Eggs, Veg or Non veg?

Are Eggs Veg🟩or Non-Veg?🟥

This is probably one of the most confusing and debated food questions ever, especially in India. I’ve literally seen people and my family argue about this at home as well as in school, and even on Instagram comments. Some people say eggs are veg, others say they are non-veg, and honestly, it can get pretty confusing. So I decided to think about it properly and share my thoughts.

The Concept of "Non-Veg" is a purely Indian one.

Everywhere else the "Non Veg" concept is a default, or is assumed as the normal meal preference for all. The word "Non-Veg" is probably never even used by anyone worldwide (except by Indian immigrants) and the term would confuse many non indians.

Vegetarian food is considered a unique preference in the West whereas its pretty normal to be a vegetarian in India.

This Western vegetarian preference mostly does not exclude meat based products used in Vegetarian preparations.

Eg: Eggs in cake, gelatin in desserts,.

Even using meat stock ( Chicken/Beef/Fish/Pork) for flavouring vegetarian dishes or making sauces is accepted by these western vegetarians.

Mind that vegetarian as a blanket term does not mean exclusion of animal products. Milk Leather, and fur use is common even among most Vegetarians.

Eggs and milk products are pretty morally comparable. In the egg industry, they kill male chicks that they have no use of and in the milk industry, they'll kill or get rid of male calves. When no longer profitable, animals will be killed for meat and leather, and hens will be killed for meat. I don't see any morally relevant difference to be against one while consuming the other. So if you say milk is vegetarian, then eggs should also be vegetarian. Otherwise both should not be vegetarian. Don't support one and slander the other.

Majority of Indian Vegetarians can be officially termed as lacto-vegetarians. It is defined as a diet that abstains from the consumption of eggs as well as meat, while still consuming dairy products such as milk, cheese, yogurt, butter, ghee, cream, as well as honey, all of which are big parts of Indian cuisine.

Back to eggs. It is lack of knowledge or their deeply entrenched religious values that make some vegetarians exclude them from their diets. One or two eggs a day for life as part of a balanced diet along with sufficient exercise will keep many nutritional deficiency related complications at bay as opposed to excluding eggs. (especially if you don't eat fish/meat)

Unfertilized egg argument 

Why don't Indian Vegetarians eat meat?  Because It involves killing a "living thing" that is why. But the thing is the eggs you get in the market will never ever ever hatch into a chicken even if a hen sits on it till the end of time. Even the best artificial incubators in the world cannot hatch a chick from eggs that aren't fertilized. Basic biology.

So these infertile eggs will never harm a life and that is why I think eggs are considered as vegetarian. Again opinions vary everywhere about this. Logically no killing or taking life involved so it should be able to be eaten by vegetarian right? If no life is destroyed, is it truly non-vegetarian?

However, in some places in India like West Bengal they consider fish as a vegetarian food, which happens to make this argument even more confusing.

Now, ethics:

Mass production of eggs keep chickens cooped up in cramped industrialized mass farms. We could also buy certified free range eggs and if possible get your own chickens, this is the best cruelty free way to get eggs if its feasible for you. So this aspects depends on whether you're a vegetarian due to your religious or cultural background or you're a vegetarian because you happen to love and care for animals.

There's also the cultural and personal belief factor. In many Indian households, eggs are considered non-veg because just because they come from animals, and also because there's no winning an argument with the older generation or changing their beliefs. In other Westerner or first world nations, eggs pass because they are seen as a good source of protein and not the same as eating meat. In India, Religion, family traditions, our culture and personal choices all play a big role in deciding this and dictating what we do, as India happens to be a society which place a larger emphasis on traditions and culture. 

There's also Indian philosophical schools of thought like "Ahimsa" which adds another layer to this.

However, the newer generation of Indians are starting to open up and become more open to the idea of eggs as a part of their diet due to their realization of the importance of protein. The fact of the matter is that India happens to be one of the most protein deficient countries in the world. Including eggs as a part of our children's diets is a pretty easy fix.

From a nutrition point of view, eggs are pretty darn healthy. They are nutrient dense, rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals, and they help in muscle growth, which is why many people looking to gain muscle eat eggs daily due to it being a highly bioavailable source of protein. 

In my opinion, if milk products are veg, eggs are also veg.

But its also not that simple because in India it apparently depends more on personal beliefs and religion rather than just science. Scientifically, they come from animals, so they are non-veg. But culturally and personally in India, some people accept them as vegetarian

At the end of the day, there's no need to fight about it. Everyone has their right to choose what they want to eat based on whatever they believe, their health, and preferences. Food is a personal choice, and we should respect everyone’s decisions.

So, are eggs veg or non-veg? The answer is: it depends on who you ask. And also, what you eat is nobodies business but your own, so you can do whatever you want. I don't really care.