Egg Beaters is a product marketed in the United States as a healthy substitute[3] for whole eggs. It is a substitute for whole/fresh eggs (from the shell) that contains less cholesterol, but it is not an egg substitute (in the sense of a food to replace eggs for people with egg allergies). Egg Beaters is primarily egg whites with added flavorings, vitamins, and thickeners xanthan gum and guar gum.[4][5][6] It contains real egg whites, but no egg yolks.[3][7]
 | |
| Product type | Liquid eggs and egg whites |
|---|---|
| Owner | ConAgra Foods, Inc.[1][2] |
| Introduced | 1972[1] |
| Website | www |
Past and present
editThe Egg Beaters product was introduced in 1972 at a time when there was a widespread public perception in various countries that any dietary cholesterol was detrimental to cardiovascular health. Because egg yolks have plenty of cholesterol, this notion created a market demand for a way to eat eggs or egg-like foods without ingesting dietary cholesterol. The Egg Beaters product served this demand with egg whites that were convenient (required no eggshell handling and no yolk separating by the user) and yet still had the pleasing yellowness and texture of regular beaten (whole) eggs. The product was originally sold frozen as "Fleischmann's Egg Beaters". Advertisements at the time stated, "Fleischmann's has substituted yolk-like ingredients for the cholesterol packed yolk of a fresh egg." A 16 oz. package cost 79 cents in 1973.[8] The refrigerated version was introduced in 1994.[9] For a brief time, the company sold Egg Beaters With Yolk, which contained a small amount of yolk.[10]
The product was originally introduced by Standard Brands which merged with Nabisco in 1981 to form Nabisco Brands, Inc.[11] ConAgra acquired Nabisco's refrigerated food business in late 1998.[12] Conagra sold Egg Beaters to Post Holdings Inc in May 2021.
Egg Beaters are sometimes included as part of a heart healthy diet.[13][14][15] Dr. J. David Spence, a professor of neurology and clinical pharmacology at Western University and a cholesterol researcher, has recommended Egg Beaters for people who are at high risk for heart attacks and strokes.[16]
Variations
editEgg Beaters are sold frozen or refrigerated in various size containers[17] and seven varieties, Original, 100% Egg Whites, Garden Vegetable, Cheese & Chives, Southwestern Style, Three Cheese, and Florentine. Most contain no fat or cholesterol, and all provide substantially less food energy (calories), fat, and cholesterol than whole eggs.[18]
References
edit- ^ a b "ConAgra timeline: 1890-2015". Omaha World Herald. December 8, 2017. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
- ^ John Reese (October 27, 2017). "Validea Joel Greenblatt Strategy Daily Upgrade Report - 10/27/2017". Nasdaq. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
- ^ a b Eggbeaters website-Health Benefits Archived January 18, 2011, at the Wayback Machine Accessed January 22, 2011
- ^ Eggbeaters website FAQ Nutrition Archived January 19, 2011, at the Wayback Machine Accessed January 22, 2011
- ^ Mandy Oaklander (October 25, 2016). "Why You Need to Stop Eating Egg Whites". Time. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
- ^ Ryan Mac (November 23, 2013). "Bill Gates' Food Fetish: Hampton Creek Foods Looks To Crack The Egg Industry". Forbes. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
- ^ James Hamblin (May 10, 2017). "How to Read Eggs". The Atlantic. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
- ^ The Daily Times (February 28, 1973)
- ^ Eggbeaters website - History Archived January 7, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. Archived, on February 8, 2011
- ^ Vanessa L Facenda "ConAgra Egg Substitute Beats a Path to Gen Yers". Brandweek, February 18, 2008, 14.
- ^ Nabisco History
- ^ Gunset, George (July 22, 1998). "Conagra To Acquire 2 Nabisco Units". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved February 23, 2013.
- ^ David Becker, M.D. and Patti Morris (February 1, 2016). "A month to change your heart: Day 1". Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
- ^ "Eggs' Pros and Cons". The Washington Post. March 18, 2008. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
- ^ Svati Kirsten Narula (July 11, 2014). "Why a fancy food startup is selling vegan mayo to America's poorest shoppers". Quartz. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
- ^ Kristin Wartman (August 27, 2012). "Sunny-Side Up: In Defense of Eggs". The Atlantic. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
- ^ Eggbeaters website-Products Archived January 18, 2011, at the Wayback Machine Accessed January 22, 2011
- ^ Eggbeaters website-Coompare to Shell Eggs Archived January 19, 2011, at the Wayback Machine Accessed January 22, 2011