Ordering a Mocktail? Make Sure to Avoid These Ingredients

Whether you’re experimenting with Dry January or looking for a more permanent change, non-alcoholic beverages are on everyone’s lips. Literally: Sober-friendly outposts are popping up all over the West Coast and even booze-forward bars are offering their own mocktail mixes. 

“Alcohol is no longer the default for social settings,” explains Joshua James, owner of Ocean Beach Café in San Francisco, which pours and sells alcohol-free beverages. “Choosing not to drink, for whatever reason, is more of a super power than something to look down at someone on. Everyone knows several people that are drinking less—or not at all right now.”

However, just because you’re eschewing liquor doesn’t exactly mean what’s in your glass is good for you. So, we tapped a few xperts to serve it to us straight. What makes a mocktail mightier than boozy mixology? And what are the ingredients to avoid? 

To help, we asked the pros about what to consider when ordering a mocktail. Yes, there are some things to avoid in your spirit-free sip; however, unlike alcohol, there isn’t exactly a cap on how many mocktails you can enjoy in a week. 

“You don’t get together over water,” James adds. “You get together over a good drink. That’s not just a psychological thing: It’s a cultural thing, woven into our DNA.”

Alcohol

Seriously. Mocktails might be on the rise, but so are low-alcohol beverages. While it may seem like less is more, low-ABV cocktails aren’t exactly better for you, according to Brooke Scheller, a doctor of clinical nutrition and author of How to Eat to Change How You Drink.

“We now see that small amounts of alcohol can contribute to changes to the gut microbiome, hormones, and has an influence on mood and mental health,” she explains. “We’re choosing mocktails over alcohol because we realize how much alcohol may have been sabotaging the way that we feel.” 

Meanwhile, James emphasizes the International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies alcohol as a carcinogen, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has linked excessive alcohol use with cancer and chronic diseases such as high blood pressure and heart disease. We love cocktails and wine as much as the next beverage connoisseur; however, if you’re looking for a better-for-you alternative, alcohol-free is the way to go. 

Sugar

Sugary mocktails might taste yummy, but they’re not exactly doing your body any favors. Research suggests consuming too much added sugar is linked to higher blood pressure and increases in chronic inflammation. “I typically ask the server or bartender if the drink is super sweet and ask for them to make a ‘less sweet’ version for me,” says Dr. Scheller. If you’re selecting a ready-to-drink mocktail, she recommends checking the nutrition label. “Look for drinks that are lower in sugar or use more natural forms of sugar,” she recommends. 

Juice

Ditto for mocktails with lots of juices. Not only are they packed with sugar, but James says you have better options—for your taste buds and budget. “What’s not great is when those bars are charging $16 for juice-based mocktails,” he says. “We grew up with white Negronis and black Manahattans in fancy cocktail bars. Give us something great, for an adult palate, and we’re stoked.” So, what would James buy? He says Zeronimo N/A Wine, Ghia, and Free Spirits Bourbon are a few favorites. 

Some “Alternative Buzz” Ingredients 

Plenty of mocktails boast feel-good ingredients to score a booze-free buzz, but they’re not created equal. “Ashwaghanda is a popular supplement for folks to take, and is in several beverages that I sell, but it may not be for everyone,” James explains, adding that some may interfere with medications like antidepressants.

While there isn’t one ingredient that’s inherently bad for everyone, James says it’s important to do your research. “What we can do is learn that herbalism is coming full circle,” he says. “There are thousands of herbs, roots, and leaves we can learn about, consult our doctor, and see what may be right for us—and what may not.”

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