Are bagels vegan? This is one of the first questions many people who have recently adopted this diet ask. Because there are several different kinds of bagels on the market, it can be difficult to discern which are vegan and which are not. Fortunately, there are some easy rules for helping you determine if a bagel is a healthy vegan choice.
Contrary to popular belief, bagels are not automatically vegan friendly because they usually contain at least one egg. While the yolks are removed before brewing, some manufacturers still use the by-product of egg whites in their recipes. Because of this, and because the addition of sugar and other additives is common in commercially made bagels, it’s wise to read the ingredients list to ensure the absence of additional ingredients that might be harmful to a vegan diet.
Most commercially available brand bags are not vegan friendly. There are several reasons for this. Most notable among these is that many snack bagel brands rely on textured vegetable shortening (TVeS). This chemical additive is widely recognized as being harmful to animals and humans, but it is also used by manufacturers of flavored bagels. Ingesting it over time can introduce trace amounts of it to the body, thereby compromising your health.
Some manufacturers use other types of ingredients in their bagels, too. These include refined white flour (not whole wheat), corn meal (also not whole wheat) and artificial flavors. Again, these ingredients are likely to be harmful to individuals trying to shed unwanted pounds. Although bagels can help you lose weight, they should not be your only source of nutrition.
A significant portion of commercially available bagels contain eggs. If you are allergic to eggs or concerned about the ingredients in eggs, switching to vegan bagels may be a better choice. Even if you are not allergic to eggs, it is important to avoid foods that are produced from eggs, such as mayonnaise, margarine and shortening. Even a small number of calories from eggs can add up over time, making this a good change for many individuals.
Many of the specialty bagels on the market are made with coffee bean flour. Like many other breads, coffee bean flour has a wheat base but contains no gluten or protein. Many people are unfamiliar with coffee bean flour; it is actually derived from coffee beans that are roasted. Coffee bean flour is commonly used in place of wheat in breads, cakes and cookie recipes, but there is an entire industry based on using it as a replacement for wheat. Although the benefits of coffee bean flour are beginning to show up in specialty foods, like pizza, snack foods and coffee, it will probably take several years for its full acceptance by consumers.
Most bagels are available un-roasted, but there are some varieties that come wrapped in aluminum foil, which will allow them to keep their shape during storage. This makes them ideal for taking along on an airplane trip and for reheating at home. The only problem with these types of foil bagels is that they are usually vegan and they can contain traces of animal products. If you want to shop at a bakery, check the ingredients list to see what else is in the store that is also vegan. It may not be as easy to find the non-dairy varieties of bagels available at your local bakery.
For many people, the biggest challenge when it comes to vegan ingredients is deciding which ingredients to remove from their bagels. Because bagels are wheat, dairy and egg free, most chefs choose to avoid any egg wash or butter on their baked goods. For those who are used to other food additives, this can be tough to do, but many people have found that adding more raw food additives, such as nutmeg, to their baked goods, such as bread, really enhances the flavor. Be creative and you will usually find new vegan ingredients to add to your baked goods, such as banana or peanut butter.