The festive season can be a time soaked in alcohol - parties, after-work drinks, champagne breakfasts and Christmas dinners.
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If you're not drinking, it can make options limited, especially if your options are that fifth glass of coke, or a sugary canned 'mocktail' that makes you feel a five-year-old when you crack it open.
Here are some options for the Christmas holiday you can enjoy, whether you're pregnant, driving, or just cutting back on the booze.
Upgrade your sparkling water
Sparkling water has been a great, sugar-free alternative to alcohol for a while, but you can take it one step further by experimenting with your own infusions and ingredients. Break out the Soda Stream and get creative!
Add a combination of blueberries and orange, kiwifruit and cucumber, or watermelon and mint. An added bonus of mint is more than just a refreshing flavour - peppermint has been shown to help relax stomach muscles, which can aid in the digestion of heavy foods and help relieve gas.
Another great addition to your soda is a little fresh ginger and lime, which gives the vibe of Moscow Mule - without the vodka.
For more than 2000 years, ginger has been used to help digestion and soothe stomach-aches, nausea, and diarrhoea. What's more, research suggests that its anti-inflammatory properties can also help ease joint and muscle pain, which means it might help with some of the effects of overdoing it on Christmas ham.
Get spirited
Another option on the market is Seedlip. Marketed as the first 'alcohol free spirit', Seedlip is said to be somewhat of an international sensation. The company says it sold out in New Zealand during its first release here earlier this year.
Blended and bottled in England, Seedlip has zero calories, is sugar-free, sweetener-free and artificial flavour-free, and is available in two varieties - Garden 108 and Spice 94.
Garden 108 is distilled from peas, hay and herbs including spearmint, and Spice 94 is made with berries, cardamom, citrus and oak.
You can turn them both into elegant cocktails to serve at your next event. You don't even need to tell the drinkers they're non-alcoholic!
Here's a couple of recipes the company recommends:
Seedlip Spice Espresso Martini
Ingredients:
- Seedlip Spice 94: 50ml
- Harpoon Cold Brew Concentrate: 50ml
- Sugar syrup: 15ml (or Heilala vanilla syrup 5-10ml)
- Garnish: 3x coffee beans
Method:
Shake and double strain.
Seedlip Garden Sour
Ingredients:
- 50ml Seedlip Garden
- 35ml Cloudy Apple Juice
- 15ml Lemon Juice
- 5ml Cider Vinegar
- Sprig of Rosemary & Thyme
- Dash of Sugar & Egg White
Method:
Serve in a coupe glass and garnish with Rosemary needles.
Newshub.
