Last Updated on May 2, 2022 by Share My Kitchen
Lecithin is an additive that is added in food to preserve its moisture and to stabilize the food by acting as an emulsifier. This additive helps to prevent ingredients from separating if left alone together, such as oil and water. And if you’re wondering if there are other options to use instead, continue reading to find your Lecithin Substitute.
Lecithin can be obtained from both animal and plant sources. It is available in liquid and powder forms as well as moist granules.
What can I use instead of sunflower lecithin?
Lecithin is often made from soybeans and it is usually used in commercial baking to make foods such as chocolate, peanut butter, margarine, and powdered bake-good mixes.
There are many times when you may run out of lecithin while cooking, or you simply don’t want soy in your dishes. This article will help you find other options to lecithin.
6 Lecithin Substitute With Recommendations
1. Egg Yolk
Recommended: NaturesPlus Egg Yolk Lecithin
Eggs can be found in many supermarkets and stores, making them the best choice when looking for a substitute for lecithin.
Natural lecithin is found in egg yolks, so it is possible to be added to food to emulsify them.
For every tablespoon of lecithin powder, substitute it with one large egg yolk.
Eggyol as lecithin Alternative
NOTE: Egg yolk has a richer fat content than lecithin. This is why people who are trying to eat healthy or on a weight loss program should consider an egg alternative instead.
2. Cocoa Butter
Recommended: Organic Cocoa Butter 1 lb
This is a great alternative to lecithin if you are trying to find one for your recipes. Lecithin can be used to thicken dishes, so cocoa butter is the best choice to use as an alternative.
However, cocoa butter, which is rich in fats, makes it more expensive to buy.
Use equal amounts of cocoa butter and lecithin when making bread. But, some people are concerned about the flavor of cocoa butter affecting the taste of the dish, so it is a good idea to choose deodorized cocoa butter.
3. Sunflower Lecithin
Recommended: Sustainably US Grown, Organic Sunflower Lecithin Powder
When one wants to avoid soy, sunflower is a great replacement for lecithin.
Soy is often avoided by most people due to its estrogenic properties or because it is usually genetically modified.
Sunflower lecithin, the only type of raw lecithin, is derived from the sunflower oil through cold-pressing. This process does not use harsh chemical solvents that are used to make other Lecithin.
The sunflower lecithin is rich in fatty acids such as Choline and Phosphatidylinositol.
4. Monoglycerides and Diglycerides
Recommended: MonoSorb 1300| Monoglyceride Form
These ingredients are used to emulsify various dishes in commercial food production.
These emulsifiers can be made from fat or glycerin. They are used in the production of commercial products such as margarine, peanut butter, shortening, icing, and caramel.
5. Oil
Lecithin can also be substituted with oil. It’s used to emulsify a number of dishes that use oil for emulsification.
The brominated vegetable is the most popular oil found in certain types of sodas, but it is prone to leave traces in your body fat.
There are also other oils that can be used to emulsify such as Diacylglycerol, palm kernel, diglycerides, and monoglycerides from coconut and vegetable oils.
6. Sugars
You can also use loaf of sugars as an emulsifier for dishes that require lecithin.
Although some sugars are not suitable for use as emulsifiers, they can be used to sweeten your dish.
Sugars made from sucrose and oligofructose are commonly used. These sugars can be added to cookies, granola bars and frozen desserts. Other sugars include sugar esters and honey.
How do I use these Lecithin Substitutes?
If you run out of cocoa Butter: replace the number of teaspoons needed with one tablespoon.
If you don’t have egg yolk: use 1-2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed meal or cocoa powder plus two tablespoons of water.
If you have cocoa butter, do melt it before use! Place the amount that you need into a metal bowl and then set that bowl over a pot filled with about an inch of water.
Conclusion
Now, you have many options that you can use as Lecithin Substitutes.
But keep in mind that substitutes can have different functions, so be cautious when choosing an alternative for your recipe.
When replacing lecithin, the dish should determine which substitute is used.
