Egg substitute: lower LDL than whole eggs, and less of what the yolk brings

A meta-analysis of 8 randomized trials in middle-aged and older adults found that eating more than 4 whole eggs a week raised LDL cholesterol by 6.6 mg/dL (0.171 mmol/L) more than the same amount of egg substitute (95% CI 0.028 to 0.315). The trials were small and most were in people with metabolic syndrome or high cholesterol. Whole eggs also raised HDL by 2.6 mg/dL (0.068 mmol/L) more, and triglycerides did not differ. The common liquid product is egg white, so it is egg and still carries egg allergens. The brand used in one 2022 trial was 99% egg whites with under 1% gums and beta carotene for color, plus added vitamins. Plant-based substitutes are a different food. In a label survey of 152 vegan products in Brazil, the vegan egg products were emulsions of oil, starch and isolated protein. What removing the yolk takes away shows in the blood. In a 4 week crossover trial in 24 adults with metabolic syndrome, plasma choline ended at 9.47 umol/L on the substitute against 10.54 umol/L on whole eggs.

The numbers, per 3.5 oz (100 g)

As people eat it, per 3.5 oz (100 g)

How much is actually in it

• A survey of 152 vegan products sold in Brazil found vegan egg substitutes built from emulsions of oil, starch and isolated protein. — 152 commercial vegan dairy and egg alternatives in Brazil (n = 152) Evidence C source
  Vegan egg products based on oil, starch and isolated protein emulsions

What a real portion looks like

• In USDA survey data, a quarter cup of raw egg substitute stands in for one large egg and weighs 1.9 oz (55 g). — FNDDS portion records for Egg substitute, omelet, scrambled, or fried, fat added (n = 3 portions) Evidence E source
  1/4 cup raw (1 large egg) 55 g, 1 cup cooked 135 g, quantity not specified 110 g

What your body absorbs

• In a crossover RCT of 24 adults with metabolic syndrome, spinach eaten with egg substitute for 4 weeks raised plasma lutein as whole eggs did, but zeaxanthin rose only with whole eggs. — 24 adults with metabolic syndrome on a plant-based diet, 2 eggs or equivalent egg substitute with 70 g spinach daily for 4 weeks (n = 24) Evidence B source
  Lutein up after both breakfasts (p < 0.01), zeaxanthin up only with whole eggs (p < 0.01)

What it does to your health

• In the same crossover RCT of 24 adults, plasma choline ended at 9.47 umol/L after 4 weeks of egg substitute against 10.54 umol/L after whole eggs. — 24 adults with metabolic syndrome, 4 weeks per breakfast arm (n = 24) Evidence B source
  Plasma choline 10.54 +/- 2.8 (whole egg) vs 9.47 +/- 2.7 umol/L (substitute), p < 0.025
• In an RCT of 37 adults with metabolic syndrome on a lower-carbohydrate diet, 12 weeks of yolk-free egg substitute gave smaller HDL gains than three whole eggs a day. — 37 adults with metabolic syndrome, 3 whole eggs (n = 20) or yolk-free substitute (n = 17) daily for 12 weeks (n = 37) Evidence B source
  Greater HDL-cholesterol and large HDL particle increases with whole eggs (P < 0.05)
• In the same 12 week trial of 37 adults, plasma beta carotene rose 55% on the egg substitute while lutein and zeaxanthin rose only with whole eggs. — 37 adults with metabolic syndrome, 12 weeks (n = 37) Evidence B source
  Substitute group beta carotene +55%, whole egg group lutein +21%, zeaxanthin +48%, beta carotene +24%

Safety, limits and interactions

• The commercial egg substitute used in a 2022 RCT was 99% egg whites with under 1% xanthan gum, guar gum and beta carotene, fortified with vitamins. — Egg Beaters original, as supplied in a crossover trial Evidence B source
  99% egg white, under 1% gums and beta carotene, added vitamins

What people believe that the data does not support

• US rules let a food say cholesterol free only if it has under 2 mg of cholesterol per reference amount. — — Evidence E source
  Cholesterol free claim threshold below 2 mg per reference amount
• The same US rule also caps saturated fat at 2 g per reference amount for a cholesterol free claim. — — Evidence E source
  Saturated fat 2 g or less per reference amount

