Summer Mocktails

Summer means cocktails, but also...mocktails! This week were are chatting about our favorite mocktails and how to make fun and delicious summer drinks that are goal supportive well beyond weight loss. 

If you have questions, or topics that you want to hear about, head over to our Instagrams https://www.instagram.com/bayleethedietitian/ or https://www.instagram.com/brianna.dietitian/ and send us a DM! You can also follow the podcast https://www.instagram.com/mocktailminutes/

Featured Mocktails: 

Arih 

Olipop

Click play, sip back, and be empowered.

Transcript

Baylee 0:00

Hello, everyone. Welcome back to this week's episode of Mocktail Minutes. This is Bailey.

Brianna 0:05

And this is Brianna

Baylee 0:06

This week, you know what's funny, is every time I start a Zoom now, like I always just wanna be like, "Hello, everyone, and welcome-"

Brianna 0:12

It's funny 'cause the couple times that I've recorded by myself, it's almost like I'm waiting.

Baylee 0:16

Yeah. I, that's what I've done but I'm doing an Olipop. I needed a little bit of extra fiber today. And I'm doing the classic root beer flavor

Brianna 0:25

I'm doing one of these Ari- A-R-I-H ones again, these little dual biotic sodas. I got, I had the pineapple one last time and I really liked it. This is the lemon and I don't... It kinda tastes the way Lysol smells.

Baylee 0:40

Oh, good.

Brianna 0:41

Like a lot. But it's okay.

Baylee 0:42

Lemon is a tricky flavor. You either nail it or you don't. But yeah, there, there are some that they give off Lysol

Brianna 0:48

not really tart at all. It's a little bit sweet. So yeah, it's just, it's giving Lysol vibes, so there's that if you are thinking. But the pineapple was very good

Baylee 0:57

Okay. Yes. Today we are doing a very fitting episode for Mocktail Minutes. We're gonna be talking about mocktails. I think this is summer is definitely a time, I would say, where we're just craving more fun drinks, and usually it leads to alcohol, a- alcohol because that's the typical fun drink we think of. And I was actually thinking about this the other week. I don't even... I think I've had maybe one drink since... I was pregnant, so obviously I wasn't drinking then. But even since then, that was like March, I think I've had one drink. And it's just I don't even think about it anymore, and I kinda just came to the realization that I don't really care about the alcohol part. Sometimes I just want a different drink. And so I've been really leaning into the mocktails or spending money on an Ollipop or a Poppi over getting High Noons or something. And so not to say "You're bad if you drink High Noons." Yeah, alcohol's not gonna help us, but just something I realized for myself. And if you're at Sam's, to buy a thing of High Noons, it's 20 bucks at least. You could buy a pa- a pack of Poppis for 15, 18. So it's actually a little bit cheaper, and you don't feel like crap. You're getting a little bit more of a functional drink. So I don't know. I've just been kinda leaning more into my mocktail era and doing more drinks that, even if some drinks have a little bit more added sugar, and then I've been okay with it because I'm, at least I'm, like, not doing added sugar plus the alcohol. And I would say six grams of sugar is better than alcohol with no carbs, too

Brianna 2:38

Yeah, and I think people get stuck on that, but it's Six grams of sugar versus alcohol, th- there's a clear picture of which one is better, and it really is, that's what it is. I think it's like the weather's nice, you do more outside things, you're relaxing, you're sitting on patios. You just want I just want something crisp and good. But yeah, the alcohol thing, don't know. I used to be one that could do "Oh, I could do like a midday margarita. Cool. I feel great." I literally can't. not even fun for me anymore. I need to go take a nap

Baylee 3:05

joke that if I am gonna drink, I'd rather day drink because I don't want it to mess with my sleep. And I don't love a nightcap. It actually does not help you. And I think that's a big thing to think about is that mocktails aren't just avoiding alcohol for weight loss. I feel like it's wh- what we talk about when we're talking about weight loss is, "Oh, we're gonna cut back on alcohol. We're gonna cut back on sweets." But when it comes to cutting back on alcohol that has to do with your sleep quality, your recovery, your hydration, your blood sugar. Blood sugar is major. This is... my blood sugar goes so wonky with alcohol. It's not great. Your appetite, your energy levels, where leaning into those mocktails allow you to have that social experience without sacrificing how you feel the next day. And when you put a little bit of thought on how they are made, you can actually get some benefits from it as well

