Have you heard of dry January? This public health initiative of abstaining from alcohol for a month has become more popular over the past few years. It can be a meaningful opportunity to reset and shift your perspective, just like the New Year.
Health experts note that dry January gives you 31 days to renew your health, replenish your nutrition, and rethink your drink. Registered Dietitian Haley Adel with UC Davis Health’s Transplant Services explains why it can be beneficial to try dry January and shares helpful tips and non-alcoholic drink recipes that are tasty and healthy.
Sip happens… just not this month!
Why should you try dry January? If you’ve been having sleep issues or you can’t seem to lose weight, cutting out alcohol could be a step toward meeting your health goals. Some beneficial effects of abstaining from alcohol in January can include:
- Weight loss
- Better sleep
- Improved mood and energy levels
- Increased physical activity due to more energy
- Better diet due to better dietary restraint and fewer empty calorie intake
- Decreased growth factors related to cancer, insulin resistance, and blood pressure
- A reduction in liver fat and blood sugar
Explore more reasons to try dry January
A chance to renew your health
It's great to know the short-term benefits of limiting alcohol intake. But if you’re someone who thinks long term, continuing dry January throughout the year may help reduce your risk for chronic diseases throughout your life.
A 2024 report from The American Association of Cancer Research stated that “excessive levels of alcohol consumption increase the risk for six different types of cancer and is linked to more than 200 diseases.” Furthermore, The Dietary Guidelines for Americans reported that the risk for some types of cancer is increased even with less than 1 drink per day.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, excessive alcohol use can lead to:
- High blood pressure
- Stroke
- Heart disease
- Digestive problems
A 2022 study found an association between “lower risk of alcohol-related and all cancers” for people that reduced their alcohol intake and those that quit alcohol over a two-year period. On the other hand, they found an association between higher risk for alcohol-related and all cancers for those who increased their alcohol intake. If you want to potentially reduce your risk for some diseases, notably cancer, dry January can be a good opportunity to learn and practice habits that can provide lifelong benefits.
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Replenish your nutrition
Sometimes we are so focused on the health of our food that we may overlook our drinks. Alcoholic beverages often have “hidden” calories.
Take a mixed drink for example. The alcohol itself has calories, as does the juice, soda, sugar and syrups we use to flavor it. These all add up without us even knowing. Multiply that by the number of drinks you have. Now, it’s easy to see how drinking can affect our nutritional health.
But it’s not just about calories. It’s also about where these calories come from: added sugars. Excess intake of added sugars can increase your risk for “weight gain and obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease” according to the CDC.
Rethink your drink
There are many ways you can approach dry January. It can include making healthful substitutions for your beverages and finding activities to do that do not revolve around alcohol. Additionally, recommendations include using fruit, vegetables, fresh herbs, and spices to flavor your drink. This is a beneficial swap because you are leaving out added sugars and adding in foods that are rich in fiber and antioxidants. These added nutrients help reduce your risk for cancer and other chronic diseases. They may also help with weight loss too.
Here are a few more ideas you can try during dry January:
- Find an alternative activity with friends instead of going out for drinks — like board games, art night, playing sports or going on a walk.
- Check out non-alcoholic versions of wine, beer, and hard liquors.
- Test out different mocktails.
You don’t have to feel like you are missing out during dry January. You can toast your friend’s drink with your mocktail, while you toast yourself for taking care of your health!
What you’ve been waiting for: Mocktail recipes
Below are recipe examples you can try at home. These are also easy ways to turn your favorite alcoholic drink into a mocktail.
Minimal effort: Prep takes 5-7 minutes with just a few steps and ingredients
- Blueberry Mint Non-Alcoholic Mojito
- Cucumber Tom Collins Mocktail
- Fresh Strawberry Coconut Water Cooler
Worth the effort: Prep takes 10-20 minutes
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Overall, the point of dry January is to work on decreasing your alcohol intake for your short-term and long-term health. It can be especially effective if your friends also get involved. You can work together to find the tastiest recipes for mocktails. It’s an opportunity, so have fun with it!
This blog was written by Registered Dietitian Haley Adel.
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