Summer is finally here! The weather is warm, the days are long and life seems to be in full force. For many of us, this means that we’re thinking about ways to make it healthier. This article will introduce some healthy summer cocktails that can be made in your kitchen at home. These drinks are not only tasty, but they’re also very easy to prepare and contain fewer calories and toxic ingredients than other options.
What is a Healthy Summer Cocktail
Let’s just be real for a minute and understand that alcohol is not a healthy food. There are some studies that indicate moderate drinking can be part of a healthy lifestyle. The key here is a healthy “lifestyle”.
A healthy lifestyle incorporates many different healthy habits and practices. If you eat a diet of mostly whole foods, drink lots of fresh, clean water, get plenty of exercises, practice mindfulness, have healthy relationships, and keep your stress levels in check, you’re living a more healthy lifestyle. You will have a better chance of detoxifying from the alcohol, not becoming extra acidic, and gaining weight from the alcohol. Your brain, liver, and other vital organs will have more protection from the toxic effects of alcohol.
If you do choose to indulge in alcoholic drinks, you can do so wisely and choose healthier versions.
A healthy summer cocktail contains less sugar, less salt, and no artificial sweeteners or colors. It’s made from all-natural ingredients. The best part of the drink is it tastes great too! It’s refreshing and doesn’t leave you feeling full and bloated.
It won’t take much time to whip up one of these delicious concoctions either – most recipes come together in just 10 minutes or so with ingredients that you likely have on hand already. If not, you can easily find them at your local grocery store.
The most vital ingredient to a healthy summer drink is clean ingredients. Most of these recipes are based on either sparkling mineral water or tonic water which provide you with lots of great minerals while staying low in calories. So go grab yourself some of your favorite flavors and enjoy preparing your own healthy summer cocktails.
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Ingredients For Healthy Summer Cocktails
To make healthy summer cocktails, you need fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, tonic water, sparkling mineral water, filtered water, and ice. Ingredients that are used most often in these cocktails include limes, lemons, berries, and herbs. The recipes listed below only require 3-4 main ingredients and the rest can be adjusted to your own taste preferences or what is on hand at home already.
Recipes for Some of the Most Popular Healthy Summer Cocktails
It’s summertime! And if you’re anything like me, you’ll be craving some delicious cocktails to cool off and stay hydrated with. So, here are 6 healthy summer cocktail recipes and ideas that will keep you and your friends refreshed this season while also staying on track with your health and fitness goals.
Spiked Citrus Sparkling Water
This recipe is so simple and so refreshing. The main ingredient is sparkling mineral water. To keep it clean, use pure sparkling mineral water. Brands to try are Perrier, San Pelligrino, Gerosteiner, and Topo Chico. Avoid using brands that use artificial ingredients, sweeteners, and natural flavors.
Sparkling mineral water can help to alkalize your body. It’s no secret alcohol is acidic which is unhealthy. Balancing out the acidity with an alkaline drink can make your drink healthier and possibly prevent a dreaded hangover.
Add some lemon, lime, orange, or grapefruit juice and your favorite flavored vodka.
For added flavor, anti-oxidants, and health benefits, add a few drops of your favorite citrus essential oil. Try lime, lemon, orange, or grapefruit.
Vodka or Gin and Tonic
The main ingredient in tonic water is quinine. Quinine is the active ingredient in hydroxychloroquine. You know, that super controversial medicine that can be used to treat the virus?
Quinine has tons of other health benefits too. It doesn’t just fight “the” virus. It has properties that can help prevent cancer and treat colds, diarrhea, hangovers, anemia, leg cramps, and more.
Find a tonic water brand with the cleanest ingredients. Choose one with sugar over high fructose corn syrup or one with artificial sweeteners. My favorite brands are Fever Tree and Q Tonic Water.
Amp of the health benefits even more with a generous squeeze of lime juice and a few drops of lime essential oil.
Lime juice is high in vitamin C and is also alkalizing.
Lime essential oil is detoxifying, cleansing, and anti-aging.