Brianna 3:58

Yeah. So we're gonna talk about the different parts of a mocktail and kinda things that you can put in it, especially summer type things that you can put in it that are actually beneficial from a nutrition standpoint 'cause you might as well enjoy your drink, but then also get something out of it. And I get this question a lot. People are always like, "What are you doing for mocktails?" "How do you make one?" I'm like, "Oh, so you do whatever you want, to be honest."

Baylee 4:19

Yeah, there's no rules here

Brianna 4:20

You can do whatever. But start with a base. I'm a big one for sparkling water or coconut water. Sparkling Like carbonation. I need to cool out on the carbonation 'cause it makes me really bloated, and I know this, but I love carbonation. It's like sparkling water, kombucha, coconut water, which is great for hydration. You could do green tea, herbal teas, mineral water. a base, whatever it is. then I would say a fruit, especially summer. There's also, I guess it could be fruits and. Cucumber's technically a vegetable.

Baylee 4:52

Yeah.

Brianna 4:52

I'm like,

Baylee 4:53

But that works too

Brianna 4:53

I'm... What? Is it? Yeah. Watermelon, berries, citrus, pineapple, peach, mango, cucumber boosters. And this is, I think, really where it's at, especially if you're gonna make, even if you're just making flavored water for your fridge, it's the mint, basil, rosemary, ginger, jalapeno if you wanna get a little... you can make a really cool little mock spicy margarita with some mint and strawberry and jalapeno. Just saying. And then you have your functional add-ins. Different types of electrolytes, collagen peptides, tart cherry juice. That's a fun one. Magnesium powders, green powders even, adaptogens. Whatever you're Wate- whatever you're going for, like relaxation, energy, whatever it is, you can add in something functional like that

Baylee 5:39

Yeah, there's, like I said, there's really no rules here. It's okay, what sounds good? Now what was it? Last week I did my own DIY drink and I had blueberries. Something like that, it might not look as pretty because it's the peels, and then when you squish it the inside is not blue. Where there, there's actually a lot of videos I've seen on TikTok where they do raspberries or strawberries, and it even looks fun. I've also seen adding chia seeds, and that's what I did to mine. So that can be a good way to get some extra fiber or healthy fat. So that's where the functional part of cocktails come into play. And you can also buy different ones too. Any that we share on here are typically dietician approved. If you've noticed, we usually don't come on here drinking a SunDrop type of thing.

Brianna 6:23

Yeah. I never bring one on here that I'm like, "I wouldn't recommend this."

Baylee 6:27

So any that we mentioned those are great options. This is more if you want to just make something fun, make something different. I will also use the... Have you used Craft Mix before? Have you heard of that brand? So there's a brand,

Brianna 6:40

about

Baylee 6:40

yeah, they're like packets, and you can mix alcohol and water with it to easy on-the-go drinks. So I've been using some of those and just not putting alcohol in. You just get the flavor, and those are pretty good. They have a margarita one.

Brianna 6:54

And then you

Baylee 6:55

So I'll do that.

Brianna 6:56

for Are good, yeah

Baylee 6:57

Yep, so that's another easy thing to have on-hand. But yeah, you can also use these to give some benefit. Now adding a thing of mint is not gonna be, like, a miracle worker, but ingredients do contain different compounds that can support hydration, digestion, blood sugar balance, recovery, just overall health. So something like watermelon. Watermelon is actually mainly water, and so it's super hydrating. And when you combine water, potassium from it, and small amounts of magnesium, it helps to support that fluid balance, especially when it's hot in the summer. It also has lycopene in it, and it's actually one of the richest sources of lycopene, and that's an antioxidant that helps protect your cells from oxidative stress and supports cardiovascular health. Now, that doesn't mean if you put watermelon in your cup every day, it's wow, I am just, got my shield of armor here.

