Healthy Mocktails For Summer

September 6, 2024 / Wellness / 6-minute read

Everyone knows summer is the season for fun, creative and colorful cocktails. However, did you know you can ditch the alcohol and opt for mocktails that are not only delicious – but have health benefits too? It’s true!

You might think that because mocktails take ingredients OUT like alcohol and sugary syrups, you will be left with a very bland and sad drink – but today’s refreshing mocktails ADD IN special ingredients that boost flavor AND your overall health! We’re talking benefits like glowing skin, mental calmness, better digestion and even relief from bloating.

Whether you’re mixing up a pitcher to enjoy tonight, or looking for delicious drinks to serve at your next get-together, this handout gives you tips on ingredients to create your own signature mocktails, as well as specific recipes that are sure to please even your pickiest friends and family members.

As you experiment with mixing your own mocktails, the following are some good ingredients to have on hand to get you started…

LEMON – When alcohol is removed from a cocktail, the body and flavor can go with it. Citrus fruits (and lemons in particular) make an excellent replacement by giving the drink extra body and a lovely kick. Plus, lemons are inexpensive, available in abundance, and have a gut-cleansing health benefit.

COCONUT WATER – There are plenty of delicious coconut waters on the market. Try to find one with no added sugar. There are even sparkling and flavored coconut waters available.

KOMBUCHA – This fermented tea has a complex flavor profile that can make for a tangy, refreshing mocktail. However, if you are not a fan of kombucha, a little apple cider vinegar adds some zip as well.

HONEY – If you have a sweet tooth, you might enjoy adding honey. A good quality Manuka honey will increase the health benefits of the drink, but regular honey is just fine too.

FRUIT – Add color and delicious flavor with your favorite fruits (and even some vegetables) – all the better if they’re picked from your own garden!

MINT – Mint and other fresh herbs can be muddled with fruit and also used as colorful garnishes for your mocktails.

Watermelon Red Pepper Margarita

The red pepper adds a gorgeous, vegetal farm-fresh complexity to this delightful and delicious mocktail.

1 red pepper, seeds and stem removed, chopped
2 limes, cut into eighths
4 c cubed watermelon
honey
fine grain salt
ice

Muddle the pepper and lime using a wooden spoon or muddler until a lot of the juice comes out. Add the watermelon and muddle again until it’s mostly liquid.

Strain through a fine mesh strainer, pressing to remove all excess liquid.

Put honey on one plate, and salt on another. Gently press rim of glass into honey, and then coat with salt. Add ice. Pour in watermelon/pepper/lime juice and stir. Serves 2.

For a large batch, this recipe can be made in the blender. Just cut the skin off limes, and blend red pepper, lime and watermelon together, strain and follow remaining instructions.

Tropical Fizz

This yummy thirst-quencher is a real crowd pleaser!

handful of strawberries, hulled and halved
1 kiwi fruit, peeled and chopped
2 pineapple rings, chopped
sparkling apple juice, chilled
tropical fruit juice, chilled
sparkling water, chilled

Combine strawberries, kiwi and pineapple and divide mixture into 8 glasses. Fill the glasses with equal amounts of sparkling apple juice, tropical fruit juice, and sparkling water. Serve immediately. Serves 8.

Passion Fruit Martini

This fizzy and fruity mocktail has all of the fun but none of the alcohol! Be sure to choose an alcohol-free spirit with a spicy, complex flavor.

3 passion fruits, halved
1 lemon, juiced
1 egg white
100ml alcohol-free spirit
2 tsp sugar syrup
ice
sparkling grape juice to serve

Scoop the flesh from 4 of the passion fruit halves into a cocktail shaker. Add the lemon juice, egg white, spirit and syrup and shake vigorously until frothy.

Add the ice, then shake again until the outside of the shaker feels cold. Double strain into martini glasses.

Top the martinis with the grape juice and garnish with the remaining passion fruit halves. Serves 2.

Gut-Healthy Mixed Berry Mocktail

In addition to being a fun drink that’s perfect for the whole family, this mocktail is loaded with fresh fruits and gut-healthy ingredients to support your digestion.

1/2 c mint leaves
1/4 c lemon juice
1/4 c lime juice
3 Tbsp raw honey
3/4 c blueberries
3/4 c strawberries, chunked
2 c coconut water
2 c sparkling water

Put mint leaves in a large pitcher and muddle together.

Add in lemon juice, lime juice, and honey. Stir until they are well incorporated.

Next, add in the coconut water and sparkling water and mix thoroughly.

Divide drink mixture into 4 glasses, filling them only 1/2 to 2/3 of the way full. Then top each glass with the berries and a few ice cubes. Garnish with additional mint. Serves 4.

Add some extra fun to your mocktails with fruit-filled ice cubes!

Add a little water to the bottom of your ice cube tray and let it freeze. Then place small fruits and berries, as well as mint or rosemary, on the newly formed ice. Add more water and freeze. If needed, add water once more to ensure the fruit and leaves are fully encased in ice. These colorful cubes are sure to delight your guests this summer!