Alcohol-free drinks are on the rise. In fact, the no/low alcohol drinks industry is forecasted to grow by over 31% by 2024, following a IWSR report. There’s all sorts of reasons why you might want to switch to non-alcoholic drinks. It could be to improve your physical and mental health, pregnancy, or maybe you just don’t want the nasty hangovers anymore. Here we’ll look at some of the best alcohol-free drinks for you to try from fermented tea, to smoothies, sodas and more.
1. Fermented Tea
Our first choice for alcohol alternatives is fermented tea, or Kombucha as you may also know it. Fermented tea is a drink made from black, green or oolong teas that undergo the fermentation process, changing the tea’s flavour and giving it a sparkling quality. The sparkling nature of fermented tea makes it a great alternative to sparkling wine and Champagne.
Not only can you enjoy fermented tea for its amazing taste but the fermentation process also increases the drink’s antioxidant content. Studies show that drinking fermented tea can help improve digestion, reduce feelings of anxiety and improve the appearance of the skin. Win-win!
2. Smoothies
A smoothie is a great way to get the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants your body needs without having to eat a ton of fruit and vegetables each day. Plus, if you combine your favourite fruits and veg into a delicious smoothie, you may find that you enjoy it more than eating them raw or cooked! A word of warning though, smoothies can end up being very high in sugar. Try and avoid putting too much fruit in and concentrate on adding vegetables with just enough fruit to give your smoothie a sweet taste.
3. Juices
Now, you may be wondering what’s the difference between smoothies and juices? It simply comes down to fibre. Smoothies contain much more fibre, as you place all the fruit and veg into your mixer, maintaining the fibre. On the other hand a juicer extracts water and nutrients from the fruit and veg. The lack of fibre in juices gives them one huge advantage over smoothies; they contain much more nutrients per serving. That’s why you want to consider having a balance between smoothies and juices, rather than choosing one or the other.
4. Soda
Ok, so far our alcohol-free alternatives have been pretty healthy, but sometimes you just fancy something as a treat. We all do! Drinks like Lime & Soda are better for you than a Vodka Soda but can still feel like a bit more of a treat and are super refreshing. There’s also great brands like Karma Drinks who create organic, fairtrade cola, orangeade, lemonade and more. You can sup on these drinks knowing that they’re kind to the planet and your body. These kind of sodas are much better for your health than traditional fizzy drinks, so why not consider trying something new.
5. Non-Alcoholic Beer
If you want to try going alcohol-free but love the taste of beer then of course there’s plenty of alcohol-free beers from the likes of Beavertown, Guinness, Brewdog, Peroni and many more. They’re as close to the real thing as you can get and are great for nights out, parties, picnics and BBQ’s when you might want to blend in with the alcohol-drinking crowd. However, there’s much less pressure these days to blend in anyway!
Conclusion
There’s never been a better time to try alcohol-free drinks, with the sheer volume of options available there’s something that will appeal to everyone. So whether you’re looking for some healthier, sparkling wine-esque options like fermented tea, or you want to give non-alcoholic beer a go, we’re sure you’ll find some great alternatives for cutting down on or cutting out alcohol.
