Pomegranate and Orange Fizz

The wonderful world of mocktails has really opened up to us in 2024. There are companies who make alcohol free spirits that actually taste like spirits. They have that same heat without the hangover. I know these alcohol free spirits aren’t accessible to everyone yet, so this recipe is just a good old fashion mocktail, using ingredients that you can find at any grocery store.

Try this mocktail at your next dinner party and let me know what your guests think!

Pomegranate and Orange Fizz

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cubed or crushed ice

• 1/3 cup 100% pomegranate juice

• 1/4 cup freshly-squeezed orange juice

• 1/2 cup club soda

Assemble the drink in the order of ingredients and garnish with a slice of orange or an orange twist.

Options for garnish:

Slice of lime, mint leaves or a sprig of rosemary or other fruit like raspberry, strawberries or cherries.

Why opt for alcohol free drinks? Well, aside from the obvious, alcohol being tolerated by the body in only small amounts due to its toxic nature, alcohol has 70 calories per oz. That doesn’t sound like much until you’re having double margaritas at lunch with your friends.

Remember, there is no dietary requirement for alcohol and just recently The Canada Centre on Substance Use and Addiction came out with new guidance on alcohol and risk.

Key points from the guidance include:

• Using alcohol every week comes with different levels of risk. The more you use it, the higher the chance of getting into trouble.

  • 0 drinks per week — Not drinking has benefits, such as better health, and better sleep.

  • 2 standard drinks or less per week — You are likely to avoid alcohol-related consequences for yourself or others at this level.

  • 3–6 standard drinks per week — Your risk of developing several types of cancer, including breast and colon cancer, increases at this level.

  • 7 standard drinks or more per week — Your risk of heart disease or stroke increases significantly at this level.

  • Each additional standard drink radically increases the risk of alcohol-related consequences.

• Consuming more than 2 standard drinks per occasion is associated with an increased risk of harms to self and others, including injuries and violence.

As you can see, less is better. So why not try your hand at some mocktails and if you can get your hands on the alcohol fee spirits, I highly recommend them! There is always alcohol free beer and wine and my favourite alternative, flavoured club soda or sparkling water which contains ZERO calories. This mocktail contains around 75 calories and is filled with vitamin c and antioxidants.

Let’s work together to normalize mocktails and alcohol free beer and wine or bring a batch of this delicious and antioxidant filled mocktail to the next part you’re attending.

-Enjoy