Can you eat eggs on a plant-based diet?: Understanding the nuances

October 13, 2025 •

5 min read

According to the American Heart Association and Harvard Medical School, the term "plant-based diet" can encompass a wide range of eating patterns, and a 2025 article in the journal Nutrients notes that plant-based diets can also include modest amounts of animal products. This flexibility means the question, "Can you eat eggs on a plant-based diet?" has a more nuanced answer than you might expect.

Quick Summary

This article explores the varying definitions of a plant-based diet and how different eating patterns, such as ovo-vegetarianism and flexitarianism, incorporate eggs. It examines the nutritional benefits and ethical considerations of including eggs and provides alternative, completely plant-derived protein options for those following a strictly vegan approach.

Key Points

Definition is Flexible: The term "plant-based diet" is broad and may include eggs, unlike a strictly vegan diet.
Know Your Type: Your ability to eat eggs depends on your specific diet: vegans exclude them, while ovo-vegetarians and flexitarians include them.
Consider the Ethics: A major reason for excluding eggs is ethical concern over the industrial egg industry, which involves the culling of male chicks.
Assess the Nutrition: Eggs offer high-quality protein, but many plant-based sources like lentils, tofu, and legumes provide sufficient protein and other nutrients.
Embrace Alternatives: For those avoiding eggs, a wide range of plant-based substitutes are available for cooking and baking, from tofu scrambles to flaxseed eggs.
Mindful Choice: The best approach balances your nutritional needs, ethical principles, and personal preferences, allowing for a healthy diet with or without eggs.
Seek Professional Advice: For those with specific health conditions or needs, consulting a registered dietitian can ensure a well-planned, nutrient-adequate diet.

The rise of plant-based eating has brought with it a popular misconception that all diets centered on plants are strictly vegan and exclude all animal products. In reality, the term "plant-based" is often used to describe any eating pattern that emphasizes plant foods, but may still include animal-derived foods in moderation. Your ability to include eggs depends entirely on the specific dietary path you choose. Navigating this landscape requires a clear understanding of the different classifications and what each entails.

Decoding Different Plant-Based Dietary Patterns

The broad term "plant-based" can be broken down into more specific categories, each with its own guidelines regarding animal products. Knowing the difference is crucial for determining if eggs fit into your chosen eating style.

Vegan Diet

A vegan diet is the most restrictive form of plant-based eating, excluding all animal products and byproducts. This means no meat, poultry, fish, dairy, eggs, or even honey. For vegans, eggs are considered a non-plant food derived from an animal and are therefore off the menu. The choice to exclude eggs often stems from ethical concerns about animal welfare in the industrial egg industry, which involves the culling of male chicks.

Ovo-Vegetarian Diet

This dietary pattern explicitly includes eggs but excludes all other meat, poultry, and fish. The prefix "ovo-" comes from the Latin word for egg. People who follow an ovo-vegetarian diet choose eggs for their nutritional benefits, such as high-quality protein and essential nutrients, while aligning with a vegetarian lifestyle that avoids animal flesh.

Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian Diet

This is one of the most common forms of vegetarianism. It includes both eggs and dairy products, in addition to plant foods. Like ovo-vegetarians, lacto-ovo vegetarians avoid meat, poultry, and fish. Eggs and dairy provide a convenient source of protein, calcium, and vitamin D within this framework.

Flexitarian Diet

As its name suggests, a flexitarian diet is a flexible, mostly plant-based approach that includes animal products in moderation. Followers of a flexitarian diet, also known as semi-vegetarians, prioritize whole plant foods but occasionally include meat, fish, eggs, and dairy. This makes it easy to include eggs as a convenient protein source without committing to a stricter dietary rule.

Nutritional Considerations: Eggs vs. Plant-Based Alternatives

For those who choose to include them, eggs offer a robust nutritional profile. A single large egg provides about 6 grams of complete protein, along with vitamins B12 and D, choline, and beneficial antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin. However, those on a vegan diet can still obtain these nutrients and complete protein from well-planned plant sources.

Comparing Protein Sources


Food Item	Serving	Amount of Protein	Type	Notes
One Large Egg	1 Egg (50g)	~6.3g	Animal	Complete protein, contains cholesterol.
Lentils	½ cup cooked	9g	Plant	High in fiber, requires combination with other foods for complete protein.
Tofu	½ cup firm	10g	Plant	Complete protein source, calcium fortified options available.
Chickpeas	½ cup cooked	8g	Plant	Versatile, good source of fiber.
Hemp Seeds	3 tbsp shelled	9g	Plant	Excellent source of healthy fats.
Peanut Butter	2 tbsp	8g	Plant	Also provides healthy fats, requires minimal processing.
Seitan	2 oz	17g	Plant	High-protein meat substitute, not gluten-free.

