Written by: Kirby Moir Stanton RDN, LDN 

A health and lifestyle trend that is picking up momentum is the sober curious movement. Sober curious culture is forged by individuals who are not planning to give up alcohol completely. This choice is rooted in a desire to find balance at social gatherings, focus on health improvement, and still open to enjoying a delicious beverage to unwind. The stigma of nonalcoholic beverages revolves around the need to define being sober. Many people are enjoying a mix of regular alcoholic beverages and non-alcoholic offerings and find the balance works to support their goals. Motivators include better sleep, increased athletic performance, or focusing on alternative stress management. 

Alcohol consumption has been linked to both benefit and risk when it comes to health. The key, like most things, is moderation. Studies have found that moderate alcohol consumption can have beneficial impact for the heart and circulatory system, but excessive intake can result in damage to liver, heart, and increase risk for certain types of cancers. To reduce the risk of alcohol-related harms, the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that adults of legal drinking age can choose not to drink, or to drink in moderation by limiting intake to two drinks or less in a day for men or one drink or less in a day for women, on days when alcohol is consumed. If moderation is the focus and or you want to skip the booze, your local Food City is stocked with plenty of options when it comes to non-alcoholic choices. 

A growing category is non-alcoholic beer which grew over thirty percent from 2020 to 2021. This has paved the way for development of alternatives from familiar domestic brands to specialty craft brews. A few stand out favorites include the Heineken 0.0 which offers the refreshing crisp notes and soft malt flavor for 69 calories per serving and of course 0% alcohol. For those looking for the innovation and flavors of craft brewing Athletic Brewing Co. is at the forefront. Offering options like Free Wave Hazy IPA which features Amarillo, Citra, and Mosaic hops – hold the ABV (alcohol by volume) to just 0.5%. A typical 12-ounce beer is 5% ABV, meaning in theory you would have to consume ten 0.5% ABV to provide the same alcohol content. 

If a cocktail is more in your flavor profile start with a familiar base for your mocktail. Options like Owen’s Craft Mixers will deliver well balanced flavor made from real juice – choices like sparkling cranberry or ginger beer elevate the at home mocktail game. For an alternative wellness beverage try using kombucha which features a broad range of flavors, slightly effervescent mouthfeel, and gut supporting probiotics. Once you have selected your base aim to balance calories by pairing four ounces of mixer to four ounces of seltzer. Finally finish with fresh ingredients like - citrus, berries, cucumber, or herbs to complete a beautiful and tasty drink. 

If you are open to trying the sober curious movement rest assured, you can still find a refreshing and delicious beverage.