Brianna 7:55

My

Baylee 7:55

it just gives you a little b- yes, it just gives you a little boost here. There's also... I would say any of the fruits are gonna give you sweetness without a bunch of sugar compared to juices or sodas. Watermelon's gonna provide that natural sweetness with fewer calories per serving because of its, most of its volume coming from that water too. And same thing cucumber. This is an easy one. Th- I feel like this is more common that people will put it in the water, like cucumber and lemon. Also 95% water, contains potassium, which helps regulate your fluid balance and muscle function, has some antioxidants in it. And then a lot of times people do this because it does have a little bit of that cooling effect. And so when it's hot, that high water content and just that mild flavor can just give you that refreshing feel, I guess you could say. So this is why I see those commonly added

Brianna 8:50

Yeah. And then you have things like mints, which is helpful for digestion. So this is something I'll have people keep in their back pocket. Like, when you're traveling, your diges- digestion is just a little off it can help with digestion. It also has that cooling effect. It can freshen your breath. Ginger is good also for digestion 'cause it, it helps to s- support it. It's anti-inflammatory, and then it also helps nausea. So if you're nauseous or just... I, 'cause I live in Texas, and I feel like people will often say "I just feel when I'm in the sun." Oh ginger can help with that. And it goes with everything. And then you have tart cherry juice, which is a great source of plant compounds. So it's really helpful for muscle recovery, but it can also support quality sleep. So this could be maybe an evening one or after a workout outside or a hike, and you're getting it to help relaxation, recovery. I personally only do this the evening 'cause I feel like it actually really does help me. F- whether it is placebo or not, it works. So tart cherry juice, and then I think coconut water. Coconut water has natural electrolytes. It's very high in potassium, so this could be one where maybe you add a little salt to it, or maybe you're someone that needs a more potassium-forward thing, like you don't need extra salt. Coconut water, and you can... now there's a ton of different options, too, where it doesn't have a bunch of sugar added. You could take it to the beach. You could take it to the gym. You can travel with it. So they even have it in airports. I feel like every airport I've been to recently has coconut water

Baylee 10:22

Yeah, the one thing I always say with coconut water is just look at the label because some of them,

Brianna 10:28

are high in sugar

Baylee 10:29

yes. I've looked at some flavored coconut waters and they're like close to 20 grams of added sugar and like

Brianna 10:35

Just get the no sugar added or minimal,

Baylee 10:37

yeah

Brianna 10:37

'cause it, it's not as sweet. I think people are thinking coconut they think kinda like tropical drinks

Baylee 10:43

like before I started drinking it, I would always think pina colada type thing. It's not. It's nothing like drinking a pina colada. Very different. I- it's not my favorite. Like I don't like to just drink coconut water by itself, but I do like to mix it with things. So I do actually use it for a base with my mocktails a lot. I usually do coconut water or sparkling water. Those are my go-tos for that. And I would say the other kind of like functional ingredients is your citrus fruits. So lemons, limes, oranges, grapefruits, those can be good because vitamin C helps your immune function, it helps your skin health. It's gonna help with iron absorption. It's gonna give those antioxidants, and it just adds, again, that flavor without a bunch of sugar. Same thing with berries. They're gonna ha- have some different antioxidants, polyphenyl- polyphenols to support your heart health, your blood sugar control, just healthy aging in general.

Brianna 11:39

Yeah

Baylee 11:39

And I would say basil or rosemary, those are other ingredients. Yeah, I don't often use either of those in my drinks. But those can both be helpful, anti-inflammatory or cognitive support as well. So you have lots of different options as to what you can throw together.

Brianna 12:03

Yeah

Baylee 12:04

so again, there's not a right or wrong way. Sometimes you can be more strategic to okay what does my body need? If you've done an HTMA, you kinda know do I need more potassium, do I need more sodium? Things like that can be helpful. There was something else I was going to say with that. Oh, like cream of tartar. That's a one that we don't often think about for our water, but it's good for potassium. A pinch of cream of tartar, you can add that. Or cream of tartar, however you prefer to say it.

