Trying to Drink Less? These Tasty Summer Mocktails Make it Easy
Updated: Jul. 11, 2022
These healthier alternatives are perfect for summer.
If you think you’ve been drinking more since the Covid-19 pandemic hit, a study shows you’re not alone.
The report, commissioned by the Canadian Centre for Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) shows that one in five Canadians who are staying home more have reported an increase in alcohol consumption since the pandemic unfolded. (Stress and boredom are the most common causes, though a lack of regular routine and loneliness aren’t far behind).
Currently, Canada’s low-risk alcohol drinking guidelines recommend women have no more than two drinks a day to help reduce long-term health risks. Research from the Journal of Studies of Alcohol and Drugs, however, pushes that number down even further, suggesting that Canadians should have no more than one drink a day.
One drink, by the way, is measured as:
- One 341 mL (12 oz.) bottle/can of 5 percent beer, cider or cooler
- One 142 mL (5 oz.) glass of 12 percent wine
- One 43 mL (1.5 oz.) serving of 40 percent distilled alcohol (rye, gin, rum, etc.)
But don’t despair: Cutting back on your alcohol consumption is a lot easier when you have a tasty alternative. Here are a few of our favourite healthy mocktail recipes.
If you love frozen cocktails
Ingredients:
- 1 cup seedless watermelon
- 3 mint sprigs
- Splash of lime juice
- 2 or 3 ice cubes
Instructions: In a blender combine seedless watermelon, ice cubes, mint sprigs, and lime juice. Blend until smooth.
If you love fruity vodka sodas
Ingredients:
- 1 cup soda water
- 1/2 cup freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
- Handful of ice
- Stevia
Instructions: Combine soda water, freshly squeezed grapefruit juice and a handful of ice. For extra sweetness, add stevia.
If you love Long Island Ice Tea
Ingredients:
- 1 to 2 tbsp DavidsTea Country Lemonade
- 2 or 3 ice cubes
Instructions: Add tea leaves to 295 mL hot water, steep for five minutes and top with ice.
