The Ultimate Guide to Ingredients for Healthy Mocktails

Who knew you could have so much fun infusing vitality-boosting ingredients into your evening beverage? By adding these ingredients to your healthy mocktails, you can reclaim five o’clock and feel amazing in the process.

Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha is a prominent herb used in Ayurvedic medicine, which is based on Indian principles of natural healing. Its name means “smell of the horse” in Sanskrit, presumably due to the herb’s aroma.

For thousands of years people have utilized extracts and powders made from the plant’s roots and/or leaves to ease a variety of conditions, like those outlined below.

Blood Sugar Management

Evidence suggests that ashwagandha significantly reduces blood sugar, insulin, blood lipids and oxidative stress markers. This is believed to be due to certain compounds in ashwagandha having powerful antidiabetic activity, helping stimulate cells to take in glucose from the bloodstream.

Enhanced Athletic Performance

By analyzing several studies, researchers have concluded that ashwagandha may improve strength and oxygen levels during exercise, which is beneficial for both athletes and non-athletes alike.

Improved Mental Health

This research suggests that ashwagandha may help reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety in people diagnosed with schizophrenia. Another study demonstrated its ability to improve cognitive impairment in people with bipolar disorder.

Increased Memory Function

Compounds found in ashwagandha have been shown to have antioxidant effects in the brain. So, in addition to its benefits to mental health, ashwagandha may also benefit executive functioning, attention span, reaction time and performance on memory-related tasks.

Reduced Inflammation

Ashwagandha contains compounds that may help reduce inflammatory markers, but research on humans is still very limited.

Sleep Aid

Many people take ashwagandha to improve sleep quality and mental alertness upon waking. Results tend to be more pronounced in people with insomnia, making it a promising solution for folks with trouble falling asleep and staying asleep. 

Stress Reduction

Ashwagandha is classified as an adaptogen – a substance that helps the body cope with stress. Research shows it is effective in reducing cortisol levels and anxiety symptoms; however, more research is needed to form a consensus on appropriate dosing.

As with all of the following beneficial mocktail ingredients, consult your doctor to ensure ashwagandha is safe for you to use.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar has exceptional health benefits, including boosting energy and treating disease. Acetic acid is what gives apple cider vinegar (ACV) its strong smell and flavor, and researchers believe it is responsible for ACV’s health benefits. 

Organic, unfiltered apple cider vinegar also contains a substance called mother, which contains friendly bacteria that give it a cloudy appearance. Some people believe the mother is responsible for most of its health benefits, although no studies currently support this.

Antibacterial

Vinegar can kill pathogens, including some strains of bacteria. This is why people have traditionally used vinegar for cleaning as well as preserving food, as it inhibits bacteria like E. coli from growing.

Blood Sugar Management

One of the most astounding applications of vinegar is helping to treat type 2 diabetes, characterized by high blood sugar levels. The most effective way to regulate blood sugar levels is to eat a balanced diet low in refined carbs and sugar, but apple cider vinegar may also have a beneficial effect.

Studies suggest that consuming ACV has beneficial effects on glycemic index, oxidative stress and insulin function and lowers blood sugar levels after meals. 

Heart Health

Several biological factors can affect your risk for heart disease, and research suggests that vinegar could possibly improve some of them. A 2021 review found that apple cider vinegar may reduce blood triglycerides, cholesterol, and blood pressure, but more research is needed to say for certain whether it can help prevent heart disease.

Weight Loss

In short-term studies, when participants consumed apple cider vinegar with a meal containing solid foods, they experienced appetite suppression for 120 minutes after the meal. They also snacked less for three to 24 hours after consuming the apple cider vinegar, suggesting that ACV may contribute to feelings of fullness and subsequent weight loss.

Collagen Peptides

Collagen is a key component in bones, skin, muscles, and other body parts. Your body makes it, but as you age – just when it’s harder for your body to make collagen – the collagen you have begins to break down. 

You get collagen from animal foods like bone broth, but supplements have become all the rage, and for good reason. Most collagen supplements are hydrolyzed, which means broken down so it’s easier for the body to absorb. 

So even if you already eat a healthy and balanced diet, adding collagen peptides to your mocktails is a great way to nurture yourself. Doing so has the following research-backed benefits. 

Bone Loss Prevention

Research suggests collagen supplements may help inhibit the bone breakdown that leads to osteoporosis.

Gut Health 

Collagen peptides are believed to support gut health by aiding in the repair of the intestinal lining and potentially reducing gut inflammation.

Healthy Hair and Nails

Oral supplementation with collagen improves nail growth and reduces symptoms of brittle nails. It has also been shown to be effective in the treatment of dry, fragile hair – repairing split ends and maintaining hydration.

Heart Health

Research suggests that collagen supplements may help reduce the risk of heart conditions. Collagen provides structure to your arteries; without enough of it, arteries may become less flexible and elastic. This can lead to heart attack and stroke.

Not only does increased collagen intake reduce arterial stiffness, but subjects also saw an improvement in their HDL (good) cholesterol.

Improved Skin Health

Collagen peptides have been shown to enhance skin elasticity, hydration and firmness. Studies suggest that regular intake could reduce wrinkles and dryness, and promote a more youthful appearance.

Joint Health

Collagen peptides are believed to benefit joint health by supporting cartilage regeneration and reducing joint pain associated with conditions like osteoarthritis.

Muscle Mass and Strength

Research indicates that collagen supplementation, particularly in combination with resistance training, could help increase muscle mass and strength.

These collagen peptides are flavorless and easily dissolvable in both hot and cold liquids (some brands do not dissolve well; these are Magickal Mocktails approved) – making adding them to your healthy mocktails a no-brainer.

Kombucha

Kombucha is a type of tea that has been fermented. The following is a list of benefits you can take advantage of, just by adding some ‘buch to your mocktails.

Antibacterial

One of the main substances produced during the fermentation of kombucha is acetic acid, which can kill many potentially harmful microorganisms. Therefore, kombucha made from black or green tea has strong antibacterial properties, particularly against infection-causing bacteria like E. coli and Salmonella typhi.

Best yet, it suppresses the growth of undesirable bacteria and yeasts, but does not affect the beneficial, probiotic bacteria and yeasts involved in kombucha fermentation.

Blood Sugar Management

One study found that kombucha slowed down the digestion of carbs, which reduced blood sugar levels. Another demonstrated that participants who consumed kombucha had lower fasting blood sugar levels than baseline, and a lowered blood sugar response to high glycemic index meals. This makes kombucha a promising tool in the management of type 2 diabetes.

Cancer Suppression

Kombucha offers many of the same health benefits as the tea it is brewed from. Kombucha made with green tea in particular, offers up all of green tea’s healthy superpowers, including a reduced risk of prostate, breast and colon cancers. 

Gut Health

Because it is fermented, kombucha is a good source of probiotics, which are healthy bacteria that benefit your gut microbiome. These can improve digestion, reduce inflammation and even have a positive impact on weight loss.

Heart Health

Studies show that kombucha can also greatly improve two markers of heart disease, “bad” LDL and “good” HDL cholesterol, in as few as 30 days.

Liver Health

Kombucha, especially when made with green tea, appears to have antioxidant effects on the liver. One study found that drinking kombucha regularly reduces liver toxicity caused by toxic chemicals. 

For DIY fans, this site is an excellent resource for learning to brew your own kombucha at home. It’s not for the faint-hearted, though, so if you want to focus just on making healthy mocktails for now, store-bought ‘buch will work just fine.