Who this works differently for

• A meta-analysis of 8 RCTs in middle-aged and older adults found that more than 4 whole eggs a week raised LDL cholesterol by 6.6 mg/dL (0.171 mmol/L) more than the same amount of egg substitute. — Middle-aged and older adults in 8 RCTs comparing whole eggs with egg substitutes (n = 8 RCTs) Evidence A source
  Total cholesterol WMD 7.7 mg/dL (95% CI 2.2 to 13; metric: 0.198 mmol/L, 0.056 to 0.339), LDL WMD 6.6 mg/dL (1.1 to 12; metric: 0.171 mmol/L, 0.028 to 0.315), HDL WMD 2.6 mg/dL (0.23 to 5; metric: 0.068 mmol/L, 0.006 to 0.130), triglycerides not different
• In a crossover RCT of 40 adults with high cholesterol, half a cup of egg substitute daily for 6 weeks lowered total cholesterol by 18 mg/dL against 5 mg/dL with two eggs. — 40 hyperlipidemic adults (24 women, 16 men), mean age 59.9, 6 weeks per arm (n = 40) Evidence B source
  Total cholesterol -18 +/- 18 vs -5 +/- 21 mg/dL (p < 0.01), LDL -14 +/- 20 vs -2 +/- 19 mg/dL (p = 0.01), flow mediated dilatation +1.0 vs -0.1%
• In a school RCT of Thai children aged 8 to 14, a yolk-free egg substitute equal to 10 eggs a week for 35 weeks did not change weight or height against controls, while whole eggs did. — Thai primary school children aged 8-14, whole egg n = 238, substitute n = 200, control n = 197 (n = 635) Evidence B source
  No significant weight or height difference substitute vs control at week 35, whole egg group gained more
• In a crossover RCT of 42 adults over 60, three eggs a day for a month raised LDL and HDL against a cholesterol-free egg substitute, leaving the LDL to HDL ratio unchanged. — 42 healthy adults over 60 (29 postmenopausal women, 13 men), 1 month per arm (n = 42) Evidence B source
  LDL-C up (P < 0.05) and HDL-C up (P < 0.001) with eggs, LDL-C:HDL-C ratio unchanged

What is still unknown

• Before this 2022 Brazilian survey there were no data on the nutrition and ingredients of commercial vegan egg substitutes there. — Commercial vegan dairy and egg alternatives in Brazil (n = 152) Evidence C source
  Data gap on composition of commercial egg substitutes

The bottom line

In USDA survey data a quarter cup of raw egg substitute, 55 g, stands in for one large egg. The cholesterol results depend on who was tested. In 40 adults with high cholesterol, half a cup of substitute daily for 6 weeks lowered total cholesterol by 18 mg/dL against 5 mg/dL with two eggs, and eggs did no harm in that trial either. In 42 healthy adults over 60, three eggs a day for a month raised both LDL and HDL against the substitute, so the LDL to HDL ratio stayed the same. In 37 adults with metabolic syndrome on a lower-carbohydrate diet for 12 weeks, whole eggs gave larger HDL gains than the substitute, and both groups improved. In that same trial plasma lutein rose 21% and zeaxanthin 48% only with whole eggs, while beta carotene rose 55% on the substitute. With spinach at breakfast, both raised plasma lutein, and zeaxanthin rose only with whole eggs. For growing children the yolk seems to count. In a school trial of 635 Thai children aged 8 to 14 in a rural setting with undernutrition, a yolk-free substitute equal to 10 eggs a week for 35 weeks gave no weight or height gain over controls, while whole eggs did. A cholesterol free label in the US means under 2 mg cholesterol and no more than 2 g saturated fat per reference amount. It is a labeling threshold, not a health effect. Who should be careful. People with egg allergy should not treat the liquid kind as egg-free. In these trials it was 99% egg white. Plant-based substitutes are built from other ingredients, and we have no card on their allergens. We have no card on pregnancy or medicines for this product, and we found no study on what cooking does to it.

