3 Refreshingly Healthy Mocktails for Dry January and Beyond

After a long and well-deserved month of indulging in food, wine, and festivities, January is the ideal month to cut back and focus on your health. Dry January is a popular trend that sees people abstain from drinking alcohol for one whole month. For many, it serves as a personal challenge and the ultimate health kick to get their mind and body back in shape.

You might think Dry January means a month of settling for disappointing drinks. Moreover, the temptation to drink syrup-rich mocktails can result in a month of sugar-fueled binging. But skipping the alcohol doesn’t mean you have to load up on sugary, unhealthy drinks. 

Whether you’re committing to a sober month or simply want to experiment with non-alcoholic beverages, here you’ll find a handful of deliciously refreshing mocktails to boost your alcohol-free journey for a happy and healthy 2023!

Why Partake In Dry January? 

Eliminating alcohol from your diet has a wealth of health benefits. Not only does it give your liver a break, but it can also positively affect your blood pressure, sleeping habits, weight, cognitive function, and more.

Additionally, those who refrain from drinking alcohol for a month may subsequently drink less alcohol or drink alcohol more mindfully for the rest of the year. Some might even decide to continue their alcohol abstinence.

If you’re participating in Dry January for a health boost, why not try some powerful superfood mocktails? You can turn your sobriety into a fast-track journey to better health with fresh ingredients, unsweetened mixers, and health-driven recipes. 

3 Refreshingly Healthy Mocktails to Try Now

Mocktails boast countless benefits when compared with cocktails, but replacing an alcoholic drink with a glass full of sugar is not the health hack you might expect. The trick is to choose fun, creative, and superfood-containing mocktails to help curb those Dry January cravings.

Try these 3 healthy mocktails at home for a go-to, non-alcoholic beverage year-round!

Cranberry Kombucha Mocktail

The holidays might be over, but you can still enjoy this festive-inspired mocktail that includes berry kombucha, cranberry juice, and a touch of spicy ginger ale. Although there are trace amounts of alcohol in kombucha due to the fermentation process, most people are still happy to include it in a no-alcohol diet. 

You can make kombucha yourself or buy it store-bought. 

Ingredients

• ¼ cup kombucha
• ¼ cup cranberry juice
• Ginger ale to top up the glass
• Cranberries and fresh rosemary to garnish
• Ice 

Instructions

1. Fill a tall glass with ice 
2. Add the kombucha, cranberry juice, and ginger ale
3. Garnish with fresh cranberries and rosemary sprigs. 
4. Enjoy!

Blueberry Mojito Mocktail 

Adding antioxidant-rich blueberries to your mocktail delivers an incredible natural sweetness. Pair it with a traditional mojito recipe (minus the rum, of course), and you’ve got a tangy and refreshing drink without the hangover. 

You could replace plain sparkling water with a flavored alternative, such as JUST Lemon-Infused Water, for an extra dose of citrus goodness. The combination of lemon and lime makes for a flavorsome drink you can sip slowly, any month of the year. 

Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
• 2 tbsp honey, date syrup, or coconut sugar simple syrup
• 1 tbsp water
• 6 oz sparkling water
• 4 oz fresh lime juice
• 4 fresh mint leaves
• 1 lime, sliced to garnish 

Instructions

1. Fill a large cocktail glass with ice. 
2. Add the blueberries, lime juice, mint leaves, and honey to a cocktail shaker. Shake until thoroughly combined.
3. Add the sparkling water and shake gently for approximately 10 seconds. Then, strain the mix over the ice using a fine mesh strainer.
4. Top up the glass with the remaining sparkling water and garnish with sliced lime.

Pear & Rosemary Mocktail 

In the mood for something more elegant? A pear and herbal rosemary mocktail is just the ticket for an alcohol-free evening. Rosemary is an aromatic herb that boasts antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties. It’s great for boosting the immune system and fighting off infections—ideal in wintertime when you’re feeling a little more tired and under the weather.

This aesthetically-pleasing mocktail is super-quick to prepare at home. It does contain a small amount of sugar, so you might wish to keep this one for the weekend.

Ingredients for mocktail

• 4 tbsp pear juice
• 1 tbsp rosemary syrup
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 6 tbsp sparkling water 
• Ice

Ingredients for rosemary syrup

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary

Instructions for rosemary syrup

1. Combine the sugar and water in a pan and cook over medium heat until the sugar melts completely. 
2. Turn off the heat, add the rosemary sprigs, and allow the mix to cool. 
3. Once cool, remove the rosemary and set the syrup aside. 

Instructions for mocktail

1. Add the ice, pear juice, rosemary syrup, and lemon juice to a cocktail shaker. 
2. Shake well and pour into a cocktail glass. Top up with sparkling water.