Mark’s List – 7 Things To Drink Instead Of Alcohol

What to drink instead of alcohol?

Now, that is a good question! For the last few months, I have been trying to cut back on drinking and I am sure I am not the only one who feels this way but I have to tell you that it is a pretty difficult thing to do! First of all, alcohol is a drug and withdrawing from it can cause a wide range of rather unpleasant symptoms.

But apart from all the well-known reasons, there is one more thing that makes it challenging for me to cut down on alcohol. And it is the fact that over the years, drinking alcohol has become one of my rituals and also a part of my everyday life.

When I get off work, I will normally go to the pub to grab a few drinks with my friends. Or when I do not feel like socializing, I will just read a novel while drinking red wine or gin & tonic. And sometimes I go for long walks and well – I enjoy walking with a beer in my hand.

And in these situations, I often ask myself the greatest question:

What Could I Drink Instead Of Booze?

Like, reading a novel is fun but my little “novel reading ritual” includes that bottle of red wine. So what could I do? Habits are hard to break. But we can try to make a few changes to them. And well…what if I replace that bottle of wine by something else? Something non-alcoholic?

Alcohol addiction is not easy to overcome and you cannot treat your alcohol use disorder just by replacing alcohol by non-alcoholic drinks but I do think that finding alcohol free drinks that you like will help a lot!

So that is why I decided to share the list of my favorite non-alcoholic drinks with you! Some of them are pretty much well-known, others are not.

Salep

Orchids are beautiful flowers but have you ever tried eating one? Or drinking one?
Not yet? Then it’s time for you to try salep!

It is a hot milky drink that warms you up in winter and it is made from Orchis (a kind of orchid) and cinnamon. Salep is a popular drink in Turkey (its country of origin) throughout the Middle East and in the Balkans.

Where to get it from?

Well, it depends on where you are in the world. If there is any Turkish grocery store or café in your neighborhood, chances are high that they will have some salep for you (or at least that’s normally the case here in Central Europe). Or as far as I know, you can also order salep powder from Amazon.

And here is a recipe in case you’d like to prepare it at home:
Salep Recipe (Ozlem’ Turkish Table)

Tomato Juice

Tomato juice is probably less exotic than many of the drinks that made my list. And also it is something that all of us know so I do not think I provided you with any new information by mentioning it.

BUT it is one of my favorite “alcohol replacements” . Especially when I add some spices to it or when I make a Virgin Bloody Mary!

And let’s not forget that it’s a very healthy drink that is rich in nutrients like vitamin C, B and potassium.

Where to get it from?

I guess you buy it at any supermarket or grocery store. Yummy. But here’s a great Virgin Bloody Mary recipe for you! 🙂

Suan Mei Tang

I am not sure if I have ever mentioned this on my blog but I grew up in Chinatown. And I simply adore Chinese cuisine so no wonder why Suan Mei Tang or Sour Plum Drink – eeeeeh its English name does not sound too convincing to be honest – is one of my favorite non-alcoholic drinks.

Suan Mei Tang is a deep magenta colored drink made from sour plums, hawthorn berries, dried orange peel, licorice root, dried hibiscus and rock sugar. Sounds delicious, does it not?

Where to get it from?

Well, that is a difficult question because it really depends on where you are in the world. I think you will most probably be able to find the ingredients at Chinese grocery stores (if there’s any in your neighborhood) or if not: Amazon is always the answer. (Sounded like a paid ad but believe me, it was not. Was just trying to be helpful)

And the recipe: Suan Mei Tang (The Woks Of Life)

Tonic Water

Another well-known drink on the list. And well, as I mentioned earlier I absolutely, 100% adore gin & tonic. But tonic on it is own is fabulous too!

Hmm… and what else to say? I love tonic water because it’s easily accessible and it has a very particular bitter taste that I am sure most of you are familiar with.

Oh yes, and recipes? I do not have any. Maybe one thing I could mention is that I normally mix it with sparkling water but again, I guess I am not the only person who does that.

Kvass

Are you a beer person? If yes, I am sure you will like kvass.

Kvass is a fermented Slavic & Baltic beverage commonly made from rye bread and I have always had the impression that it tasted like a sweet, non-alcoholic beer. Or well – non-alcoholic, it depends on perception I guess as it’s not fully alcohol free but it’s alcohol content is negligible (0.5 – 1%).

Where to get it from?

Kvass is a popular drink in many Central & Eastern European countries. So if there’s any Russian or Ukrainian grocery store in your neighborhood, I am pretty sure they will have it on stock.

Or if not, here is a recipe: Easy Bread Kvas recipe (Natasha’s Kitchen).

Peppermint Tea

I love all kinds of tea but peppermint tea is definitely my favorite. I just love its refreshing taste and the fact that I enjoy drinking it all year long. A cup of iced peppermint tea is a wonderful summer drink but when you drink it hot, it will also be a perfect treat on a cold winter’s night.

And let’s not forget to mention that it’s caffeine free which is obviously not a bad thing when you suffer from OCD (like I do) or from any other anxiety disorder.

Where to get it from?

As for my experience, peppermint tea is pretty easily accessible all around the world. So you’ll most likely be able to grab it from your local supermarket or grocery store.

Recipe: How To Make Peppermint Tea Properly (Hot & Iced)

Soda Water & Lemon

This one is probably the simplest item on my list but I just love it. I have never been a great fan of traditional lemonade – reading this post you may have already noticed that I am not very much into uber sweet things.

So, I make my own “Mark style” lemonade which is nothing more than a huge glass of sparkling water with a table spoon of lemon juice added to it. Easily accessible, healthy and simply delicious

What Are Your Favorite Non-Alcoholic Drinks?

This post was about my favorite alcohol free drinks but every person has their own taste so please tell us about your favorites in the comment section! 🙂

Further Reading

• 38 Things To Drink Instead of Booze (Buzzfeed)
• Top 100 Most Popular Non-Alcoholic Beverages In The World (TasteAtlas)

Need Help With Alcohol Addiction?

• Alcohol Support (NHS)
• Overcoming Alcohol Addiction (Help Guide)
• What Are The Treatments For Alcohol Use Disorder? (WebMD)

More From Mark Wester

• Peace At The Bottom Of a Bottle – OCD & Alcohol
• Laziness Does Not Exist – 10 Reasons Why We Procrastinate
• Hatred From An Unlikely Source – Internalized Homophobia
• 5 Common Misconceptions About OCD
• How Do You Learn The Best – The 4 Learning Styles

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the images in these photos.