What Happens To Your Body When You Eat Imitation Eggs

Eggs have earned a well-deserved reputation as a superfood to consider. However, not everyone wants to eat real eggs. For them, powdered or liquid imitation eggs might seem like a reasonable alternative. But imitation eggs aren't real eggs, which means they don't affect people's bodies the same way that real eggs do.

Real eggs are practically overflowing with an assortment of beneficial nutrients. As Healthline notes, eggs are high in complete protein (meaning they supply all of the essential amino acids the body requires to thrive), as well as abundant in many B-vitamins, selenium, and healthier fat. For this reason, eggs are frequently recommended as part of a well-rounded diet, even for people at risk of cardiovascular disease.

Imitation eggs have a much different nutritional profile than their real counterparts. For instance, though imitation eggs tend to be deliberately high in protein, the protein comes from plant-based sources. Plant-based protein is still protein, but it isn't complete.

Another difference between real eggs and imitation eggs is that the latter rely on plenty of non-egg substances to act, taste, and look like real eggs. According to a 2013 article in Advances in Pharmacology and Pharmacy, imitation eggs frequently contain a lot of unexpected ingredients like solidifiers, preservatives, additives, softeners, and food dyes. It's worth noting, though, that the researchers focused on fake eggs that were created to look like unbroken eggs. These ingredients may be monitored and accepted as safe by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration standards, but they may not be what consumers want to eat in place of real eggs.

Case in point: Consider the solidifying agent called glucolactone that was mentioned in the 2013 article. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, glucolactone is a food additive that has cosmetic industry uses, too. It's considered okay to use in both capacities. Therefore, it's not "bad," but doesn't necessarily perform a healthy role.

Some examples of liquid imitation egg products are JUST Egg and Simply Eggless. Both feature plant-based oils that don't contain saturated fat, offering potential benefits for people who are limiting their saturated fat consumption. They also offer protein sourced from beans. As noted, bean protein can't match up to the complete protein found in real eggs. This means that consumers who strive to eat complete proteins must add other protein-rich foods to their meals to round out their amino acid intake.

Beyond their fat and protein sources, imitation egg products also tend to differ in terms of additives. From flavorings and colorings to salt and emulsifiers, a variety of ingredients are used by brands to mimic real eggs. Consequently, consumers interested in trying imitation eggs may want to examine their preferred brands' nutritional labels and ingredient lists first in order to avoid unknowingly overloading on sodium and dyes. Ultimately, imitation eggs don't function as a 1:1 nutritional swap for the real thing. That said, selectively pairing imitation eggs with other foods can help make up for any missing or limited nutrients.