If you do not drink alcohol, that’s a good thing. If you can hold that urge even during parties, there’s nothing like it. It reveals your strong will and determination.
Keep it up! Then what should you have when you are at a party where alcohol is served? Which are the non-alcoholic alternative drinks?
Alcoholic parties and your non-alcoholic alternative drinks
Most parties in the world serve alcohol in the drinks section. But if you are one of those determined lots who say NO to booze, that’s a great achievement.
And then some are trying to be sober after realizing that alcohol has affected them physically and mentally and has led to relationship friction.
These two classes of people will not touch alcohol at the parties. Then what are the alternatives to alcohol for them? Are these alternatives healthy? Sydney-based dietitian, Melissa Meier explains the pros and cons of these non-alcoholic alternative drinks.
1. Soft drinks and fruit juices: the oldest non-alcoholic alternative drinks
These were the only drinks available in the days bygone. But these juices have added sugars. Therefore, they increase the calories of the drink and can lead to weight gain.
These drinks are also acidic and can damage the tooth enamel and cause peptic ulcers. These can be had in moderation and help prevent a hangover the next day morning.
2. Non-alcoholic beer, wine, and spirits
non-alcoholic drink (Source: Delish)These taste like regular alcohol. They go through the same alcoholization process as regular alcohols but have been dealcoholized after that. Therefore they have only traces of alcohol that is less than 0.5% v/v.
They contain the aroma, flavor, and taste of regular alcohol but have no hangover of it. If you mix this with water before consuming it, it is OK.
But if you add soft drinks or fresh juices to it, the calories of the mixed drink rise and can cause weight gain.
3. Vitamin tonics
Vitamin shots have vitamins in them no doubt. But it is always better to stick to regular food to obtain them rather than have these vitamin tonics at parties.
These tonics have turmeric and ginger but incorporate them into your daily foods if you want to reap their benefits. But once in a while having these vitamin shots at a party, should be no problem.
Vitamin shots (Source: Health shots)4. Kombucha
This drink is fermented tea. It is also called tea mushroom, tea fungus, or Manchurian mushroom. It is slightly effervescent and sweetened black or green tea.
Kombucha has tea, water, sugar, bacteria, and yeast in it. It originated in China where it forms part of their tradition. Later, it spread to Russia and Eastern Europe.
It is home-brewed as well as sold as a commercial product. There are claims of its benefits due to the probiotics it contains. It is supposed to aid gut health.
But none of these claims are evidence-based. It has caused serious adverse events in some due to contamination during its making at home. But it too has added sugar that can harm the waistline.
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Kombucha (Source: Wikipedia)5. Water
Water is the best option out if one has to drink a liquid at parties. You can drink as much as you want with no fear. You need not worry about any sugar or acidic content in it.
Besides, it is cheap and good for the body, gut, and kidneys. You can use the other non-alcoholic alternative drinks but in moderation and once in a while only.