You.gov reported that about one in five Americans planned to ride out January on the sobriety train (or maybe their new Peloton), but is prohibition the way to go? We've heard anecdote after anecdote from friends who tried Dry January last year and held on, then overcorrected Feb. 1.
"If you're a drinker, moderation is key. Restriction, when being used for a diet mentality, of any food or beverage can have a negative impact when the diet ‘stops.' Start building healthy habits and relationships early,” says registered dietitian Taylor Sutton.
Even worse, many DJ observers, in order to shield themselves from temptation, stay home. And we all know the worst thing for our self-discipline is FOMO, so they then resent the idea of abstention, which ultimately backfires on the sober party.
And let's not forget that fewer people drinking means the wonderful bartenders across our fair city are deprived of their tip dollars. See: Now you're affecting the economy.
So we're here, as always, with our little superhero capes to swoop in and save the day — or the month, as it were — with our favorite cocktails we're calling "healthy." (Read: There are some health benefits from the ingredients or they may be less ABV.)
Paraíso de Aguacate
Mi Dia from ScratchAvocados are good fat, right? We'll go with it. And Mi Dia really went with it in their Paraíso de Aguacate. Packed with the green goodness that's a great source of vitamins C, E, K and B-6, you could basically say this is a veggie smoothie.
Ingredients: Ilegal Mezcal Joven, St. Germaine, avocado, pineapple, lime, organic light agave nectar
Category: cocktails with benefits
Price: $16
Mi Dia from Scratch, available at all locations, Grapevine, Flower Mound and Plano.
Buzzworthy
BolsaOur favorite bartender to brunch with at Bolsa, Chris Henley, granted us one of the "healthiest" menus we've seen so far this year. With five cocktails, each with special benefits (and available as mocktails), we're kind of in love with it. We were drawn to the Buzzworthy, which boasts "anti-inflammatory and gut health" properties, no doubt from all ingredients except the booze itself.
Ingredients: ginger & lemongrass reduction, honey, cinnamon, bee pollen, Maker's Mark
Category: low ABV, cocktails with benefits
Price: $11
Availability: Sundays through Jan. 31
Bolsa, 614 W. Davis St. (Bishop Arts District)
Penelope Cruz
ParliamentTaking cues from "The Art of the Shim: Low Alcohol Cocktails," the Penelope Cruz brings together coffee liqueur and our new favorite rye whiskey from WhistlePig, PiggyBack, which boasts a slightly lower proof than its big brothers. Honorable mention goes to a new sweet cocktail coming to their menu (not yet named) that will bring us a pineapple, orange, ginger, mint and tonic with a dash of cardamom bitters.
Ingredients: Borgetti coffee liqueur, WhistlePig PiggyBack rye whiskey, lemon, orange bitters
Category: low ABV
Price: $8
Availability: off-menu, available anytime
Parliament, 2418 Allen St. (Uptown)
Bitter Lemon Soda
Bowen HouseThis simple cocktail that happens to make a killer mocktail is beautiful in its simplicity. Bowen House created a custom bitter lemon syrup that adds a beautiful bite to everyone's favorite carbonated water. Order it without the gin if you must ... but make sure to order it.
Ingredients: custom bitter lemon, Topo Chico
Category: no ABV
Price: $12 (with gin)
Availability: through summer 2020
Bowen House, 2614 Boll St. (Uptown)
HG Moscow Mule
HG Sply Co.A longtime favorite, this drink makes getting your gut sorted a fun thing. The ginger kombucha can not only help us digest, but it also adds a little somethin', somethin' to the otherwise basic cocktail.
Ingredients: 42 Below vodka, lime, Buddha's Brew ginger kombucha, agave
Category: cocktails with benefits
Price: $10
Availability: anytime
HG Sply Co., available at all three locations (Dallas, Fort Worth, Trophy Club)
The Flu Shot
Street's Fine ChickenThe chicken broth in this Japanese take on a hot toddy is the winner here. Chicken broth is packed with nutrients and is said to be a sleep aid. Even better, it can help sort out your gut ... activity.
Ingredients: shochu, chicken stock, lemon, ginger, pepper
Category: cocktails with benefits
Price: $7
Availability: off-menu, available anytime
Street's Fine Chicken, 3857 Cedar Springs Road (Cedar Springs)
Yacht Club
HIDEHIDE does everything quite well. So it stands to reason that a mocktail from their bar would be extraordinary. And it is. They have a few great options for us this month, but we were absolutely delighted by the Yacht Club.
Ingredients: clarified tomato, basil, lime, soda
Category: no ABV
Price: $7
HIDE, 2816 Elm St. (Deep Ellum)
The Florist's Tonic
Punch Bowl SocialThis refreshing banger is wildly unique in that it features the world's first distilled zero-ABV spirit. It comes to us from England, where they pioneered the spirit for the non-drinking drinker's drink. They're bold flavors that come through like gins but don't pack the same spirited punch. PBS used it nicely in this cocktail, and we kind of love it.
Ingredients: Seedlip Garden 108 Distilled Non-Alcoholic Spirit, lavender syrup, fresh lime juice and Q Mixers Elderflower tonic
Category: no ABV
Price: $7.25
Availability: anytime
Punch Bowl Social, 2600 Main St. (Deep Ellum)
Clear Eyes, Full Hearts
Armoury D.E.This cocktail has our eyes and our hearts. With a quadruple threat of turmeric and tamarind (anti-inflammatory), black tea (high in antioxidants), and lemon (vitamin C), we think this should be consumed right after our morning coffee. But really ... what time does Armoury open?
Ingredients: vodka, turmeric, black tea, tamarind, lemon
Category: cocktails with benefits
Price: $11
Armoury D.E., 2714 Elm St. (Deep Ellum)
HP Beet
Lounge 31Drop those sick beets ... into our cocktails. Beet juice not only makes our drinks vibrant and beautiful, they also helps us perform better. (Get your mind out of the gutter, pervs ... we mean as athletes.) These bold beauties are jam-packed with nutrients such as fiber, folate and vitamin C. And we'll take that in a cocktail any day.
Ingredients: Zephyr Black Gin, Cynar Italian Amaro, fresh beet juice, lemon, homemade ginger syrup, sparkling apple cider
Category: cocktails with benefits
Price: $17
Lounge 31, 87 Highland Park Village (Highland Park)
Hibiscus-Ginger Sour
Sloane’s CornerApple cider vinegar is, like, really, really good for you. But it's gross. Luckily there are other things that are great for you and are easier to swallow (literally), like hibiscus. Hibiscus, when ingested, is said to do some pretty amazing things like treat high blood pressure and soothe a sore throat. *cough cough* I think I'll have another ... you know, for my health.
Ingredients: hibiscus gin, ginger, sugar, orange
Category: cocktails with benefits
Price: $10
Sloane's Corner, 2001 Ross Ave., Suite 125 (downtown)
Causemo
True Food KitchenDon't get prickly when someone asks if you should have that cocktail ... because the answer is yes. This prickly pear cocktail has some serious benefits. Prickly pears are, as it turns out, pretty darn great for you! You'll get a boost of antioxidants from the prickly suckers, but make sure not to drink more than two .... because every prickly pear has its thorns, right?
Ingredients: organic vodka, prickly pear, lime
Category: cocktails with benefits
Price: $13
True Food Kitchen, available at most True Food Kitchen locations.