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Mocktails have become increasingly popular over the past year. I’ve always heard about them but never understood what the point of them was. After looking further into this trend, I’m starting to understand why mocktails are so popular.

A mocktail is a non-alcoholic drink that is designed to imitate regular cocktails. Mocktails can look exactly like their matching cocktails, but obviously taste a little different because the alcohol is left out.

Why Choose A Mocktail?

So why are people opting for a non-alcoholic drink more often? Not like there’s anything wrong with drinking, but healthy lifestyle trends, fads, and movements are so popular in our society. From my research, the majority of people choose mocktails for their health. They’re not solely focused on avoiding hangovers, but people are thinking long-term. They’re concerned about weakened immune systems, heart damage, and liver disease to name a few reasons. These are some pretty solid reasons if you ask me. Some other, less health-related reasons were to include everyone at parties (kids can drink the same things as the adults) and some people like the taste without the alcohol.

What Makes a Mocktail Good?

The key to mocktails is *fresh* ingredients. Some of the best ingredients are:

  • pomegranate juice
  • acai berry juice
  • unsweetened cranberry juice
  • coconut water
  • whole pieces of fruit
  • mint and basil
  • nutmeg and cinnamon
  • citrus peels and zest

Some ingredients to avoid:

  • sodas of all kind
  • energy drinks
  • sweetened juice
  • sugar
  • corn syrup

How To Make a Mocktail

  1. Choose your base liquid. It could be coconut milk, water, or any natural juice.
  2. Add your fruits and veggies.
  3. Top it off with herbs, peels, or spices.

Here’s an example recipe.

  • 2 cups unsweetened pure cranberry juice
  • 2 cups unsweetened pure red grape juice
  • 1 cup fresh unsweetened orange juice
  • 4 cups San Pellegrino or sparkling mineral water
  • 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 large lemon – skinned and flesh chopped
  • 1 fresh lime – skinned and flesh chopped
  • 2 cups frozen cranberries
  • 1 orange-skinned and flesh chopped
  • 1 cup fresh mint rustically chopper

Then prepare it by:

  1. Place all of the ingredients except the San Pellegrino and the mint in the blender and pulse a few times until rustically combined.
  2. Transfer to a punch bowl. Rustically chop the mint in the mini food processor or by hand and then add to the mix.
  3. Chill in the fridge for at least a few hours to allow the flavors to infuse.
  4. Just before serving, add in the San Pellegrino and give it a good stir.
  5. Serve over ice cubes and garnish with fresh mint leaves.

Written by GUADS staff member Toni with contributions from www.draxe.com