Look, I know what you’re looking for. You’re looking for the post that tells you that it’s okay to have a cosmo every Friday night and that it’s not loaded in sugar. You want someone to say that beer is good for you because it’s made from hops and barley and other whole grains. Or maybe you want to be reassured that, once again, red wine is good for the heart. And it’s full of antioxidants after all!
I’m not hear to tell you what to drink, especially from an alcoholic perspective. I’m a strong advocate of responsible drinking with moderation. And sometimes, it’s really just best to abstain.
That’s how I spent the entire month of January this year. To some of you, that probably sounds like no big deal. But if you were like me, a glass or two of wine every night became a habit. After starting the Whole 30 plan for the month of January, I took a break from the calories and inflammatory properties of alcohol and found some interesting alternatives that can make a difference in your health.
Giving up wine can be a big deal when it’s something you enjoy and when looking for a substitute, I came across kombucha – a fermented tea drink that’s usually a bit effervescent, a touch sweet, and may even contain trace amounts of alcohol. But as with many fermented foods, it’s especially good for your gut. The only problem was that I didn’t really enjoy it all that much.
After spending several days at the Natural Products Expo East in Baltimore (an annual trade show with natural and healthy products across many industries), I walked away with a new understanding and appreciation for the latest trends in healthy drinks.
Kombucha
Let’s start with the granddaddy of healthy beverages based on the number of companies peddling their kombucha. As mentioned it’s a fermented tea beverage made from either black or green tea. It tends to be lightly effervescent (which occurs naturally through the fermenting process) although some bottlers have started adding carbonation for consistency across their line. It’s fairly low in calories, although sugar content varies, and does contain trace amounts of alcohol.
On the downside, it can taste very kombucha-y, a strange fermented taste that some people love. On the plus side, many brewers are introducing new variations to have a broader appeal. And the best part of all? It’s totally acceptable to drink it in a wine glass.
Brands to Try
Health-Ade Kombucha – they were so nice and friendly and insisted I try almost every single flavor until I found something I loved. I can’t remember what it was but I love the seasonal flavors below!
221BC Kombucha – yes, you can buy kombucha on tap! Berry Hibiscus was my favorite.
Mother Kombucha – a company started by three women!
Brew Dr. Kombucha – this was actually my favorite because it didn’t taste like kombucha. And their team wins the award for most enthusiasm about their products!
Switchel
If you’re looking to up your hipster factor, there’s something newer and hipper in town. Switchel is actually an old drink (thought to have originated in the Caribbean) making a resurgence as people discover the benefits of its main ingredients: water, vinegar, and ginger.
You’ll find apple cider vinegar as the new wonder ingredient in many healthy drinks. While it can pack a punch going down, it’s reported to have a ton of health benefits from digestion to circulation and more.
Brands to Try
Spritzel
As you might guess from the name, Spritzel is a new drink made from a Switchel brewer. Spritzel is simply Switchel with a kick of carbonation. But if you fear Switchel might be too intense for you, this might do the trick. It’s said to be lighter and lower in sugar.
Brands to Try
Cide Road Spritzel – they invented it!
Shrub
What’s old is new again with another drink from the past: Shrub. Said to be popular in American colonial times, this drink is much like switchel in that it uses a sweetened vinegar-based syrup and is often infused with fruit juice, herbs and spices.
Brands to Try
Herbal Revolution – I loved meeting the founder and team from Camden, Maine! Their shrub is branded as “concentrated drinking vinegar.”
Tonics
Although you’ll see apple cider vinegar mentioned a lot for its health benefits and used in many drinks, you can also purchased a tonic, which is essentially a concentrated amount of raw apple cider vinegar infused with flavors and ingredients adding to the health benefits. At least, those are the tonics I saw!
Brands to Try
Herbal Revolution – I still have my samples of Bitters Tonic, Fire Tonic, and Beet + Ginger Tonic. I’m a little afraid to use them!
Ginbao
Looking for something a little more different and possibly a little more potent? You’ll find something totally unique in the brewing ginger bao (an ancient Chinese ginger broth).
Brands to Try
Mr. Mak’s Ginbao – touted as ginger and ginseng longbrew, this goes down as easy as a shot of bourbon, which is to say, not easy at all. But no one’s denying the power of ginger and ginseng!
Cold Pressed Lemonade
Can you make lemonade healthier? Yes, you can! Try cold-pressing the lemonade (which means no nutrients are lost when juicing), add natural sweeteners like honey and stevia, and enhance with “heathy stuff”!
Brands to Try
Honeydrop Cold Pressed Lemonades – for the record, those colors are completely natural. Gorgeous!
Stevia-Sweetened Sparkling Water
Stevia is one of those love-it or hate-it sweeteners. I usually don’t drink it straight up but use a stevia blend in my morning cup of tea. For fizziness during the day, I’m usually satisfied with sparkling water but sometimes you want something a touch sweeter (I know my son does!).
Brands to Try
Zevia Sparkling Water – I must admit that when I tried both the Zevia sodas and the Zevia Sparkling Water, it was a bit too sweet for me with a distinct aftertaste. But my son loved it. Bonus point because there are zero calories!
Nut Milk
After doing the Whole 30, I became very familiar with nut milks, especially almond milk. I found that not all nut milks are made the same. Many have added sweeteners and thickening agents and they just don’t cut it where you need it most – in your coffee and tea. There are new and innovative nut milks out there that might change your opinion on that.
Brands to Try
Elmhurst Nut Milks – My husband sampled these at the grocery store before I even attended the expo and loved them. Great for coffee but delicious on their own. You’ll even taste some hints of chocolate and coffee in some of them!
New Barn Almondmilk – Why should Starbucks baristas have all the fun? I’m happy to see that there are new blends out there specifically for the connoisseur.
Coconut Water
Not all coconut water is made equal. There are some that I love and some that I absolutely detest. But there are great improvements in some of the coconut waters coming to market.
Brands to Try
Pure Brazilian 100% Anão Coconut Water – Simply put, it’s the best coconut water I’ve ever had. Better coconuts harvested and bottled in a better way.
Water
Wait – water needs a category? I have no problem if you’re drinking out of the tap. Most of the time, I’m simply drinking filtered tap water at home. But if you’re looking for a water that’s actually more beneficial, the trend is to find alkaline water that helps balance the naturally acidic environment of our body.
Brands to Try
flow Water – this was actually my favorite water simply for the taste. The bonus to flow is that it’s stored in cardboard so it’s not exposed to light and it’s spring water!
So maybe this wasn’t the list you were expecting. Maybe you were hoping for affirmation that red wine is the healthiest drink of all. I think the biggest lesson is that everything we put into our bodies has an impact and some of these drinks might make a little difference in a big way.
I love people who share and inspire other to eat healthy. Sometimes I find new recipe in the web and I go to try myself. Thanks for this post, this is lovely.