SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Alcohol has a big impact on the body, and it’s not just the day-after hangover. Alcohol can deplete certain nutrients, increase anxiety, among other symptoms that won’t make you feel so good.
And that’s why Hy-Vee registered dietitian Amanda Allen says it’s good to cut back on alcohol as much as possible.
“[Alcohol] is really hard on the gut, so it can hurt some of that good gut bacteria, and you can get some imbalance in your microflora,” Amanda said.
She says alcohol can release neurotoxins and deplete nutrients like magnesium, sodium, potassium, and all those electrolytes that are really important for releasing serotonin. 90 percent of serotonin is made in the gut.
“Not to mention, it’s dehydrating and also the calories that can come with it,” she said.
But don’t worry, Amanda has some recipe ideas for mocktails that are still delicious and you can incorporate in any social event, or even alternate in a social event, so that you can drink socially and still feel like you’re still having something special.
Strawberry “wine” mocktail:
- Fre (alcohol removed wine)
- Frozen strawberries (freeze these in an ice cube tray!)
- Strawberry soda (which Amanda says is basically carbonated water, natural flavors, and Stevia.)
This is low-cal and it’ll give you bubbles.
You can garnish it with lemon or lime.
Kombucha Mule:
Kombucha is good for your gut, so this one is delicious and nutritious, and you’re giving your gut good bacteria. If you don’t love Kombucha, you can do something else.
- Ginger beer
- Top it off with Ginger flavored Kombucha.
You’ll want to make sure not to pour too fast; there are a lot of bubbles in the drink.
- Top it with just a fresh squeeze of lime.