Brianna 12:28

Yeah

Baylee 12:28

But yeah, you could add that for some potassium. So lots of different combinations and options that you can do. But something that would be good if you did a watermelon mint refresher. You could take watermelon, some lime juice, mint leaves, sparkling water, blend all that together. Or something like that, I would probably blend the watermelon, the mint, and the lime juice, and then add the sparkling water and just stir it. So that could be a good summer drink. Or a tropical-type mocktail where you do coconut water some pineapple juice. And I would get 100% pineapple juice.

Brianna 13:00

Yeah, the expensive ones, and then you don't need-

Baylee 13:02

Yeah, the glass jar one. Doing that plus some lime juice. You can add sea salt to that. Another easy one would be, like, cucumber lime. So cucumber, lime juice, mint, sparkling water kinda gives mojito vibes too

Brianna 13:14

And then there's also fancy ones like tart cherry juice, sparkling water, orange slices, rosemary. tip for this is trying this when you go out to eat, like most places have really nice like craft summer cocktails, and getting just a version one, and then just basically asking like whatever simple syrup they use to like maybe omit it and just do a little bit more juice. 'Cause what I find is a lot of times people just want like the nice glass and like

Baylee 13:40

Yeah

Brianna 13:41

ingredients, and like all these... Like people, I've even had people start making them at home. I'm like, "Get a fun glass then to put your poppy in." "It works. I'm just sitting

Baylee 13:49

where?

Brianna 13:50

on my deck, drinking poppy out of this cool glass, and suddenly I'm fine with not having a little bit glass of wine." I'm like, "Yes, this is it." But try it at restaurants 'cause they take their time like with these craft cocktails, so if you're trying to put basil or rosemary or orange or, ju- just do that. But a lot of the other ones that we talked about can be easily made at home, and I definitely recommend adding anything that we talked about that has because I feel like the summer is just inflammatory. Like we are doing less sleep, we're doing more sun. A lot of times we're doing more like barbecue foods or like stuff like... It's just more inflammatory. So That you can kinda help your system, like with the antioxidants, it's just strategic.

Baylee 14:30

Yeah, make it more refreshing. It doesn't have to be a weird thing like, "Oh my gosh, I'm avoiding alcohol 'cause I'm trying to lose weight." Yeah, it's going to help. It's gonna be a good factor. But it could all just, also just be refreshing. You want to have a clear head the next morning. You don't wanna feel like blood sugar weirdness. Mocktails can be fun, they can be social, and they can also support hydration, digestion, and just your overall wellness. I think that's our biggest takeaway we want you to have from this episode is they can be fun. And we just tend to make, quote-unquote, "healthy things" weird and feel restricted. This actually isn't restrictive. It could actually be fun to put together a little mocktail bar at your next event. I'm actually doing a girls' night out event with a personal trainer that's local here, and that's what I'm helping set up. We're doing like a mocktail bar for after

Brianna 15:20

Yeah. See, that's fun, now, and I like that we do mocktails, 'cause I think for a lot of people, especially with weight loss, it's like only water.

Baylee 15:30

Yeah.

Brianna 15:30

and black coffee. The idea of drinking something fun is crazy, but like none of the things that we just said have a lot of calories in them. Most of them don't have a lot of added anything. It's just fun. like spice up your life a bit,

Baylee 15:45

yeah.

Brianna 15:46

Spice it up.

Baylee 15:47

Get a fun cup. Even put your water in a fun cup. You might enjoy it, or add a little lemon to it. It doesn't have to be a crazy mocktail either.

Brianna 15:55

You could do Tajín rim. You could get crazy with it. I wanna do that now actually. I need Tajín.

Baylee 16:01

just send Victor to the store

Brianna 16:02

Yeah, then probably won't make... Can you get me tahini?

Baylee 16:05

He's gonna be like, "And so we're having margaritas?" "No, we're having a spicy water."

Brianna 16:09

I'm having a spicy water. So thank you.

Baylee 16:13

All right, everyone, we will be back next week with a brand new episode and talk to you then. Bye