Anti-Oxidant Boost Sangria
This sangria recipe includes anti-oxidant-rich fruit and fruit juices.
You’ll need:
1 bottle of Beaujolais
1 cup orange liquor
1 cup fresh or organic orange juice
1 cup pure cranberry juice
1 cup pomegranate juice
1 organic lime, sliced
1 organic orange, sliced
frozen cranberries
optional: a few drops of lime and orange essential oils
Combine all ingredients and let the flavors infuse for several hours before serving.
When using essential oils, store your drink in a glass, stainless steel, or ceramic container. Avoid using plastic because the essential oils will start to break the plastic and leach the chemicals into your drink.
make it more festive These Fun and beautiful pitchers:
More Healthy Cocktail Options
Make homemade margaritas with fresh lime juice, tequila, and triple sec.
Store-bought mixes are full of sugar and artificial ingredients.
For example here are the ingredients in Jose Quervo Margarita mix: WATER, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, CITRIC ACID, NATURAL FLAVORS, SODIUM CITRATE, SODIUM BENZOATE, POTASSIUM SORBATE(TO PRESERVE FLAVOR), CELLULOSE GUM, SAIB, POLYSORBATE 60, AND FD&C YELLOW 5.
Even without the alcohol, all those ingredients will make you feel sick.
Make a homemade daiquiri with frozen fruit, lime juice, and rum.
The ingredients in Daily’s Strawberry Daiquiri mix: HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, WATER, STRAWBERRY PUREE CONCENTRATE, MALIC ACID, CELLULOSE GEL, CELLULOSE GUM, SODIUM BENZOATE AND POTASSIUM SORBATE (PRESERVATIVES), LEMON JUICE CONCENTRATE, NATURAL FLAVORS, RED 40, CALCIUM DISODIUM EDTA (TO PROTECT FLAVOR), AND BLUE 1.
Make a homemade pina colada with coconut cream, pineapple and rum.
The ingredients in Mr. & Mrs. T Pina Colada Mix: WATER, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, CITRIC ACID, XANTHAN GUM, SODIUM BENZOATE (PRESERVATIVE), TITANIUM DIOXIDE (COLOR), POTASSIUM SORBATE (PRESERVATIVE), SODIUM CITRATE, PECTIN, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS, YELLOW 5, RED 40.’
You get the idea here. Store-bought drink mixes contain tons of harmful and toxic ingredients. Make your drinks with healthy, fresh, clean ingredients instead.
Why Making Your Own Drinks is Healthier Than Ordering Them at a Restaurant or Bar
When you make your own drinks, you control the quality of the ingredients. When you use pure, clean ingredients, you reduce sugar, chemical additives, and toxic ingredients.
You can also add in healthy, anti-oxidant boosting ingredients like fresh juices, herbs, and essential oils. Foods fresh from Mother Nature have amazing health benefits that can’t be beaten.
The Benefits of Drinking Water with Alcohol During the Summer Months
Alcohol is toxic and dehydrating. You already know drinking alcohol is not the healthiest choice. But if you’re going to drink it, do so responsibly and make it healthier with the tips mentioned above.
And be sure to drink lots of water before, during and after drinking alcohol. This is important all year long, but especially so during the hot summer months. Add a bit of sea salt to your water to add electrolytes and to increase the absorption rate.
Water hydrates and helps to prevent a hangover. It replenishes the body and helps to reduce inflammation from the toxic alcohol.
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Keep These Ingredients on Hand for Healthy Summer Cocktails
Make it easier on yourself by stocking up on ingredients beforehand so you don’t ever have to worry about enjoying a guilt-free cocktail.
Sparkling Mineral Water
Tonic Water
Limes
Lemons
Vodka
Gin
Red Wine
Essential oils
Summer is in full force and many of us are looking for ways to make it healthier. This article has introduced some healthy summer cocktails that can be made at home with ingredients found easily in your local grocery store or market. These drinks not only taste good but they’re also easy to prepare, contain fewer calories than other options, and offer a variety of benefits!
Do you have any favorite recipes? Share them below in the comments section so we can try them out too.
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