The alcohol industry contributes £57.74 billion to the UK’s economy. Suffice to say, there’s a large drinking culture. But have you ever wondered what alcohol does to your health or body? If you’re considering cutting back and Go Sober in October, it’s not a bad idea. And we’ve got some cracking alcohol alternatives that taste like the real deal.
A Mini Science Lesson: How Alcohol Affects Your Body
We drink for two main reasons: pleasure and socialising. Alcohol releases dopamine (the reward hormone) which stimulates your brain, releasing that feel-good energy. But, alcohol is a crafty vice.
Despite its feel-good nature, alcohol is both a depressant and a diuretic. The diuretic is what gives you that dry tongue and waking-up-like-a-cactus dehydration feeling. Not to mention the hangover… The depressant (GABA) affects your mental sense, slowing down neural activity and minimising inhibitions. This reacts with the stimulant (Glutamate) which contributes to happy mood.
Prolonged alcohol use leads to poor skin health, like facial ageing, bloating, wrinkles, undereye puffiness and uneven skin tone. Generally, you feel tired and have low moods. Sometimes you may experience the dreaded hanxiety, overthinking what you did or said the night before.
Overall, alcohol results in “brain fog”, that slow and lethargic feeling, straining your working memory and responses. You’ll notice the day after the night before it may take twice as long to finish a simple task. When you see the blunt facts, it does make you wonder what sobriety (even if only temporary) feels like.
Why Go Sober in October?
Sometimes a detox can do wonders for your body. (Not a silly laxative detox, mind, that’s toxic.) After all, Sober October is only 31 days – but the benefits are eternal.
One study by the University of Sussex found going sober for one month:
- Improved energy levels;
- Reduced effects of tired and dull skin;
- 90% of people saved money;
- 70% slept better;
- Over 60% lost weight.
Research also shows it typically takes 21 days to create a healthy habit; but an average of 66 days before that new habit becomes automatic. Who knows, maybe you’ll convert to the Tee-Total life (probably not though).
6 Tried and Tested Alcohol Alternatives
Ok, now the part you’ve all been waiting for. You’re probably thinking “how good could alcohol-free drinks be?” – fair point. Well, the following list has over 4-star reviews from thousands of customers. So there must be some merit…
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Trip
Fancy going on a Trip? Totally legal and doesn’t actually produce a high. This light and fruity sparkling drink comes in 3 flavours, including elderflower. It also contains CBD, known for its calming properties. So it produces a similar mellow feeling you may experience with wine.
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Recess
Similar to Trip, Recess provides a range of alcohol-free drinks made with hemp. It comes in a powder and sparkling drink form, with magnesium, adaptogens and electrolytes. This is the ultimate combo that also relaxes, rehydrates and revives you.
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Kava
Prosseco lovers will be pleased to know there’s an alcohol-free copycat called Kava. It’s made from the plant shrub Piper Methysticum (a.k.a Kava). It’s completely non-alcoholic but provides the “happy buzz”. Similar to alcohol, Kava is a depressant, but with benefits that help insomnia, stress and anxiety.
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Gin and Tonic Tea
If you’re feeling a bit bougie and fancy a warm tipple, this Gin and Tonic Tea from Fortnum and Mason is your saviour. It’s a concoction of green tea, juniper berries, coriander, fennel and lemon balm. Vodka connoisseurs will be happy to hear an alcohol-free tea similar to Bloody Mary is in the works. (Disclosure: may taste like tomato soup.)
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Siegfried Wonderleaf
Sometimes there’s nothing quite like a stiff G&T (or just gin on the rocks) after a long, stressful day. Now you can still enjoy this without the alcohol! A highly rated gin alternative is Siegfried Wonderleaf. (Even the name sounds cool.) It’s vegan and sugar-free, too. Who knew drinking could be healthy?
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Strykk
From Aperol to Vodka, Strykk’s got you sorted. It sources all-year-round alcohol-free spirits that will keep you satisfied; not just if you go sober in October but pretty much forever.
In the words of Mike: “Delicious. If you like Campari or Aperol it’s definitely for you. I kept thinking “don’t have too much or you’ll get drunk” while enjoying Strykk and soda, then realising that wasn’t going to happen.”
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Guinness Alcohol-Free
Craving a beer? You’re in luck – there’s 0% alcohol Guinness on the cards. You might be sceptical, but according to one reviewer, it’s pretty on par with the original.
“Oh my goodness, I’m so happy, I love Guinness but gave up alcohol. This tastes exactly the same and also has all the goodness of its alcoholic sibling. Amazing.”
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https://www.statista.com/outlook/cmo/alcoholic-drinks/united-kingdom
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6715121/
https://academic.oup.com/alcalc/article/56/4/425/5974945
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/add.15100
https://www.sussex.ac.uk/news/article/47131-how-dry-january-is-the-secret-to-better-sleep-saving-money-and-losing-weight
https://drink-trip.com/
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https://takearecess.com/
https://adf.org.au/drug-facts/kava/
https://www.delicious.com.au/drinks/non-alcoholic/article/you-wont-believe-gt-tea-now-exists/c2ZnqmAl
https://www.strykk.com/
https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/strykk.com
https://www.guinness.com/en-gb/beers/guinness-zero
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