Tamagozake
Encyclopedia
is a drink
consisting of heated sake, sugar
and a raw egg
. It translates as "egg sake", being made of the kanji
卵 tamago (egg) and 酒 saké. Outside of Japan, tamagozake is sometimes referred to as sake-nog, due to its resemblance to eggnog. However, this term would not likely be recognized by a Japanese person.
for the common cold
in Japan
. Some believe it to be an effective cure, but whether this is a result of tradition
or habit
inducing the placebo effect
, or if it has actual medicinal properties, is unknown.
The sake is supposed to give you a good night's sleep and the lysozyme
in the egg white is said to strengthen the immune system and thus help cure the cold.
Even though it is an alcoholic drink, it is sometimes given as a cold cure to children as well as adults, and is similar to chicken soup
or hot toddies
in Western countries.
Cocktail
A cocktail is an alcoholic mixed drink that contains two or more ingredients—at least one of the ingredients must be a spirit.Cocktails were originally a mixture of spirits, sugar, water, and bitters. The word has come to mean almost any mixed drink that contains alcohol...
consisting of heated sake, sugar
Sugar
Sugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
and a raw egg
Egg (food)
Eggs are laid by females of many different species, including birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish, and have probably been eaten by mankind for millennia. Bird and reptile eggs consist of a protective eggshell, albumen , and vitellus , contained within various thin membranes...
. It translates as "egg sake", being made of the kanji
Kanji
Kanji are the adopted logographic Chinese characters hanzi that are used in the modern Japanese writing system along with hiragana , katakana , Indo Arabic numerals, and the occasional use of the Latin alphabet...
卵 tamago (egg) and 酒 saké. Outside of Japan, tamagozake is sometimes referred to as sake-nog, due to its resemblance to eggnog. However, this term would not likely be recognized by a Japanese person.
Cure for the common cold
Tamagozake is a traditional home remedyHome remedy
A home remedy is a treatment to cure a disease or ailment that employs certain spices, vegetables, or other common items. Home remedies may or may not have medicinal properties that treat or cure the disease or ailment in question, as they are typically passed along by laypersons...
for the common cold
Common cold
The common cold is a viral infectious disease of the upper respiratory system, caused primarily by rhinoviruses and coronaviruses. Common symptoms include a cough, sore throat, runny nose, and fever...
in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. Some believe it to be an effective cure, but whether this is a result of tradition
Tradition
A tradition is a ritual, belief or object passed down within a society, still maintained in the present, with origins in the past. Common examples include holidays or impractical but socially meaningful clothes , but the idea has also been applied to social norms such as greetings...
or habit
Habituation
Habituation can be defined as a process or as a procedure. As a process it is defined as a decrease in an elicited behavior resulting from the repeated presentation of an eliciting stimulus...
inducing the placebo effect
Placebo effect
Placebo effect may refer to:* Placebo effect, the tendency of any medication or treatment, even an inert or ineffective one, to exhibit results simply because the recipient believes that it will work...
, or if it has actual medicinal properties, is unknown.
The sake is supposed to give you a good night's sleep and the lysozyme
Lysozyme
Lysozyme, also known as muramidase or N-acetylmuramide glycanhydrolase, are glycoside hydrolases, enzymes that damage bacterial cell walls by catalyzing hydrolysis of 1,4-beta-linkages between N-acetylmuramic acid and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine residues in a peptidoglycan and between...
in the egg white is said to strengthen the immune system and thus help cure the cold.
Even though it is an alcoholic drink, it is sometimes given as a cold cure to children as well as adults, and is similar to chicken soup
Chicken soup
Chicken soup is a soup made by bringing to a boil and then simmering chicken parts and/or bones in water, with various vegetables and flavorings. The classic chicken soup consists of a clear broth, often served with small pieces of chicken or vegetables, or with noodles or dumplings, or grains such...
or hot toddies
Hot toddy
A hot toddy is a mixed drink, usually including alcohol, that is served hot. Hot toddies are traditionally drunk before going to bed, or in wet or cold weather...
in Western countries.