The summer calls for glorious garden parties or - if the weather disappoints - indoor gatherings. Unfortunately, a lot of these events involve cocktails, which can wreak havoc on our bodies from their high alcohol and sugar content. Why not try a mocktail instead? You get all the fun of drinking with friends, without the ghastly hangover or effects of alcohol on your skin! Go a step further and make your mocktail work for you: we’re big believers that you are what you eat - that is, your skin and appearance reflect your gut health. Read on for some of our favourites.
Are you looking to boost your gut health? Try this recipe for Strawberry Kombucha Mojito. Kombucha’s potentially probiotic qualities have made it a favourite drink for those looking to soothe irritated stomachs. If you opt for a kombucha made from green tea, you’ll get all the benefits of that, too: antioxidants that can help to prevent cell damage, and possibly even a weight loss boost! In this recipe, the kombucha is combined with strawberries, which help to protect your heart, increase good cholesterol levels, and lower your blood pressure, and mint which soothes stomachs and improves your digestion. Drink this one if you want to wake up feeling healthy and fresh - and maybe a little smug.
Another option that utilises kombucha is this Pinapple Ginger Kombucha Cocktail. Whilst the kombucha boosts your probiotic levels, this drink adds ginger into the mix. Ginger is a well-known cure for nausea, so this is a great one to reach for if you’re feeling a bit queasy for any reason! Additionally, ginger can alleviate muscle soreness, and its high antioxidant content means that it protects skin against free radical damage, which can lead to signs of ageing. It even smooths out skin tone and improves elasticity, leaving you with plump, wrinkle-free skin!
If you can’t stand kombucha, or would prefer a sweeter option, this Strawberry Basil Lemonade might be just the ticket. It turns out, a handful of strawberries contains more vitamin C than an entire orange. Vitamin C has a whole wealth of benefits for your body, and you might have heard it pop up as a bit of a beauty buzzword in recent years. Because vitamin C - otherwise known as ascorbic acid - is involved in the growth and repair of all bodily tissues, it’s an important factor in things like your skin’s production of collagen. Collagen is what keeps our skin elastic and bouncy, so we’re big fans of helping our bodies to produce the optimum amount! Vitamin C is also an important part of wound healing, so if you have any open wounds - including acne blemishes - it should speed up the healing process. Plus, strawberries are delicious! Combine them with lemon and basil and you’re onto a winner! Lemons also have a high vitamin C content and can aid digestion and promote weight loss, while basil helps to remove toxins from your bloodstream. These toxins are a key part of blemishes, so basil’s a great ingredient to go for if you’re looking for clearer skin. Delicious, easy, and nutritionally brilliant? Sign us up!
If the cooler weather is getting you down, how about a warming mocktail to brighten your spirits? This deliciously cosy Ginger Pear Cider with Vanilla Bean recipe will have you snuggled up in no time! You get the antioxidant hit from the ginger, which is boosted by the high levels in the pears. Meanwhile, the dose of dietary fibre they provide will be doing wonders for your digestive system, leaving you glowing! Vanilla bean is a great choice to sweeten your recipes, as it adds that delightful honeyed note without adding extra sugar.
Alternatively, lead for a light and fruity summer option. We don’t know about you, but lavender always makes us think of days in the countryside sunshine! Lavender is great for supporting the nervous system, so this Blueberry-Lavender Fauxito is a new favourite! The antioxidants in blueberries help to hold off the ageing process, as they fight off free radicals, and the addition of mint means your digestive system should be calmed and running smoothly.
What do you think about swapping out your cocktail for a mocktail? These delicious finds might have swayed us - and we’ve never felt better!