Sourcing Key Nutrients on a Vegan Diet

Vegans must be deliberate about getting certain nutrients that are abundant in eggs. For example, vitamin B12 is not naturally found in plant foods, making fortified foods (like nutritional yeast, plant-based milks, and cereals) or supplements essential. Choline can be found in soy products, chickpeas, and potatoes, while vitamin D often requires sun exposure or fortified foods. A varied diet ensures all essential amino acids are consumed throughout the day, even if not every meal is a 'complete' protein source.

Ethical and Environmental Considerations

The decision of whether to include eggs on a plant-based diet is not just about nutrition; it's also a matter of ethics and environmental impact. The egg industry, particularly at an industrial scale, raises significant animal welfare concerns for many. The practice of culling male chicks, who cannot lay eggs and are deemed useless to the industry, is a primary ethical objection for many vegans and some vegetarians. For these individuals, no amount of nutritional benefit can justify the harm caused. On the environmental front, animal agriculture, including egg farming, requires significant land and water resources compared to many plant-based foods. Choosing backyard eggs from well-cared-for hens or opting for plant-based alternatives can mitigate these concerns.

Making the Right Choice for Your Diet

Deciding how to incorporate eggs, or not, into your plant-based diet is a personal journey shaped by health goals, ethical beliefs, and personal preferences. For those seeking maximum flexibility, a flexitarian approach works well. If you are comfortable consuming eggs but not meat, an ovo-vegetarian diet is the answer. For those whose principles lead them to avoid all animal products, a vegan diet offers a completely plant-powered path. For anyone seeking to reduce their animal product consumption while still retaining variety, plant-based eating, including eggs, is a highly adaptable option.

Ultimately, a healthy, balanced, and sustainable diet is possible whether or not you include eggs. The key is to make mindful choices that align with your personal values and nutritional needs. For specific guidance, consulting a registered dietitian is always recommended to ensure you are meeting all your nutritional needs.

Plant-Based Egg Alternatives

For those who choose to exclude eggs entirely, the market for plant-based alternatives has exploded, offering a wide array of options for baking, cooking, and scrambling.

For scrambling: Crumbled firm tofu seasoned with nutritional yeast and black salt (kala namak) provides an incredibly similar texture and 'eggy' flavor.
For baking: Binders like a 'flax egg' (1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water) or 'chia egg' are excellent for cookies, pancakes, and muffins.
For meringues and foams: Aquafaba, the brine from a can of chickpeas, can be whipped into stiff peaks, perfectly replacing egg whites.
Commercial products: Various liquid and powdered egg replacers are available from brands like JUST Egg, Follow Your Heart, and Bob's Red Mill, making substitution easy for a range of recipes.

These innovative alternatives make it easier than ever to enjoy a vast repertoire of meals without compromising on taste, texture, or ethical values.

Conclusion: Navigating a Mindful Approach to Eggs and Diet

In summary, the question of whether you can eat eggs on a plant-based diet highlights the variability within the dietary landscape. The term "plant-based" is not synonymous with "vegan," and many interpretations allow for the inclusion of eggs, such as ovo-vegetarian and flexitarian diets. The decision ultimately rests on a balance of personal health goals, ethical considerations regarding animal welfare, and environmental impact. For those who choose to exclude eggs, modern culinary innovation offers a wealth of delicious and functional plant-based alternatives. By understanding the distinctions and exploring the options, individuals can craft a mindful and nutritious diet that aligns perfectly with their personal values.

Visit Harvard Health to learn more about eggs and heart health.

Frequently Asked Questions

A plant-based diet emphasizes whole plant foods like fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes, but can include small amounts of animal products. A vegan diet, however, strictly excludes all animal products, including meat, dairy, and eggs.

An ovo-vegetarian diet is a type of vegetarian diet that includes eggs but excludes all other animal flesh and dairy products. The prefix 'ovo-' means 'egg'.

Key nutrients from eggs like protein, choline, and vitamins B12 and D can be obtained from plant sources and supplements. Complete protein comes from combinations of plant foods, choline from soy and chickpeas, B12 from fortified foods, and vitamin D from fortified products and sun exposure.

For most healthy individuals, studies have shown that consuming up to one egg per day does not significantly increase the risk of heart disease. The saturated fat in accompanying foods like bacon and butter typically has a greater effect on blood cholesterol.

Ethical concerns often focus on the practices of industrial egg production, such as the culling of male chicks, who are considered valueless by the industry. This practice leads many to abstain from eggs to reduce animal suffering.

In baking, effective egg substitutes include 'flax eggs' (ground flaxseed and water), 'chia eggs' (chia seeds and water), mashed bananas, or unsweetened applesauce. The best choice depends on whether you need a binder, a leavening agent, or moisture.

Yes, scrambled tofu is a very popular and convincing alternative. When seasoned with nutritional yeast and black salt (kala namak), it can mimic the flavor and texture of scrambled eggs remarkably well.

Yes, this is known as following a flexitarian or semi-vegetarian diet. It is a more flexible eating pattern that prioritizes plant foods but allows for the occasional inclusion of animal products like eggs.