Drinks a-filled with lots of sweetness
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la
Tis the season to rethink this
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la
Try we now some brand-new mocktails
Fa-la-la-la-la-la,-la-la-la
Read on for the yummy details
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la
The holiday season — and special events throughout the year — tend to include delicious seasonal cocktails. But what you may not realize is just how much alcohol, added sugar and extra calories these can contain.
Lots of people in the New Year vow to make changes after all they have consumed during the holidays. But what if you made some small changes before the year ends? What if you could still enjoy seasonal drinks, but make a few healthy tweaks? Alcohol can make you feel drowsy while drinking it, interrupt your sleep at night, and give you a headache the next morning. Enter sophisticated non-alcoholic drinks, often called mocktails, which mimic the taste of cocktails, but without the alcohol.
Registered Dietitian Haley Adel with UC Davis Health’s Transplant Services has some ideas for how to incorporate mocktails as an alternative to cocktails this season.
Step 1. Replace the Base
We need to find delicious ways to replace alcohol so we can still have a palatable drink. We do that by changing the base of our drink from alcohol to a zero-calorie sparkling water (brands: La Croix, Kirkland Signature, Waterloo, Bubly), low calorie sparkling water (Spindrift), and/or low-calorie sodas (Oli Pop, Poppi, Zevia).
Step 2. Switch the Source of Sweet
Next, we need to sweeten our drink. Seasonal cocktails are usually flavored with soda, mixers, juice, and syrups. However, these are full of added sugars that don’t make our bodies feel great.
Instead, flavor your mocktail with fresh or frozen fruits and veggies, herbs, and spices. Here are a few ideas:
- Cinnamon and apples
- Cucumber and mint
- Basil and berries
One way to extract extra flavor from these is to muddle ingredients. For example, to muddle, you would add berries and basil to the bottom of a glass, press them with a wooden spoon, and twist. Then you add the liquid base and mix. Voila, your flavorful mocktail is ready!
By using fruits, veggies, herbs, and spices to flavor your drinks, you are adding nutrients like fiber and antioxidants that make your body feel better. You are also swapping out the things that may make you feel sluggish like the alcohol and added sugars.
If you don’t feel like making an entire mocktail, you can always have sparkling water as your beverage with a splash of lemon or lime juice. You can also try non-alcoholic versions of wine, beer, and hard liquors. Just check the food label for the added sugars and the calories!
Recipe Ideas
Adel created this delicious original recipe using blueberries and basil.
Blueberry Basil Mocktail
Ingredients
Small handful of basil
½ cup blueberries
1 tsp sugar (optional)
1 TBSP lemon or lime juice
1 can flavored sparkling water
Instructions
- Add basil, blueberries, and sugar to a wide brimmed cup or glass.
- Muddle the ingredients using a muddler or wooden spoon.
- Add the juice and as much sparkling water as you desire.
- Enjoy!!!
Here are some other recipe ideas that you can try at home:
Minimal effort: Prep takes 5-7 minutes with few steps and ingredients
- Frozen Grape Champagne Mocktails
- Gingerbread Hot Cocoa
- Honey Cinnamon Star Anise Tea
- Celery Juice with Fresh Rosemary
Worth the Effort: Prep takes 10-20 minutes, and may include some unique ingredients
So now that you have some ideas, have fun with it! See which of your friends can find the tastiest recipes for mocktails. Try them out and rank which one you liked best. Enjoy!
