Christmas Mocktail - the green grocer fizz

Christmas mocktail – The green grocer fizz

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I am absolutely loving my Christmas mocktail – The green grocer fizz. The name was inspired by the spirit used to create it and it is such a refreshing summer-time drink. It’s wonderful to sip on during the long hot days we have in Australia at this time of year. Best of all though, it contains no alcohol!

There seem to be lots of new distilled alcohol-free spirits hitting the shelves with pure and natural ingredients of late. I love this idea for so many reasons but especially because it feels like herbal alchemy to me. These companies have adopted the age-old tradition of distillation using an array of global botanicals to harness the flavours of nature. In the process, they’re bringing a new product to the market that fills a very big gap for the non-drinkers. Non-alcoholic spirits have strikingly complex flavours and offer real alternatives to alcohol. A far cry from the water or soft drink options one is usually faced with.

Brands I’ve seen to date include ALTD Spirits, Brunswick Aces and Seedlip along with companies like Alcofree that only sell alcohol-free beverages. Each has their own unique flavour profile and all are worth trying. If you’re looking to replace your choice of alcoholic spirit 1 for 1 these won’t do that for you, but if you’re looking for a delicious and refreshing alternative that saves on the hangovers and other negative health effects…. they will.

How can alcohol affect your health?

More and more I am finding people want to reduce their alcohol intake or give it up completely for a period of time. That’s not surprising when you consider the health effects it can have if enjoyed in excess far too often. And lets not forget those cracking hangovers…. although I know we’d love to!

Frequent overconsumption of alcohol can:

  • Impair the processing and absorption of nutrients in the small intestine, which can affect your ability to utilise vitamins and minerals (in particular vitamins A, E, D and K, B vitamins along with minerals like zinc, magnesium, iron and calcium)
  • Cause an imbalance in the gut microbiome leading to gut dysbiosis and its many and varied symptoms
  • Affect the health of the liver, brain, heart and nervous system

What are the guidelines for alcohol consumption if I do partake?

I will say that I like a good glass of bubbly or a nice cocktail just as much as the next person…. but switching it up to some non-alcoholic beverages can really help you bring your alcohol intake down. Which is good for health all round.

In Australia, we have national guidelines for alcohol consumption in place that outline ways in which we can reduce the risk of health-related alcohol effects, while still enjoying a glass or two of what we love and I’m all for that. These guidelines state:

  • For healthy men and women, drinking no more than two standard drinks (20g of pure alcohol total) on any day reduces your risk of harm from alcohol-related disease or injury over a lifetime.
  • Drinking no more than four standard drinks on a single occasion reduces the risk of alcohol-related injury arising from that occasion

If I can add to that also – I like to suggest three alcohol free days each week to keep your overall alcohol intake down. In addition, I frequently suggest a few liver / gut supportive herbs and supplements to my clients if they do know their alcohol intake may be increased for any reason. Christmas, New Year’s and Summer in general are prime times! There are some excellent herbs to help keep you well at peak party times. So, if you need to know more about that come and have a chat with me.

But! If you are looking to cut down on the booze give this green grocer fizz a go. Even if you alternate between an alcoholic drink and one of these you’re still going to be cutting down on your overall alcohol consumption.

Have you tried any of these brands? What did you think?

Christmas mocktail – The green grocer fizz

Difficulty: Easy
Servings

1

servings
Prep time

2

minutes

A great mocktail with beautiful hints of rosemary to enjoy on warm days.

Ingredients

  • 60ml ALTD Green Grocer alcohol-free spirit

  • Mineral water

  • Slices of cucumber

  • Slices of lime

  • Rosemary sprig to garnish

  • Lots of ice

Directions

  • Fill your glass with ice then pour over the ALTD Green Grocer alcohol-free spirit
  • Pour in the mineral water to top up your glass and stir gently to combine
  • Add in the cucumber, lime and rosemary to garnish
  • Sip and enjoy! It has such a refreshing flavour with a top note of rosemary.

Notes

  • Not all alcohol-free beverages will contain pure or wholesome ingredients. Do be sure to check with the manufacturer before purchasing if the ingredients are not listed.

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