vegan “steak,” tear apart for vegan scrambled eggs, or tear it into chunks and make some vegan orange and ginger glazed tofu! Tempeh and seitan are also honorable mentions and great to use for protein sources

6. Cheese

Another staple in plant-based diets is nutritional yeast, or “nooch”. It has a distinct flavor and is a perfect substitute for cheese in many recipes! It’s packed with nutrients and can be used in so many ways. Sprinkle it on top of salads, use it in some vegan pesto, or use it to make a cheesy vegan queso!

Source: Edgy Veg/Youtube

7. Honey

Many don’t realize that honey isn’t vegan. But don’t worry, there are so many other great alternatives! Try agave syrup, maple syrup, date syrup, or even find a bee-free certified vegan honey!

Source: Health Benefits/Youtube

If you’re new to vegan living, don’t be discouraged! There are so many ways to swap out common ingredients for just as delicious vegan alternatives.

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Learn How to Cook Plant-Based Meals at Home

Reducing your meat intake and eating more plant-based foods is known to help with chronic inflammation, heart health, mental wellbeing, fitness goals, nutritional needs, allergies, gut health, and more! Unfortunately, dairy consumption also has been linked to many health problems, including acne, hormonal imbalance, cancer, and prostate cancer, and has many side effects.

For those interested in eating more plant-based, we highly recommend purchasing one of our many plant-based cookbooks or downloading the Food Monster App which has thousands of delicious recipes making it the largest vegan recipe resource to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy! And, while you are at it, we encourage you to also learn about the environmental and health benefits of a plant-based diet.

Here are some resources to get you started:

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