The Wedding Nutritionist

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Healthy Drink Mixers for Wedding

No matter what season you’re holding your wedding, you need to provide your guests with refreshing drinks. Summer weddings call for light and refreshing, but winter weddings still need drinks to serve guests that will hydrate them. There are plenty of options out there and more healthy options are coming onto the market to provide alternatives for your health-conscious family and friends.

Why do you need to consider drink mixers? They turn alcohol, which generally isn’t great on its own into a signature drink for your wedding. They dilute the alcohol in your drinks and can add a twist on classic wedding cocktails. There are so many options available, from classics like soda and tonic to new favorites like kombucha and pomegranate juice.

With these new drinks on around, you can provide your guests with healthy drink mixers rather than sugar-laden classics. I’m going to share some of the healthy drink mixers you can offer at your wedding.

Healthy Drink Mixers for Wedding

Diet Tonic

Gin and tonics are having a comeback moment. Originally designed to ward off mosquitoes and malaria, this British classic is the ultimate refresher. (It’s the quinine in the tonic, not the gin that does this. But if you’re going to be making up remedies, why not make sure you’re drinking alcohol at the same time?) Tonic might sound healthier than soda, but it’s still loaded with calories, sugar, and sodium. Instead, opt for a diet tonic to completely ditch the sugar and calories and cut the sodium right back. Add a little lemon juice or lime juice to add some flavor and you’re good to go.

Cranberry Juice

The base of a good Cosmopolitan, cranberry juice isn’t just for keeping you healthy down there. Keep an eye out for sugar-free varieties, otherwise, there’s likely a whole lot of added sugars in the recipe which is exactly what you don’t want. Cranberry juice can also be used for simple mixed drinks, served with white spirits such as gin or vodka. This takes the hassle out of shaking and making cocktails all night. It also allows your guests who aren’t drinking to feel less conspicuous as they can easily sip on a bright red glass of cranberry juice and blend in with the crowd.

Coconut Water

You’re probably well aware that alcohol is dehydrating you. Drinking a glass of water in between each drink can help, but what’s even better is mixing your alcoholic drinks with the ultimate hydration, coconut water. If you’re having a destination wedding somewhere tropical, even better. You might be able to get fresh coconuts to serve your signature cocktails in which will add such a great island vibe to your wedding. Check out some great coconut water cocktail recipes here.

Grapefruit Juice

First up, a warning. Grapefruit juice is known to affect how your body processes certain medicines. This means that they may not work or cause side effects. Make sure your guests know if you’re serving them grapefruit juice so that they can make an informed decision.

Okay, grapefruit juice does make almost the perfect drink. Not as sweet as orange or as tart as lemon, it is used in a lot of drink recipes without the need for simple syrup which adds a lot of sugar to make cocktail recipes. My go-to is the Paloma, a mix of grapefruit and tequila. But if you’re skipping the shakers, a greyhound is another simple add ice and pour style drink. Check out this great list of grapefruit cocktails here.

Soda Water

The ultimate low-calorie mixer or standalone drink. Soda water can be added to most spirits with a squeeze of lime to make a delicious drink that’s high on taste and low on sugars, or add it to your favorite white wine to dilute the alcohol if you have a tendency to get over-excited and drink quickly.

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