The Three Reasons We’re Skipping Alcohol + Our Favourite Non-Alcoholic Cocktail Recipe
Whether you call it responsible consumption or mindful drinking, our attitude towards alcohol is evolving. Twenty percent of Canadian adults don’t drink alcohol and that number is on the rise.
Non-alcoholic cocktails are everywhere, sober bars are popping up, and sober social networks are forming. Suddenly not drinking has become cool.
However, this shift isn’t about being cool. It’s about considering why, when, and how we drink. It’s based on the idea that asking questions about alcohol and consuming less can improve your health, relationships, and more!
Three Reasons We’re Skipping Alcohol
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Youthfully Glowing Skin
Alcohol is a diuretic which means it increases the production of urine, leading to dehydration. Without proper hydration we may feel out of sorts, and our skin can become dehydrated and lose its youthful elasticity.
As if that’s not annoying enough, alcohol can cause tissue inflammation. That’s why some experience a red flush in their face after a glass of red wine. While the effect dissipates once the alcohol is metabolised, over time constant inflammation can cause long-term skin and health issues.
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Maintaining a Healthy Weight
Alcoholic drinks are considered empty calories because they provide your body with calories but contain very little nutrient value. For example, there are almost 155 calories in one small can of beer, and 125 calories in a small glass of wine, so several drinks can lead to an extra few hundred calories.
By comparison, non-alcoholic beverages contain a fraction of the calories even when mixed with tonics or sodas.
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Getting a Better Night’s Sleep
Anyone who drinks alcohol knows that beer, wine, and spirits can leave you feeling drowsy. In fact, as many as twenty percent of people use alcohol to help them fall asleep. While alcohol can help you fall asleep faster, it contributes to poor quality sleep. It has been shown to reduce the amount of REM sleep, the stage that is widely considered to be beneficial for learning, memory, and mood.
Our Favourite Non-Alcoholic Cocktail Recipe
Skipping alcohol doesn’t mean that it’s just soda water for the rest of your life. There’s a wealth of non-alcoholic beverages that deliver on taste and experience so you can still enjoy pouring a cocktail at the end of the day.
FLUÈRE Basil Smash
Ingredients
- 3oz Fluère Botanical Blend
- 1oz fresh lemon juice
- 0.5oz simple syrup
- A large handful of fresh basil
- 2 edible flowers
Instructions
- Add lemon juice and simple syrup to shaker
- On top, add the large handful of fresh basil and muddle for 30 seconds
- Now add ice to shaker
- Pour Fluère Botanical Blend over top
- Shake vigorously for 20 seconds
- Double strain into your glass
- Garnish with fresh basil leaves and edible flowers.
What’s your favourite non-alcoholic cocktail? Tell us in the comments below!
Resources
- https://www.ccsa.ca/sites/default/files/2019-09/CCSA-Canadian-Drug-Summary-Alcohol-2019-en.pdf
- https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/assets/info/amh/if-amh-alcohol-and-sleep.pdf

Within the dynamic world of new drinking categories Fluere drinks introduces Fluere. Fluere is a ‘spirito non alcolico’. A piece of art made with the same distilling techniques used for spirits with alcohol like gin, whisky and rum. The different Fluere products are made with the best ingredients and botanicals that issue a complex yet balanced taste and ensure a unique after-bite that normally only alcoholic drinks have.
Mohamed Ibrahim
Posted at 11:35h, 13 JanuaryI want to thank you for this interesting article and topic with valued findings and recipes as well.
heather maureen bird
Posted at 15:51h, 13 JanuaryI like the new trend of non-alcohol beers and some of them are really good. The Sober Carpenter IPA is excellent. I also like the ‘Nosecco” sparkling beverage.
Now, when are they going to start making non-alcohol wines that are drinkable? I love wine, but can’t drink it moderately so really hoping someone can perfect a technique for capturing the flavour, tannins, digestive qualities and bouquet of my favourites; Pinot Noir, CHARDONNAY AND Sauvignon Blanc