How To Convince Your Friends And Family To Switch To Non-Alcoholic Drinks

Whether it is for personal, health-related, or seasonal reasons, you’ve decided you quit drinking. Maybe you never started drinking or only drank occasionally. Whatever your reason, embracing an alcohol-free lifestyle is not always easy. This is because alcohol-free life can sometimes feel very isolating, especially when you consider the culture that has been built around drinking and socializing. If you’ve just started your sober journey, sometimes, all you want is for someone to cheer you on. You can also convince your friends and family to adopt a healthier lifestyle by giving up alcohol. Non-alcoholic drinks can help you here.

In this article, we’ll cover everything there is to know about non-alcoholic drinks, from the process of creating them to the benefits of drinking them. Let’s dive in.

What are Non-Alcoholic Drinks And Why You Should Consider Them?

Non-alcoholic drinks, in the simplest terms, are drinks that contain 0.5% or less alcohol by volume (ABV). They are made using the same methods and undergo the same process of fermentation. However, the alcohol content in these drinks is purposefully kept below 0.5%. Non-alcoholic drinks offer the same flavor, complexity, and depth as their alcoholic counterparts. What’s better is that you don’t have to compromise on the number of choices either. Whatever your drink of choice, you’ll find a non-alcoholic counterpart for the same, like –

Creation of Non-Alcoholic Drinks

The process of creating non-alcoholic drinks starts out the same way as alcoholic drinks. This means that it requires just as much effort and expertise to make a fine non-alcoholic drink. The only difference is the process of removal of alcohol, which can be done using any of the following methods –

  • De-alcoholization: In this method, the alcohol is removed from the prepared drink through steam distillation, reverse osmosis, or water vapor.
  • Limited Fermentation: Alcohol is produced when yeast breaks down the sugar in the grape juice. By stopping the fermentation process early, it’s easier to create non-alcoholic/low-alcoholic drinks.
  • Dilution: In this, alcohol is made in the traditional way. After the final preparation, water is added to dilute the drink to a lower ABV. Better Rhodes doesn't carry any products produced from this technique.
  • Fermentation Free: This a method of brewing beers, in which the fermentation is avoided altogether.

What Are The Differences Between Alcoholic and Non-Alcoholic Drinks

It’s abundantly clear that the most basic difference between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks is the alcohol content in them. Alcoholic drinks contain some alcohol, while in non-alcoholic beverages, the alcohol content is partially or completely removed.

Within non-alcoholic drinks, there are a few variations too. Any drink that contains less than 0.5% alcohol by volume (ABV) qualifies as a non-alcoholic drink. Alcohol-free drinks, on the other hand, are those that have 0.0% ABV. Then there are also low-alcohol drinks, which contain somewhere between 0.5% to 1.25% alcohol by volume.

Health Benefits Associated With Non-Alcoholic Drinks

Since non-alcoholic drinks contain negligible amounts of alcohol, they cause none of the side effects that usually come with alcohol consumption. In fact, it can be beneficial for you in a number of ways –

1. If you’re trying to limit your caloric intake, non-alcoholic beverages are the way to go since they contain minimal calories.

2. Non-alcoholic beverages do not cause dehydration like their alcoholic counterparts. This is because they don’t contain diuretics that cause your body to lose fluids.

3. Non-alcoholic beverages do not disrupt your brain chemistry as alcoholic drinks do. As a result, they keep your mood balanced.

4. Non-alcoholic drinks do not affect your vital organs in the way alcoholic drinks do. In fact, many NA drinks contain essential minerals and vitamins that are healthy for your body.

5. When you choose non-alcoholic wines, you’ll be able to enjoy the health benefits provided by the antioxidants without the debilitating effects of alcohol

Avoiding Drunkenness By Choosing The Non-Alcoholic Route

It’s clear that there are many health benefits to taking the non-alcoholic route. But by far, the biggest difference you’ll experience is when you’re able to avoid drunkenness. Consider this situation – you’re out with your colleagues for a drink. After a few drinks, even if you might feel under control, you can end up in situations that can be embarrassing. Two drinks have turned to three, and so on and so forth, and before you know it, you’re too drunk to drive yourself home.

With non-alcoholic beverages, you can enjoy a night out with your colleagues and feel a part of the group without drinking yourself into oblivion. What’s better is that you don’t have to deal with the aftereffects of a hangover the next day.

Hangover And The Null Void: How Non-Alcoholic Drinks Can Save You

Sure, drinking can feel exhilarating at times, but when you have to deal with a killer hangover the next day, it doesn’t seem worth it. The effects of hangovers usually peak 10 hours after the consumption of alcohol. You might notice nausea, headache, vomiting, weakness, and brain fog the next day. All of these are the side effects of a hangover. When you’re dealing with a hangover, productivity is thrown out of the window, as doing simple tasks also becomes difficult. With non-alcoholic drinks though, you’ll have to deal with none of that. You can enjoy several glasses of your favorite drink without any of the side effects.

Counter-Addiction and Taking The Non-Alcoholic Route

Alcohol consumption is deeply embedded in our culture today. Sometimes, it acts as a social lubricant, and at other times, it works as a marker of refined taste. But there is also a flip side to the situation. Alcohol consumption is related to more than 200 health conditions, like dementia, cancer, cirrhosis, etc. Besides this, there are many that struggle with alcohol-use disorder. Shifting to a sober lifestyle can be a difficult thing for these individuals. Alcohol-free and non-alcoholic drinks can help in the process. It can help fight alcohol addiction by giving you a buzz of a delicious drink without any side effects.

Some Parting Thoughts

It’s true, alcohol-free life can sometimes feel lonely. But with so many benefits of taking the non-alcoholic route, you can convince your friends to join you on your journey. If they can’t join you, they’ll certainly be able to support you. If you want to explore more about the world of non-alcoholic drinks, head on to Better Rhodes.

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