We all probably know what Mayonnaise is, a semi-solid yellow paste used as a dressing for our salads, sandwiches, french fries, and even pizza toppings. It is a common ingredient in many households worldwide but this leads us to the question, “Is Mayo vegan?”
No, Regular Mayo or mayonnaise is not vegan because of “egg” as one of the ingredients in it. However, mayonnaise can be modified to make it vegan by replacing egg with soy milk.
I guess that’s another common food canceled out of your shopping cart if you are reading on this topic to practice veganism.
However, you can purchase vegan mayo. We recommend the following brands:
Since it’s not enough for us to just say that mayo is not vegan we will expand on this answer so that your knowledge is backed by information and also provide you with alternatives and a recipe to make it yourself.
Related: IS ALMOND MILK VEGAN? WHAT IS THE CONTROVERSY ABOUT?
The answer to this is, “It depends on where you see yourself on the vegetarian spectrum”. If you eat eggs then mayo is all good for you, but if you are the one who do not consume eggs, then mayo is not for you. However you can always modify the ingredients and use soy milk instead of eggs.
If Mayo is made from eggs then mayo is a dairy product but if any other ingredeiant is used in place of eggs then mayo is totally dairy-free.
What is Mayo and how is it made?
Mayonnaise is traditionally created by emulsifying oil, egg yolk, salt, and vinegar.
Emulsion occurs whenever elements that do not fuse, like water and oil, are merged. The emulsifier used is known as lecithin. Lecithin is generally derived from eggs.
While the mixture is whisked rapidly, oil is added drop by drop. It is a skill because if you add the oil too quickly or whisk too slow the emulsification won’t occur and the substances will remain separate. However, oil can be added quicker as the sauce thickens.
Now that we are aware of what goes into creating mayo in the household, we want to look at each ingredient and its impact on animals and the environment to justify our conclusion that it is not vegan.
Why mayonnaise is not vegan?
1.The Chick-Cruelty
It is already obvious that Mayo contains animal products because of the egg yolk in it.
What you may want to know is how the chickens that lay those eggs are treated to have a better perspective of why that matters.
Our society has long gotten accustomed to the idea of using other animals for food as nothing wrong.
Thus it is vital to unravel the facts.
The first one is that a hen (female chicken) must be used to produce eggs for traditional mayonnaise, furthermore, the eggs taken away could have been potential chickens.
It is widely known that the egg industry kills off unsuitable male chicks based on their gender. The process is dubbed ‘chick culling’ and is economic to them since they do not have to maintain chickens they are not using.
See this short documentary till the end to know the gruesome horror these male chicks face:
2.Negative Impact of Mayo production on the environment
Fresh and clean water is a finite resource and thus the water footprint of any product is a good indicator of how vegan it is. As we all should agree water is one of the most vital resources for virtually all living organisms.
According to findings by Oxford Academic, animal-derived products have larger water footprints than their vegan nutritional alternatives. On average 3265 liters of water are required for one kilogram of eggs to be produced and then also 2364 liters of water are needed to produce 1kg of oil crops.
This means that mayo has a moderate water footprint.
Another important aspect to look at in establishing “how vegan something is?” is the carbon footprint.
Carbon emissions have a significant impact on the environment, as they can cause the greenhouse effect. When we are looking at carbon footprint we measure a lot of things such as the average emissions made by the transportation of a product.
Also, the emissions made in making and preserving that product. Mayonnaise has a moderate carbon footprint.
Moreover for the most part egg production is destructive as solid waste during production may tend to run off into clean water.
As with most animal products, there is deforestation to feed the chickens which destroy habitats for insects thereby further destabilizing the ecosystem.
Now that we have established the immense harm caused daily through the production of mayo. You may be thinking of vegan alternatives we can use to replace mayo.
Are there any mayo vegan substitutes?
Mayo’s Vegan Alternatives
Vegan Mayo – Many recipes have been written for creating vegan mayo. Some include substituting the egg yolk with soy milk, because of its consistency. Soy milk works as an emulsifier. Here is a recipe video to make vegan mayo in 3 ways:
Avocado – Avocado though sometimes thicker has most of the properties people choose mayo for and at the same time it is vegan
Hummus – Hummus is a good vegan substitute, it smears quite well on a good sandwich and offers a more organic flavor.
Mustard – Mustard is a vegan condiment and a good salad dressing alternative to mayonnaise. It almost has the same pro
Vegan Mayo Brands
Follow your heart by Vegenaise – Owing to a sweet flavor to brown rice syrup, it has a dense texture which allows it to be a perfect replacement for traditional mayonnaise. The name says it all.
Just Mayo – Just Mayo was another alternative on the market but is discontinued.
Chosen food vegan Mayo – This one is made from aquafaba and avocado oil. Aquafaba is the remnant form of soaking fava beans. It works as a very good spread.
Fava Bean Mayonnaise – This vegan substitute is made from fava beans. It works with simple toppings and seasonings and can be smeared gently on sandwiches or any other things that require mayonnaise.
In Conclusion
The major producers and exporters of mayonnaise are the United States of America. Other countries are Germany, UK, Mexico, Italy, Netherlands, Thailand, Canada, Spain, and Japan.
Labor conditions have been reportedly unfair for the people who work in the farms where the ingredients are made.
Just as we care for the welfare of animals, we definitely also care about the well-being of the labor force.
You and I can help usher a better planet because we have the information. Knowledge is power and informed living can help us build a better planet by considering the impact of seemingly small day-to-day purchases. Tomorrow will be built brick by adopting more sustainable ways of living such as veganism.
Studies at the University of Oxford indicate that adopting a vegan diet can reduce your carbon footprint by at least 73 percent. If the whole world got into it, global farmland would reduce by 75 percent, and let’s not forget its contribution to the average water footprint.
Take a stand by sharing this information and using only vegan mayo and other vegan products.
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