Sources

1. esub-r1-07 · cross-sectional
   Emulsions of oil, starch, and isolated protein were used in vegan egg products.
   Front Public Health, 2022 · checked 2026-09-30
2. esub-r1-09 · USDA FNDDS, dataset
   Egg substitute, omelet, scrambled, or fried, fat added (FNDDS 33001010, FDC 2707298): 1/4 cup, raw (equivalent to 1 large egg) = 55 g; 1 cup, cooked = 135 g; Quantity not specified = 110 g
   USDA FNDDS 2021-2023, food code 33001010, FDC 2707298 · checked 2026-09-30
3. esub-r1-04 · randomized crossover trial
   Both breakfasts increased plasma lutein compared to baseline (p < 0.01), while plasma zeaxanthin was only increased in the egg intervention (p < 0.01).
   Nutrients, 2022 · checked 2026-09-30
4. esub-r1-05 · randomized crossover trial
   However, plasma choline values were higher in EGG (10.54 ± 2.8 μmol/L) compared to SUB (9.47 ± 2.7 μmol/L) p < 0.025.
   Nutrients, 2022 · checked 2026-09-30
5. esub-r1-13 · RCT
   However, there were greater increases in HDL-cholesterol and large HDL particles, and reductions in total VLDL and medium VLDL particles for those consuming EGG compared to SUB (P<0.05).
   Metabolism, 2013 · checked 2026-09-30
6. esub-r1-14 · RCT
   Post-intervention, the EGG group had significant increases in plasma lutein (+21%), zeaxanthin (+48%), and β-carotene (+24%), while the SUB group had increases in plasma β-carotene (+55%) only.
   Food Funct, 2013 · checked 2026-09-30
7. esub-r1-06 · randomized crossover trial
   The Egg Beaters original contained 99% egg whites and less than 1% of xanthan gum, guar gum and beta carotene for color and were fortified with vitamins.
   Nutrients, 2022 · checked 2026-09-30
8. esub-r1-10 · regulation
   (A) The food contains less than 2 mg of cholesterol per reference amount customarily consumed and per labeling serving or, in the case of a meal product or main dish product, less than 2 mg of cholesterol per labeled serving; and
   21 CFR 101.62, Nutrient content claims for fat, fatty acid, and cholesterol content of foods · checked 2026-09-30
9. esub-r1-11 · regulation
   (C) The food contains 2 g or less of saturated fatty acids per reference amount customarily consumed or, in the case of a meal product or main dish product, 2 g or less of saturated fatty acids per labeled serving; and
   21 CFR 101.62, Nutrient content claims for fat, fatty acid, and cholesterol content of foods · checked 2026-09-30
10. esub-r1-01 · meta-analysis of RCTs
    Intake of >4 whole eggs/week compared to equivalent amounts of egg substitutes caused greater elevations in blood total cholesterol (WMD: 0.198 mmol/L; 95% CIs: 0.056, 0.339), HDL cholesterol (WMD: 0.068 mmol/L; 95% CIs: 0.006, 0.130) and LDL cholesterol (WMD: 0.171 mmol/L; 95% CIs: 0.028, 0.315) but did not differentially affect triglycerides concentration.
    Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis, 2019 · checked 2026-09-30
11. esub-r1-02 · randomized crossover trial
    Daily consumption of egg substitute for 6 weeks significantly improved endothelial function as compared to egg (1.0 +/- 1.2% vs. -0.1 +/- 1.5%; p < 0.01) and lowered serum total cholesterol (-18 +/- 18 vs. -5 +/- 21 mg/dL; p < 0.01) and LDL (-14 +/- 20 vs. -2 +/- 19 mg/dL; p = 0.01).
    Nutr J, 2010 · checked 2026-09-30
12. esub-r1-03 · cluster RCT
    No significant differences in weight or height were observed between the PS and C groups.
    Nutrients, 2023 · checked 2026-09-30
13. esub-r1-12 · randomized crossover trial
    When all subjects were evaluated, there were significant increases in LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) (P < 0.05) and HDL-C (P < 0.001) for both men and women during the EGG period, resulting in no alterations in the LDL-C:HDL-C or the total cholesterol:HDL-C ratios.
    J Nutr, 2005 · checked 2026-09-30
14. esub-r1-08 · cross-sectional
    Yet, there are no data regarding the nutritional value and ingredients of Brazilian commercial dairy and egg substitutes.
    Front Public Health, 2022 · checked 2026-09-30