Eggnog Has An Unexpected Amount Of Protein And Antioxidants (If You Avoid 2 Ingredients) – Health Digest

When the days get shorter and colder temperatures come to town, one of the few things that really hit the spot is eggnog. That is, if you’re a fan of eggnog and its super rich, decadent taste. If the thought of eggnog, which is traditionally made with raw eggs, makes you squirm or you’ve yet to try this tasty treat, it might be time to have a glass of it. Eggnog is better for you than you might think.

Eggnog, if you make it at home and don’t pack it full of preservatives like the kind you might find at the supermarket, is made of eggs, milk, cream, and a variety of spices. As you probably already know, eggs are a major source of protein, containing about six grams of it per egg. Milk and cream, too, bring their fair share of protein to the equation, albeit not as much as eggs, as well as calcium and other essential vitamins. Although what spices you choose to use in your eggnog is your call, most people opt for cinnamon and/or nutmeg, both of which contain antioxidant properties.

But before you start thinking that an eggnog a day will keep the doctor a way, there’s a caveat. All of this becomes moot if you add sugar and/or alcohol to your eggnog. In other words, let’s take a step back from the eggnog bowl for a minute.

It goes without saying that sugar isn’t exactly an ideal food, although the sweet tooths out there definitely beg to differ. Sugar, while often an essential component in cooking or baking sweet treats, isn’t just high in calories; too much of it can contribute to other health issues. For starters, the antioxidant benefits that come with cinnamon and nutmeg in eggnog, notably anti-inflammation, get wiped out when you add sugar to the recipe. But that’s not the only thing that sugar is bringing to your delicious eggnog.

According to a 2014 study published in JAMA International Medicine, there’s a direct link between diets that are high in sugar and heart disease. There’s also, of course, the risk of diabetes, excessive weight gain, and even fatty liver disease. Also known as steatosis, fatty liver disease is exactly that: a liver that has too much fat buildup. When this happens, the liver can’t function properly, resulting in possible hepatitis that can lead to fibrosis and eventually cirrhosis, per Cleveland Clinic.

If you’re making eggnog at home, keep the sugar to a minimum and increase the cinnamon and nutmeg. If you’re buying eggnog, compare sugar content between brands before making your purchase. In both cases, especially if you’re high-risk for diabetes or cardiovascular health problems, keep your eggnog intake to a minimum. 

As much as adding alcohol to eggnog might seem like the best way to make it through the holiday season, like sugar, it messes up a good thing. Not only do the antioxidant benefits of the spices go out the with window when you add alcohol, but you immediately add roughly 100 calories to the eggnog — not a great idea for someone who’s trying to maintain a low-calorie diet for health reasons.

Alcohol also brings with it a whole slew of other downsides. Even if you don’t have an alcohol use disorder (AUD), how alcohol affects the body is never good. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, the following organs suffer damage from alcohol use: heart, brain, oral cavity, lungs, liver, muscles, pancreas, bones, and intestines. 

Sure, a rum-filled glass of eggnog may make Uncle Ted easier to handle at your holiday dinner, but the price of that is pretty steep. If Uncle Ted is such an issue, seat him down at the other end of the table and enjoy your eggnog without alcohol. It always feels good to know you’ve made the healthiest choice for your body — especially in high-pressure situations like the holiday season.