These nonalcoholic drinks claim to give you a boost without the booze, thanks to adaptogens and all-natural ingredients. How healthy are they?
Are you reconsidering your relationship with alcohol? Join the club. The “sober curious” movement is gaining steam, with young adults in particular drinking less — and spending less on alcohol, both at home and in bars — than their older peers. Meanwhile, we’re learning more about the harmful impacts of alcohol: The World Health Organization declared in 2023 that no amount of alcohol was healthy, and just this month outgoing U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy called for adding cancer risk warnings to alcohol labels.
As more and more people turn away from booze (at least, some of the time), companies are seeking to fill the gap with drinks that claim to be a healthier alternative. While these nonalcoholic beverages don’t purport to get you tipsy, many tout calming or relaxing effects — and may even make you feel more social. Others mimic the taste and mouthfeel of alcohol, which could make your mocktails more exciting.
But are these drinks good for you, and should you try them? Here’s a guide to what’s on the market right now.
Kin Euphorics
This line of nonalcoholic beverages, which was co-founded by Jen Batchelor and model Bella Hadid, claims to boost your brain, immunity and mood with the help of ingredients like nootropics (compounds that support cognitive function), adaptogens (herbs that help the body manage stress) and botanicals (plant-based extracts that provide flavor and potential health benefits).
“Carefully layering these energy-transforming ingredients helps you tune your mood and activate the power, energy and peace that is already in you,” a spokesperson for Kin Euphorics tells Yahoo Life over email.
The line’s 8-ounce canned beverages include the flavors Luna Morada, Picklesecco, Actual Sunshine, Kin Spritz, Kin Bloom and Lightwave. All feature different ingredients intended to achieve various health aims, such as improved sleep and mood regulation.
For example, one of the brand’s most popular drinks is Kin Spritz, which, according to the brand’s website, contains “Rhodiola rosea, 5-HTP and GABA to elevate your mood, smooth out stress and offer a boost of energy.” Research suggests that rhodiola rosea may reduce stress, as well as depression and anxiety symptoms. 5-HTP, also known as 5-hydroxytryptophan, has been found to increase serotonin levels in the brain. Gamma-aminobutyric acid, or GABA, is a neurotransmitter that aids in controlling anxiety, stress and fear — but more research needs to be done to see how effective GABA supplements are, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Other ingredients featured across the brand include Schisandra (for mental clarity), tryptophan (to support sleep) and reishi mushroom (to “smooth out stress,” per the Kin Euphorics website).
As with all the ingredients in these beverages, which come in small serving sizes and do not specify the amounts, it's difficult to determine the exact levels needed for effectiveness.
Dietitian Catherine Gervacio tells Yahoo Life that the Kin Euphorics offerings are a good alternative to alcohol, as these ingredients “are known to promote relaxation and mood enhancement,” which is helpful in “social settings,” she notes.
Some of the flavors — such as Kin Spritz and Actual Sunshine — also have caffeine, which is a stimulant. Kin Spritz contains 50 mg of caffeine (though it’s not listed explicitly from where) while Actual Sunshine contains 30 mg from “coffeeberry,” a fruit produced by the coffee plant. Though some people may appreciate the caffeine boost and extra energy, others may want to steer clear due to side effects and potential sleep disruption.
One serving of Kin Euphorics canned drinks contains the following:
Caffeine: 0 to 50 mg
Calories: 10 to 60
Sugar: 3 to 12 grams
Fiber: 0 to 6 grams
Sodium: 10 to 55 mg
Pros: Potentially mood-improving ingredients
Cons: It’s unclear how effective these ingredients are in small quantities, and the caffeine in Kin Spritz may be more than some people want to consume, especially if they have more than one can.
Ghia
Ghia’s flagship product is a nonalcoholic apéritif made with the “purest ingredients.” Ghia Original Apéritif is sold in a 500 ml glass bottle, which contains 17 servings and also comes in a berry-flavored variety. “Vibrant, fresh and satisfyingly bitter, it tastes like summer on the rocks,” its website reads. “Our signature flavor profile is both bright and bitter, with a brush of sweetness and a savory finish.”
Ghia boasts fewer mood-enhancing ingredients than Kin Euphorics, but its apéritif does contain lemon balm extract, which is known for its calming properties. Gervacio notes that the lemon balm extract — as well as another ingredient, gentian root — may also improve digestion.
A 1-ounce serving of Gia Original Apéritif, which the company recommends mixing with kombucha or sparkling water, contains the following:
Caffeine: None
Calories: 20
Sugar: 3 grams
Fiber: None
Sodium: 0 mg
Pros: Low sugar, no caffeine
Cons: Calorie count can increase depending on which beverages it’s mixed with
Sentia GABA Gold
Sentia’s flagship beverage is also GABA-enhanced. The citrus-flavored beverage, which is sold in 500 ml glass bottles containing 20 servings, is “powered by hops and Schisandra for calm, lifted mood and mental balance,” per its website. Sentia says the drink is “perfect for sharing on any occasion, bringing warmth and wellness to all your social gatherings.”
