5 Healthy Alcohol Alternatives to Enjoy

Some companies have even started adding it to soft drinks,” says Cox. If you’re a fan of cocktails with a slightly more savory taste then this could be the pickup you need to ditch drinking. As you change https://ecosoberhouse.com/ your relationship with alcohol, it also gives you the opportunity to change how you celebrate special occasions. Turn your focus inward to how you want to feel and imagine your ideal environment.

• It can be as elaborate as you’d like—just put on your favorite playlist and enjoy doing something tactile with the person you love.
• Choice has arrived in the form of alcohol-free beers and spirits, and lower sugar craft sodas.
• Like kava, more research needs to be done on the long-term health effects of CBD and these types of beverages are still waiting for FDA approval.
• Atlantic Brewing Company is exclusively nonalcoholic and offers a variety of IPA and stout alternatives.
• And in the right frame of mind, quitting drinking might not be as difficult as you’ve been taught to believe.
• Exploring how to experience these same feelings without alcohol allows you to create new celebratory rituals.

Fortunately, there are many things to drink besides beer, wine, or liquor. If you feel you’ve been drinking too much, or simply want to reset your nightly habits, here’s what to drink instead of alcohol to relax. Cox is quick to stress the advantages of hydration when it comes to alcohol alternatives. “Having alternatives to alcohol will give your liver a break and hydrating drinks are always a good option for this. The body’s organs, including the liver, function best when they are hydrated.” There is growing hype around fruit-infused water and we totally get why. They are the perfect low-calorie and low-sugar swap for those sweet alcoholic drinks.

What is the healthiest mixed drink?

Food can’t soak up the alcohol in the stomach, but it can slow down the absorption, so that’s your main goal, Sauceda says. What’s even cooler is that in animal studies, oats have been shown to protect against alcohol-induced liver issues . Going out for a night on the town is so much fun…until you wake up the next morning with a crippling headache, seasick-level nausea, and unquenchable thirst alternatives to alcohol after indulging in one too many drinks. If a person still chooses to drink alcohol, they may consider that certain types of alcohol may be healthier options than others. These can include lower-calorie and high antioxidant options, such as red, white, and sparkling wine, low sugar cocktails, light beer, and cider. A white wine spritzer is a mix of white wine with club soda or sparkling water.

However, if you’re wondering what happens when you give up alcohol and you’re wondering kombucha, it’s worth noting that you shouldn’t have more than three servings per day. Calls to our general hotline may be answered by private treatment providers. We may be paid a fee for marketing or advertising by organizations that can assist with treating people with substance use disorders. People who are concerned about their current pattern of drinking can take more drastic lifestyle-related steps. Many adults will find it easy to stretch the NIAAA guidelines’ limits by doing nothing more than taking part in social drinking at gatherings and events. This is true, in part, because of the prevalence of drinking as a social activity.

Alcohol-Free Ways to Unwind at the End of a Long Day

Try combining club soda with juices or flavored syrups for a base. Then, add garnishes like fresh herbs, maraschino cherries, or a salt-and-sugar rim to really make it your own. Before finding a substitute for your nightly wine, you might want to search for an activity that delivers a similar feeling of calm and ease. Try running a bath with relaxing essential oils, cooking a meal from scratch, or listening to your favorite music. Treating yourself while you sip your nonalcoholic drink will create a new relaxation routine. Many of us have a ritual of sitting back with the right beverage, and letting the stresses of the day melt away.

What’s more, eating antioxidant-rich foods like berries may protect your cells against alcohol-induced damage. Protein is especially key, as it’s digested slowly and can minimize the effects of alcohol on your body by slowing its absorption (2). Bananas are a healthy, convenient snack all on their own but can also be topped with peanut butter or added to smoothies, fruit salads, oatmeal, or yogurt for a power-packed treat.

Summary of Alternatives to Drinking Alcohol

This could mean having game nights instead of going out to the club or taking a cooler of kombucha when you go out fishing with your buddies. For example, exercise releases chemicals in the brain that also relieve stress, make you feel good and help you sleep. “There’s something very, very joyful about putting on your favorite music and dancing around the room by yourself,” says Fong. Music releases dopamine, the same feel-good chemical that floods the brain when we drink alcohol, one study showed.

Alcohol alternatives can provide complex flavors and festive energy without sacrificing your health. Ginger beer, with its spicy, refreshing taste and effervescence, has long been known as an alcohol alternative. Infusing sparkling water with natural fruit flavors, herbs, or even bitters can create a refreshing and sophisticated alternative to alcoholic drinks.