Plant-Based Slang: Keeping You In The Know

Calling all vegans! We commend you. You’ve binned the bacon. You’ve sacked off the salmon. You’ve said goodbye to gouda. Meat, dairy, and eggs are a thing of your past and we love you for it. 

There’s just one small problem… You can’t keep up with all the new vegan slang! With plant-based diets being pretty much the coolest thing you can do right now, it’s no wonder vegans are inventing cool new slang every second. Because, if we are creating a new diet, don’t we deserve a new vocabulary? 

But, all of these new words can be hard to keep up with. What the heck is aquafaba? How do you vegenize? And, what do you do with a Flegg? 

That’s where we come in! Whether you are new to the vegan scene or you’re an old-timer who wants to keep up with new tricks, this guide will be your one-stop shop for all the vegan vocab you need to get you by…  

Why Being Vegan Is Hot Right Now…

In recent years more and more vegans have been popping out of the woodwork. Why? Because everyone is realizing plant-based is best! 

With so many amazing benefits, we can see why. Not only is a vegan diet better for the planet, it can also be better for your general health, and it saves the lives of a crazy amount of animals.

So, with more and more people moving over to the light side, it’s no wonder that this lifestyle has developed its own set of vocabulary. To keep you in the loop, we’ve curated a list of our personal favorites with some handy tips on how to incorporate them into your life. 

All the slang you need to know:

Veganize

This one is a pretty straightforward but very essential term in the vegan dictionary, and, once you know this one you will be using it literally all the time! 

To ‘veganize’ something means to take a non-vegan recipe and get rid of the non-vegan ingredients. You can either just leave them out or substitute them for some even more delicious plant-based treats. Pioneer vegans used this method to create some of the staple meals in a vegan diet. For example, we wouldn’t have Lentil Bolognese if someone hadn’t vegenized the Italian classic! Vegenizing is a fun way to get creative with plant-based food and discover new delicious dishes!

How to use: “Oh this recipe is great, but wouldn’t it be even better if we veganized it?”

Aquafaba

This word may sound a bit usual, but, trust us, you won’t be wanting to miss out on this. Aquafaba is the thick liquid in a can of beans/legumes, and it can be used in recipes often to replace eggs or egg whites. It’s an amazing vegan tool for thickening, binding, emulsifying, and foaming and may just be the secret to making delicious vegan cakes. 

Aquafaba from chickpeas is our personal favorite, and it makes a fantastic egg replacement. Simply add 3 tablespoons of aquafaba instead of 1 egg to your recipe, and, trust us, you will be onto a winner. 

How to use: “This vegan cake is amazing, I can’t believe it’s made with aquafaba!”

Flegg 

Flegg is one of the hippest new terms in the plant-based dictionary. What does it mean? Flegg is a term for a flax egg, an egg replacement made from flax seeds and water. A Flegg is ideal for baking as it aids in binding and adds in some moisture too. 

How do I make a Flegg? Take 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons of hot water and let it sit for a few minutes to take shape and thicken. This is roughly equal to one egg in a recipe. They are a key ingredient in many plant-based recipes, take our Blueberry Pancakes for example.

How to use - “These brownies are made with fleggs - can you believe it!!” 

Nooch

Nooch is another term for a classic vegan essential… nutritional yeast. A form of deactivated yeast, nutritional yeast is a nutrient-dense staple for plant-based diets. Fortified with B vitamins (including B12), it has a very savory, cheesy flavor that transforms any dish into a taste sensation. The yellow flakes are also great to use as a topper on salads, popcorn, or soups. 

How to use: “Is there nooch in this? I can tell. It tastes amazing.”

Booch

A perfect follow-up to nooch, booch is slang for another vegan favorite: the fermented beverage kombucha! We can see why booch was preferred over this tongue twister… It’s easier to say, rolls off the tongue, and is a tasty drink that many people enjoy daily. It’s made from tea, sugar, bacteria, and yeast and has been known to be a source of probiotics. 

How to use: “I can’t wait to have a nice cold booch at lunch!”

Conclusion

So, we’ve given you a taste of some of the hippest vegan slang about. Now it’s time to take your them for a spin!

Why not get vegenizing? Get in the aquafaba! Whip up some fleggs. Stock up on nooch, try out booch!

These plant-based products are not just great slang, but also vegan essentials we wouldn’t want you not to try.