In addition to GABA — which, again, needs more research to support its effectiveness as a supplement — Sentia’s drink also features adaptogen ingredients. These include ashwagandha, associated with reducing stress and promoting a sense of calm, as well as eleuthero, which limited research has linked to improving physical stamina and memory. It also contains ginseng, which research shows may benefit energy levels and cognitive performance.
One 25 ml serving of Sentia GABA Gold contains the following:
Caffeine: None
Calories: 9
Sugar: 1.6 grams
Fiber: None
Sodium: Less than .01 gram
Pros: Low in sugar and calories, contains small amounts of protein and B vitamins
Cons: Its main ingredient may not be as effective as claimed
De Soi
Katy Perry co-founded nonalcoholic beverage company De Soi with Morgan McLachlan. In a joint statement on their website, the women called the drink a “more considered choice for happy hour.”
“We wanted a drink that was bubbly and delicious, but that didn’t get in the way of early mornings and long nights,” Perry and McLachlan wrote. They called De Soi a drink that is “truly fun to sip on” while allowing them to remain “present and engaged.”
Currently, De Soi has five flavors, served in 8-ounce cans: St. Moritz Mule, Golden Hour, Purple Lune, Spritz Italiano and Tres Rosé.
While each beverage contains slightly different ingredients, they’re all adaptogen-forward and contain some mix of L-theanine, lion’s mane and reishi mushroom. L-theanine, found in Spritz Italiano, Purple Lune, Tres Rosé and Golden Hour, is known for its relaxing effects, while lion’s mane is purported to support cognitive function. Reishi is known for its stress-reducing properties, thanks to its potential impact on cortisol levels, and may benefit sleep.
Caffeine: None
Calories: 35 to 70
Sugar: 5 to 13 grams
Fiber: 1 gram (in Purple Lune flavor)
Sodium: 0 to 20 mg
Pros: Contains good-for-you ingredients; small amounts of iron, calcium and potassium; Purple Lune has small amounts of fiber and protein
Cons: Slightly higher calorie and sugar content (including added sugars) than other nonalcoholic beverages
Recess Zero Proof
The original Recess offering is a hemp-infused beverage featuring adaptogens, while Recess Mood includes magnesium with adaptogens. The brand’s Zero Proof line was developed for people who are skipping alcohol but still want to enjoy the taste of a cocktail. The bar-inspired flavors are Classic Cosmo, Island Spritz, Lime Margarita, Watermelon Mojito, Ginger Lime Mule and Grapefruit Paloma.
In addition to L-theanine and lemon balm, these drinks contain guayusa, which has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Guayusa is also the source of caffeine in this drink.
A 12-ounce can of Recess Zero Proof contains:
Caffeine: 10 mg
Calories: 25 to 35
Sugar: 4 to 7 grams
Fiber: None
Sodium: 10 to 70 mg
Pros: Calming ingredients, cocktail-inspired flavors, has small amounts of calcium and potassium
Cons: Contains added sugars
Perfy
Perfy is somewhere between a soda and a mocktail and describes itself as a “lightly sparkling soda enhanced with a blend of L-theanine, turmeric and ashwagandha.” Sweetened with fruit juice and natural sugars like stevia and monk fruit, Perfy drinks come in the “blood sugar-friendly” flavors Dr. Perfy, Fruit Punch, Tropical Citrus and Blood Orange Yuzu.
Turmeric — found in the Blood Orange Yuzu and Tropical Citrus drinks — is known for its anti-inflammatory properties, may improve memory and can even potentially ward off certain cancers.
One 12-ounce can of Perfy contains:
Caffeine: None
Calories: 20
Sugar: 0 to 4 grams
Fiber: 0
Sodium: 85 to 115 mg
Pros: Contains potentially beneficial ingredients, has no added sugar and is low in calories
Cons: Has a higher sodium content than other brands
Free AF
Khloé Kardashian is a fan of founder Lisa King’s alcohol-free canned beverage brand. Each 8.4-ounce can features a cocktail-inspired flavor: Apero Spritz, Paloma, Cuba Libre, Cucumber G&T, Vod%a Spritz, Whisk#y Ginger and Sparkling Rosé.
As Kardashian said in a Dry January-inspired ad for the brand, “They have a secret ingredient called Afterglow that tastes and feels like alcohol.”
“Afterglow,” according to the Free AF website, refers to the brand’s “100% natural, New Zealand botanical extract from a fruit that triggers the same receptors as chocolate and chilli.” The brand says “that’s what gives you the buzz and the glow — without the alcohol.” But its nutrition labels do not specify what exactly Afterglow contains, and merely list “natural flavors” alongside ingredients like carbonated water, juices and organic sugar.
Caffeine: 0 to 20 mg
Calories: 10 to 50
Sugar: 0 to 12 grams
Fiber: None
Sodium: 0 to 95 mg
Pros: Cocktail-inspired flavors, claim of “tingly feeling” from Afterglow that mimics alcohol
Cons: Unclear ingredients, some flavors (such as Apero Spritz) contain added sugars
