Eggnog featuring raw eggs, of course – an easy, original recipe

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Eggnog, previously known as milk punch or egg milk punch, is a great beverage any time of year.  And a delicious vehicle for consuming raw eggs (and milk). Culturally though, it still has a holiday feel.

My 1940’s copy of 300 Ways to Serve Eggs and 1945 Bartender’s Friend have nearly identical recipes.  Though 300 Ways with Eggs has a dozen or more variations. These include mixing up the alcohols or substituting some or all of the milk/cream with juices, coffee, or cider.  As opposed to single servings, Bartender’s Friend offers a quart-sized base recipe.

Risks of raw eggs

The USDA acknowledges that “Eggs are among the most nutritious foods on earth and can be part of a healthy diet.” Yet they remind you that eggs may contain salmonella which can make you sick (though most people recover without treatment).  As such, “eggs must be safely handled, promptly refrigerated, and thoroughly cooked.”  In fact, they assert that “No one should eat foods containing raw eggs.”  Good to know.

On the other hand, Dr. Mercola points out a government study found that 23 percent of farms with caged hens tested positive for salmonella, compared to 4 and 6.5 percent in organic and free-range flocks. That’s great news since organic and free-range eggs are also much higher in nutrients. Much higher to the tune of 66 percent more vitamin A, twice as many omega-3 fatty acids, 3 times more vitamin E and 7 times more beta carotene.

In fact, Elizabeth at The Nourished Life notes that “only 1 in 30,000 eggs even has a salmonella problem. If I eat three raw eggs a day, statistics say it would take more than 27 years before I’d actually run across one with salmonella.” I would guess that she’s probably eating pastured eggs as well, so chances are it may take a while longer.

Benefits of raw eggs

Meanwhile, heat diminishes some of the nutrients in eggs. Enzymes are destroyed and Dr. Mercola says that in cooked eggs, antioxidants are reduced by half or more.

Enzymes are a biggie though.  And I believe that this benefit is at the crux of all raw food consumption.

The importance of enzymes

Enzymes are typically made of proteins, in coordination with minerals. They aid in digestion and metabolism, among other biochemical reactions. And they are absolutely essential for life. In fact, in Life on the Edge, Al-Khalili and McFadden explain how quantum physics plays a role in enzyme function, speeding up reactions in living cells by more than a trillion times.

However, at temperatures just above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, the shape of the enzyme protein is altered, rendering it useless.  Of course our body is infinitely wise and has the ability to make enzymes; however, the more we consume in our diet, the less we have to make.  This in turn frees up a lot of extra energy for other functions.

Along these lines, it’s a good idea to consume something raw with every meal, even if only a fermented condiment or a side salad.  However, raw animal foods provide a healthy dose of enzymes along with a rich collection of super easy-to-absorb nutrients.

Back to the benefits of eggs

In particular, eggs have our favorite fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K, plenty of B vitamins, all the essential amino acids, and are rich in cholesterol.  Yes, the same cholesterol that used to be vilified. The same one necessary for healthy brain function, in use in every cell in our body.

Eating eggs raw makes them very easy to digest and absorb.

Benefits of fresh raw milk

Lucky for us, being in California over the holidays also means raw milk right at the grocery store. Partially due to the live enzymes and bioavailable nutrients, raw milk has a laundry list of benefits as well.  These include stimulating the immune system, supporting a healthy gut, and easy assimilation of all the important nutrients.

As I referenced at the end of this post, deli meats are ten times more likely to cause food-borne illness than raw milk, on a per serving basis.

Happy Holidays

That said, this weekend we left a white Christmas Eve in Chicago and headed out to sunny Northern California.  To celebrate being together with my family for the holidays, my husband insisted on making these the night we arrived.  (Although come to think of it, maybe it was due to the snow-related travel delay with four children and dinner with his inlaws…)

Then again, we’ve had them every night since.

Cheers!