Two for One: Drink Mixers That Also Help You Heal
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The weather is getting colder which means we’re craving drinks that feel cozy and bring the heat to our chill out. What if we told you that many of your favourite nonalcoholic cocktail mixers are also great at boosting your gut-health? It’s true - you can seriously amp up your AF cocktail game if you look at some of the staples you already have in your pantry through a creative lens; your rethinking drinking journey will become not only more fun but also easier than you probably initially thought — easier on your mind and body. Whether you’re looking to detox, strengthen your gut biome, or your immune systems, there is a healthy drink out there that can be mixed into your favourite cocktail, any time of the day!
Here are some mouthwatering drinks that double as amazing mixers and that your gut will love.
Ginger beer
What to mix it in: Nonalcoholic Dark & Stormy, Alcohol-free Moscow Mule
It’s no secret that ginger works magic in the gut — it contains super powerful antiinflammatories and antioxidant properties, and is a stellar nausea remedy. What’s more, according to a study conducted by the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, ginger facilitates digestion by producing fluids in the mouth and stomach, meaning that it really gets the juices inside you flowing. Ginger beer, because its main ingredient is ginger root, carries over ginger’s benefits. For example, a study published in 2014 concluded that morning sickness can be alleviated by drinking non-alcoholic ginger beer. Alcohol-free ginger beer is also much healthier than many other sodas or carbonated drinks. Because a good ginger beer contains ginger’s active compounds (gingerol and shogaol), a glass of ginger beer can help to move along bile production and stimulate the pancreas, promoting energy flow within the body and helping you burn fat in a healthy way.
With all these benefits, you’d be remiss to not include ginger beer as a mixer in your AF drinks. With a zingy bite that will complement many smoky drinks, in addition to the classic Moscow Mule, and many health benefits to boot, ginger beer is a superhero among mixers.
2. Kefir Water
What to mix it in: Mix it up in an alcohol-free Sangria, or shake it up in an alcohol-free gin fizz!
Unlike kombucha, kefir water is easy to whip up at home, and it boosts some pretty impressive benefits, such as boosting your immune system, slowing down cancer cell growth, and has many overarching health benefits. While regular kefir is made with cow, sheep, or goat milk, kefir water is made by fermenting a mixture of sugar water and water kefir grains, which are a culture of bacteria and yeast. The end result is a very bacteria-rich and easy-to-drink beverage that is more beneficial than yogurt! Kefir water helps to reduce your chances of an intestinal infection, of urinary tract infections, and also respiratory infections.
3. Apple Cider Vinegar
What to mix it with: Go ahead and ‘tart somezing
Apple cider vinegar (ACV) contains acetic acid (an active compound in vinegar) and a substance called mother (strands of proteins, friendly bacteria, and enzymes) — both of these substances contribute to ACV’s many beneficial properties. In addition to helping to lower blood sugar levels and managing diabetes, ACV can help with weight loss because it helps you to feel fuller faster, and it improves heart disease (which is something alcohol increases a person’s chances for). ACV is also known for boosting digesting and upping your energy levels. Dr. Dawn Bantel is a naturopathic doctor, and she says that “ACV is a traditional naturopathic treatment to help support digestion by lowering the pH of the stomach, [in other words,] making it more acidic.” According to Dr. Bantel, ACV contains live cultures that are helpful for digestion. That being said, ACV isn’t the best for either teeth or the esophagus, so while it’s a good option to try, exercise caution! “I think it's still an option to try but my go-to's are HCl or gentian/ginger supplements,” Dr. Bantel says.
Try replacing your usual AF spirits and other mixers with ACV occasionally — it’s a great way to reap this powerful beverage’s benefits in a delicious way: it has a very unique taste that lends itself to being a nuanced base mixer.
4. Ginger ale
What to mix it with: A zero-proof ‘rye & ginger’
Let’s get one thing straight, ginger ale is very different from ginger beer. For starters, ginger beer is brewed using real ginger, brewed in the way beer is. Ginger ale, on the other hand, is made with carbonated water, and because it’s not brewed, it doesn’t have that smouldering bite that ginger beer is known for. That being said, ginger ale still contains many of ginger’s benefits and makes a delicious mixer for many AF cocktails. A good ginger ale that uses real ginger root still is able to provide the above-noted benefits that ginger offers, but with a more muted and soft, less musky, taste than ginger beer. For days when you want all the benefits of ginger without the punch of beer, go for a ginger ale in your AF cocktails. It will be crisp and refreshing, and great for your gut.
5. Kombucha
What to mix it with: Anywhere you want bubbles and flavour, the world is your oyster….Or drink on its own!
Kombucha is a fermented tea that people have been drinking for thousands of years, having originated in either China or Japan. Offering the benefits of tea along with powerful probiotic and antioxidant properties, kombucha is a no-brainer when it comes to gut-friendly AF mixers. Made by adding bacteria and yeast to green or black tea and then fermenting the entire substance, kombucha contains a world of bacteria that works to help with digestion, inflammation, and weight loss. Of course, a green tea-based kombucha contains all the additional antioxidant benefits of green tea, making it great for your liver. You can imagine the powerhouse of a drink a kombucha-based cocktail could create. Make sure to buy good kombucha (it’s safer than brewing some up at home), and have a go at whipping up some AF drinks.
Whatever mindful cocktail you’re mixing up, use one of these options and get a two for one benefit!
