Like all other vegan foods, vegan banana bread uses no ingredients derived from animals. While most baked goods usually contain milk, eggs, or butter, vegan banana bread includes alternative ingredients such as margarine, apple cider vinegar, and almond or soy milk. There are numerous variations of vegan banana bread recipes, each of which contains some type of non-animal ingredients as a substitute. Most recipes will still contain the same ingredients of traditional banana bread recipes, such as several ripe bananas, brown and white sugar, flour, baking soda, and vanilla extract.
Vegan banana bread often contains less fat than traditional banana bread, as it does not contain butter or eggs. These ingredients add to the overall caloric content and are typically higher in fat than the substituted ingredients used in vegan banana bread. Low-fat, non-dairy foods that are suitable for vegan cooking are often used by people trying to achieve weight loss or other fitness goals. People who choose to undertake vegan diets with goals of weight loss should be careful, however, to avoid eating foods that include sugar-laden substitutes.
Many people who bake vegan banana bread choose to substitute other ingredients as well, in order to make the bread healthier. Individuals concerned about processed foods might choose to use sweeteners such as agave nectar or brown rice syrup instead of sugar. These ingredients can change the consistency of the mixture, so the amounts of other liquid ingredients should usually be decreased. When mixed correctly, alternative sweeteners are well-suited to vegan banana bread because they can add sweetness and strengthen the final consistency of the baked bread.
Traditional baking advice still applies to vegan banana bread, as it is important to carefully balance ingredients even when making substitutions in the recipe. Bread should be baked in a loaf pan, which should typically be greased ahead of time to help ensure that the loaf doesn't stick. The mixture of ingredients should be stirred thoroughly before it is poured in the pan. If the mixture is lumpy, pockets of flour or other ingredients can remain in the finished loaf.
Many people begin eating vegan foods because they do not believe in the consumption of animals. Vegetarian foods are often similar, as both contain no meat; however, vegan foods have greater restrictions because they may not contain dairy or any other animal ingredients. Individuals with full vegan diets are also typically careful to avoid products made from animal ingredients, such as leather handbags, jackets, or shoes.