This holiday season (and all year round) swap out boozy, syrupy cocktails with fresh, flavorful, non-alcoholic ingredients that pack plenty of flavor into a glass.
Rising Concerns. Concerns about the potential health impacts of alcohol intake are rising. We know that excessive alcohol intake can contribute to a variety of diseases, including liver and kidney problems, and short-term effects include dehydration, headache, dizziness, nausea, and increased risk of falls, accidents and injury. In addition to health concerns around alcohol, the added sugars in many cocktails are not a healthy choice.
Although one drink a day for women and two for men is still considered safe, cocktails add calories, which most of us already get more than enough of, especially during the holiday season. If you’d like to cut back on your alcohol intake, try mocktails!
Simple Swaps. You can swap out spirits for zero-proof (non-alcoholic) options or skip the alcohol altogether (try using water or seltzer to replace the liquid).
Cocktails are often high in added sugar. When mixing a mocktail, consider limiting the use of sugar-sweetened beverages and simple syrups. Instead, choose drinks flavored with puréed fruits (for blended mocktails, like a daiquiri), unsweetened tea or coffee, or reduced-sodium vegetable juice. Tonic water can be replaced with seltzer, club soda, or sparkling water. Seltzers and sparkling waters are available unflavored, or in a wide variety of cocktail-friendly flavors, from lemon and grapefruit to ginger lime and coconut pineapple. Look for those with no added sugars that are flavored with natural extracts.
Try this: Pour plain or flavored seltzer over ice and add a splash of 100% fruit juice, such as grapefruit or pineapple, to taste. Garnish with a slice of grapefruit, lemon, or pineapple, if desired. For a festive option, use cranberry, cherry, or pomegranate juice and freeze fresh cranberries to make a floating garnish.
Enhance your Sip. Herbs are an excellent way to bring fresh flavors to the mix, especially when muddled (gently bruised or smashed with a muddler, mortar and pestle, or a wooden spoon to release their juices, flavors, and essential oils). Mint, for example, is key to giving mojitos and mint juleps their flavor. Other herbs to try include thyme, rosemary, sage, lavender, and basil. Muddle them at the bottom of a glass or cocktail shaker, add other ingredients, shake or stir, the strain out the herbs. Add a fresh sprig for garnish, if you like.
Fruits (like citrus and berries) and veggies (like cucumbers, bell peppers, and roasted beets) are great flavor enhancers, as well. You can also buy bottled essential oils such as clove, ginger, rose, basil, and citrus to flavor mocktails. A drop or two per serving is all it takes.
Try this: Muddle two fresh thyme sprigs in the bottom of an 8-ounce glass, add ice and about one tablespoon lemon juice (or to taste), and fill with lemon-flavored seltzer. Strain out the muddled thyme and garnish with a slice of lime and a fresh sprig of thyme.
➧ Skip the Sugar. Swap out sugar-laden sodas, simple syrup, and sweet tonic water for flavored seltzers, sparkling water, or puréed fruit.
➧ Add Plants. Bring flavor and color to your glass with juiced, sliced, muddled, puréed, or frozen fruits, veggies, and herbs.
Keep it Classic. Turn classic cocktails into mocktails. Here are a few examples:
➧ Non-alcoholic Pina Colada: In a blender, smoothie-maker, or food processor, pour reduced-fat coconut milk over frozen pineapple chunks until just covered and purée until smooth (or purée the pineapple and add coconut extract to taste). Add pineapple juice to taste. You could also add a few drops of rum extract or vanilla, if desired.
➧ Cool and Cosmo-ish. Stir together six parts sparkling water or zero-proof vodka, three parts cranberry juice, three parts orange juice (or non-alcoholic orange liqueur), and two parts fresh lime juice.
➧ Faux Mimosa: Pour equal parts orange juice and orange-flavored seltzer (or non-alcoholic sparkling wine).
➧ Virgin Mary: Mix six parts tomato juice (reduced sodium) and one part lemon juice. Add a dash of Worcestershire sauce and two dashes hot sauce per serving plus celery salt and black pepper to taste.
Mix a mocktail for the next cocktail occasion. Whether you substitute alcohol-free or zero-proof or you replace the spirits with a creative and flavorful blend of ingredients, raise your glass and enjoy a toast to healthy, lower calorie choices.