Tamagozake (卵酒) is a traditional Japanese home remedy for treating common cold. Tamagozake is made of egg and sake. Sake is a Japanese rice wine made by fermenting rice. Many Japanese believe that tamagozake is effective in treating common cold.
How to make tamagozake
Ingredients
– 1 egg
– 1 cup sake (rice wine)
– 2 teaspoons sugar
Directions
– Put egg and sugar in a small bowl, and mix well
– Put sake in a pot, and heat it on stove until 70 C degrees (or put sake in a cup, and heat in the microwave)
– Pour the hot sake over the egg mixture, and mix well
– Consume when it is hot
Why tamagozake can treat common cold
It is unknown that whether it really has medicinal effects, or is just a tradition or habit. Some people try to explain why tamagozake may have effects to cure common cold: the sake is likely to help sleep, and the lysozyme in the egg white helps strengthen the immune system, and thus tamagozake might help cure the cold.
In my opinion, sake in tamagozake is a alcoholic beverage. So this remedy is similar to other alcohol remedies for common cold treatment. You can use whisky, wine, or any alcoholic beverage as a replacement of sake. This is essentially a hot-alcoholic-beverage treatment for common cold. The alcoholic beverage can stimulate blood circulation and help blood movement. Drinking a hot alcoholic beverage is more effective on the blood circulation. This can help combat the cold, help clear the mucus out, and help decongest a stuffy nose.
What are egg and sugar used for? Well egg and sugar are mainly used for softening the stimulating properties of alcohol to avoid its possible side-effects. This is just like that you add honey or lemon to whisky to treat common cold.
Please note, if you use other alcoholic beverage to replace sake to make tamagozake, you should read the label for the alcohol percentage. For example, if you use Whisky or Vodka, you may need to add some water to dilute it. Otherwise, you may get drunk. For many people, a cup of pure Whisky or Vodka is too much.
For more information about natural remedies and alternative cures for common cold, go to Natural Remedies Center: http://www.naturalremediescenter.com/treat/cold/
