Psyllium Husk Seed Powder
Posted by asenath on Dec 14, 2006 · Member since Nov 2005 · 167 posts
Hey everyone! I recently tried to use psyllium seed husk powder as an egg replacer, thinking that this would be the same thing as psyllium husks. How It All Vegan recommends this for baked goods. Clearly, they are not the same thing. I used a 1:2 proportion and got this horrible, gummy stuff that didn't even smell particularly good. Is this a proportion problem or is the powder not a substitute for the husks themselves?
Has anyone tried this as egg replacer? I'm trying to get away from the rather too pricey Ener-G, and I know about other replacements. I'm wondering how psyllium stacks up against other replacers (tofu, banana, yogurt, flax, etc) for baked goods and other faux-eggy substances.
Thanks!
Over here in Spain Psyllium Husk Powder is sold as an appetite suppressant and bowel aid (sorry to be gross). It absorbs water, making you feel full and helping intestinal transit as it "bulks up" the material in the bowel.
I have never heard of it being used in cooking. It IS gross, kind of like mucilage (does anyone remember mucilage-glue at school? Do they still use it?). I have often used it as an appetite suppresant, and it works, but even tho they orange flavour it, it's still hold-your-nose-and-gulp. Kind of like Metamucil. And I can't imagine using it in cooking.
I know what you mean! I'm pretty sure it IS the main ingredient in Metamucil, which makes it sound considerably less appetizing to cook with. The authors of How It All Vegan, though, recommend soaking 1T psyllium husks in 2T water as an excellent egg substitute for baked breads and things. They say it gets eggier the longer it sits. When I tried this with the powder, it immediately congealed up into this gross, orange, lumpy stuff. Ick! My inclincation is to trust the lovely Tanya Barnard and Sarah Kramer, even though I've also never heard of this and my first run at it was decidedly unsuccessful!
I drink a psyllium shake daily. It keeps me regular. :D Metamucil has other filler stuff -- it's works, but if you're taking it for fiber, go with Yerba Primia brand.
I've never used it as an egg replacer. It seems like it would be similar to the flax replacer & I've found I don't flax replacer in baked goods. It changes the texture in an odd way. I follow the Master's advice -- use 1/4 applesauce per egg for egg replacer in baked goods.
And we all know who the Master is, don't we??? ;)
hey, i may be mistaken, but i believe psyllium seed husk powder is the same thing as psyllium husks, only further pulverized. the only recipe ive tried this egg replacer in is pancakes and it did work wonderfully. i like the idea of getting a little extra fiber. i, however, dont use a 1-2 rajavascript:void(0);tio, but 1 teaspoon of the psyllium to 1/4 cup water let sit for 5 minutes. this is enough for 1 egg. it does get very gooey and strange smelling, but i didnt notice any flavor change in the finished product as with flax. hope this helps! ::)