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There has to be a good reason why you’re in a bar and you’re not drinking alcohol. Good reasons can be: that you’re sworn sober, the designated driver, or you had too much last night.
Introducing the Non-Alcoholic Cocktails, also known as “Mocktails” or “Virgin Drinks.”
One would say a Non-Alcoholic drink is just glorified juice. Technically speaking, they are correct, but there’s more to it. We have a plethora of cocktail recipes, all with interesting, refreshing tastes. Some would like the minty, limey bite of a Mojito. Others prefer the more forgiving flavors of a Cosmopolitan. There are also people who challenge themselves with strong drinks like the Zombie. It’s fruity yet heavy mix is bound to turn you into one around your third glass.
The point is that everyone drinks to get a certain experience. Some would like this experience without the hassles of getting drunk. Non-Alcoholic Cocktails are cocktails that are meant to mimic the flavor, the heat, and bite of cocktails, without the consequences. People strive to mix and match ingredients to mimic the flavors of liquor. They would use vinegar, salt, pepper and all manner of juices to create a mocktail that’s sometimes better than the original.
There will be times when drinkers must stop. You may have your ritual nightly cup of homemade margarita, but what if you’re pregnant? What if you were a recovering alcoholic and couldn’t avoid going a fancy restaurant with your co-workers? The temptation is strong, but thanks to the invention of the mocktail, you get to enjoy with everyone or continue your nightly ritual.
There are also places with laws against drinking alcohol. Various occasions that fall within these places often need that touch of liquor. Virgin drinks fit that occasional need perfectly.
There’s also Non-Alcoholic Beer, colloquially known as “Near-Beer.” These are beer that either has zero percent alcohol or have dramatically less. They nearly taste like beer, thus the name and has certain health benefits. Those who regularly drink beer could suffer from dehydration, anxiety and sleeping problems. The bigger problem is that for some people it’s hard to stop.
With Near-Beer, all those problems go away. It rehydrates you better without the alcohol. Furthermore, the hops from the brewed malt have a slight sedative effect. There are some studies that suggest that near-beer is good for breastfeeding. The malt compounds in the drink apparently improve the amount of milk produced. The exact process though is still up for research but experiments show the numbers.
Will you still get a beer-belly if you drink near-beer? Yes, sadly. Most near-beer have nearly as high calories. Alcohol is only responsible for a small percentage of the calories. Remove that and you still have the rest of the beer to deal with.
Like it or not, it’s there to stay. It’s good news for a lot of people. It’s also a fun experience to try and compare the cocktail to its mocktail counterpart. See if you can taste the difference.
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Dr. Vikram Tarugu, M.D, is the CEO of Detox of South Florida, Inc and medical professional focused on addiction. A veteran in the medical field with over 25 years of professional experience. He is a consultant for many South Florida Rehab centers. Patients travel from allover the US to seek his help with addiction and Hepatitis C treatment.
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