The alcohol-free drinks market has grown so spectacularly within the past few years, which means that there are more options than ever anyone wanting to take a break from alcohol or or cut down on their consumption.
Apart from the all the health benefits that come from avoiding alcohol, many alcohol-free drinks contain additional goodness.
What are the health benefits of reducing your alcohol intake?
Alcohol consumption is bad news for our health, so reducing alcohol reduces your risk of developing a number of serious health problems. But this is just where the benefits begin.
Cutting down on alcohol has been known to help improve your sleep, your skin, your smile, your sex life, your waistline and your mood - and that's just for starters. No wonder the alc-free market is booming.
Why add extra health benefits to alcohol-free drinks?
One of the driving forces behind the alcohol-free trend is the lager wellbeing movement that has been gathering momentum over the last decade. With this in mind, some alcohol-free brands have produced drinks with the health-conscious in mind.
Many alcohol-free brands avoid artificial ingredients and preservatives, they also strive to lower sugar and they source high quality ingredients such as fruits, herbs and botanicals to ensure that there are antioxidants and minerals in every sip.
Top 6 non-alcoholic drinks with benefits
1. Wild Life Botanicals
Essentially Wild Life Botanicals is a non-alcoholic wine-based beauty elixir in a champagne bottle. It is a vegan, low sugar, vitamin-rich, non-alcoholic sparkling wine. It's made from botanicals and contains 8 vitamins and minerals.
It's 'Bubbles with Benefits' at its best, and it's available in both sparkling nude and sparkling blush.
2. Sobah Non-Alcoholic Beer
Not only does Sobah promote a healthy lifestyle, they also honor Aboriginal culture, heritage, artwork and language. Every can of Sobah non-alcoholic craft beer contains healthy, Australian bush tucker ingredients such as pepperberry, lemon aspen and finger lime - ingredients that are also bursting with natural antioxidants and vitamins.
For example, Sobah Finger Lime Cerveza contains Australian finger lime which natural contains folate, potassium, Vitamin C and Vitamin E. Sobah is also free from preservatives and artificial ingredients. They even have a Gluten Free beer. And, being an ethical brand, drinking Sobah is also good for your soul.
3. Etch Non-Alcoholic Sparkling Drinks
The founders of Etch are passionate about providing the wider Australian community with non-alcoholic adult drinks created with a healthy lifestyle in mind.
Made in the Mornington Peninsula, Etch drinks are all crafted using the finest natural ingredients including antioxidant and mineral-rich native Australian fruits and herbs.
The only added sugar in the Etch range comes from local natural honey (in the Honey Rosewater only). They're also free from preservatives, artificial colours, flavours and additives.
With three tantalising flavours, Etch sparkling drinks can be enjoyed on their own or mixed with a the Lyre's range to create a range of mocktails.
I suggest starting with the Etch Sparkling Honey Rosewater for a smooth, health conscious alternative to soft drink or mixers.
4. Plus & Minus Alcohol-Free Wine
South Australian alc-free winemakers Plus & Minus have pack extra antioxidants into their wine via the use of grape seed extract and the highest quality grapes from local vineyards.
They use an innovative winemaking process across the range which includes Blanc de Blancs NV, Pinot Grigio, Rose, Shiraz and Pinot Noir.
5. Erdinger Alcohol-Free Beer
German brewers Erdinger were among the first in the world to brew a healthy sports beer. Their alc-free wheat beer is the drink of choice for German athletes due to its vitamins b12 and folic acid, and its polyphenols.
The isotonic properties in the Erdinger alc-free wheat beer filter valuable nutrients into the body at a high rate, making this the beer equivalent to a thirst-quenching Gatorade. In other words, it will hydrate rather than dehydrate.
German made beer is always high quality due to the German Purity Law. The law states that beer must be made of only 4 ingredients: hops, barley, water and yeast. Plus, with only 83 calories per 330ml bottle, it’s lighter than a traditional wheat beer.
6. UpFlow Non-Alcoholic Beer
UpFlow create delicious craft beers that are made specifically for health-conscious Australians. They are free from artificial preservatives, colours and flavours, and have no added sugar.
The UpFlow Hypotonic Pale Ale is a sports beer made with carefully selected minerals to provide low energy hydration, replace lost electrolytes and nutrients and support the body’s recovery after exercise.
This beer was brewed specifically to quench the thirst of the 2024 Australian Olympic athletes - which shows what a great alternative to a sugary sports drink it is - and it tastes just like a classic Pale Ale.
There are lots of reasons to to reduce alcohol, but for many of us it can be easier said than done. I hope that these fantastic brands will make the leap to alc-free drinks easy and enjoyable.
