Just because it's non-alcoholic doesn't mean I'm drinking it.
Having discernment when it comes to the NA world
When I quit drinking in 2015, pretty much the only NA options on the market were basically soda, seltzer, and good ol’ O’Douls. I would meet my friends out at bars and would actually be ecstatic when the bartender would offer another type of NA beer. I remember having my first Bitburger NA, and I thought I hit the jackpot. Fortunately, the NA business is now larger than life and appears to be growing even larger, with seemingly new options emerging every day. However, some of these drinks (correction, most) that are being marketed to the non-drinking community and beyond are sadly straight-up crap. I’m talking insane sugar content, artificial sweeteners, artificial flavors, natural flavors, gums, and many ingredients that you have to Google.
Now I fully understand the concept that the dose makes the poison1, but as someone who is in the position to help promote these brands (I have been sent a lot of products that never see the light of day on my socials), I don’t want to promote anything that isn’t going to make you feel good. Nor do I want to drink anything that makes me feel gross in any way. And chemicals make me feel like sh*t.
A few years ago, I tried a very popular functional NA drink, and it not only kept me up all night, but I legitimately felt hungover from it. It was the worst feeling, and I was pissed that a product that was promoting itself as a healthy alcohol alternative made me feel like I had drunk sh*tty alcohol. And to make sure it wasn’t something else, I gave it the benefit of the doubt and tried it again on another occasion, and it did the same thing to me. Ever since then, I have been very hesitant to try any of these NA drinks that are marketed as herbal, functional, euphorics, whatever. Besides, I have a small apothecary of herbs, tinctures, and adaptogens in my kitchen, allowing me to create my own specialty mocktails with complete control over the ingredients and, most importantly, the dosing.
Below are some examples of when you turn the drink around and read the ingredients.