During these holiday times, a traditional beverage offered at family and social gatherings is eggnog. Now, for those of you that have read these entries over the years, you know that I almost always extoll the virtues of egg consumption for effective weight control. So, eggnog must be a good choice with all that protein, right?
Let’s first take a look at what exactly composes eggnog: It is a rich, chilled, sweetened, dairy-based beverage. Eggnog is traditionally made with milk, cream, sugar, whipped egg whites, and egg yolks. Concerning the nutritional content per one cup: 223 calories, 11 grams of fat, (50% cholesterol), 12 grams of protein, 20 grams of carbohydrates of which all 20 is sugar.
Eggnog may also at times be made with raw eggs and this conveys an additional health risk in consuming this beverage.
So, piecing this all together: Eggnog is not exactly a “Serotonin-Plus compatible” beverage. The fat, sugar and caloric contents would suggest that eggnog should be significantly reduced in amounts consumed or avoided completely.
When we look at some of the reasons why Americans gain an average of 7.4 pounds between Halloween and New Year, consumption of “traditional” holiday foods and drinks are major components. Enjoying the love, comfort and warmth of family and friends should not be diminished by significantly portion controlling or eliminating those food and drink sources that can rob us of being healthy enough to enjoy future holidays.
