These 'Eggs' Are Made From A Surprising Ingredient

A product marketed as plant-based eggs is made from a surprising ingredient. The product, called JUST eggs from the company Eat Just, is in the news as it has been evaluated and approved to be sold in the European Union. Bloomberg reports that the product has been available in Asian and U.S. markets, but that the next move for the company is to take over the plant-based protein market in the U.K. and Europe in 2022.

As plant-based alternatives to meat and animal products are in higher demand due to shifting tides in personal preference, environmental awareness, and other concerns, companies have seen an opportunity to create novel products to meet that demand. According to the JUST eggs website, the ingredient in the egg alternative is incredibly sustainable and uses less resources to cultivate than the equivalent amount of chicken eggs. The product reportedly uses 98% less water, 86% less land, and 93% less carbon dioxide emissions than the same amount of chicken egg production.

So what exactly is this ingredient, and how is it turned into an egg alternative?

The ingredient used in the Eat Just plant-based egg product is mung bean. In the process to make the egg-replacing product, the mung beans are first ground into a powder (via Eminetra). Then, an acid is used to remove the proteins that are necessary to achieve the nutritional value people expect from eggs. The protein from the mung beans are then used in the "egg."

Mung beans are small, green, full of nutrients, and a part of the legume family, according to Healthline. They are a great source of plant-based protein because they contain several essential amino acids that the body needs but can't produce on its own.

Forbes reported on how the mung bean was identified as the perfect protein replacement for JUST eggs based on the way the protein isolate acts, emulsifies, and binds when used in cooking in addition to the sustainability and availability of the beans. The bean was chosen after a long and arduous process to find the perfect plant-based protein to replace egg protein.

If you're looking for a plant-based alternative to regular old eggs, try out JUST eggs and their mung bean protein formula and see what you think!