Eggnog — What it is, Calorie Content, and How it Affects Your Health

Eggnog is a traditional holiday drink, but even this boozy treat can have a high impact on your diet and calorie counts. For people who are counting their calories to reach certain fitness goals, it’s important to remember that what you drink can often be just as important as what you eat.

Below, we’ll take a look at traditional eggnog recipes to help you determine just how much of a splurge you deserve!

What’s in Eggnog, Anyway?

Traditional eggnog is made with eggs, cream, sugar, and either bourbon or rum. Although if you’re serving the whole family, you may wish to leave the alcohol out. If you’re purchasing pre-made eggnog at the grocery store, make sure you check the serving size carefully – most of the nutritional information, including the calorie counts, is for a ½ cup serving. If you plan to have more than a couple of sips, you may wish to measure it first.

An average ½ cup serving of eggnog contains 265 calories, 17 grams of fat, and 18 grams of sugar. If you’re adding an ounce of rum or bourbon, plan on adding another 80 to 100 calories to that number.

It’s also important to note that traditional, homemade eggnog recipes call for raw eggs, which some people may have an allergy or sensitivity to.

The Effects of Alcohol on a Healthy Diet

It’s not just the calorie count of alcohol that can affect your weight loss goals. Alcohol essentially pauses your metabolism until it’s detoxed out which will take hours.  So imaging in 24 hours when your metabolism is working.  You just shut it down for 2-4 hours.  So over one week, you shut down your metabolism for up to 28 hours.  Besides that, it can cause bloating and often lead to poor food decision making, including overeating.  Plus, some people tend to crave fatty, greasy foods after a night of drinking, which can further derail your healthy eating. So when drinking, be sure to drink plenty of water before and try to fill up on a healthy meal before indulging at holiday parties.

Making Eggnog Healthy

Luckily for those of us counting calories, there are lighter versions of eggnog at the stores. Look for low-fat or reduced sugar versions, and opt for little or less alcohol with the drink. There are also vegan and dairy-free versions, made with soy milk or almond milk, which taste just as good but have fewer calories and a little extra protein.

If you’re making your own eggnog at home and want to lighten it up, substitute half-and-half for the heavy cream and use about half the sugar that your recipe calls for. You can also look for light rum instead of dark rum or bourbon, as it has less sugar and calories than its darker cousins.

When You’re Ready to Lose Weight

It can be hard to get started on a weight loss journey, but the team at Signature Medicine is here to help. We offer healthy, sustainable weight loss programs in Yardley, PA, and weight loss programs in Newtown, PA. All of our programs are overseen by trained medical professionals, ready to help you no matter where you’re starting from. Give us a call or check out our online resources for more information on how to be a better, healthier you!

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