Want a Healthier Mocktail? Here’s How

Summary

Chasing Life: "Want a Healthier Mocktail? Here’s How" – Detailed Summary

Release Date: February 4, 2025
Host: Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN

In the February 4, 2025 episode of Chasing Life, Dr. Sanjay Gupta delves into the burgeoning trend of non-alcoholic beverages, particularly focusing on the rise of healthier mocktails. Addressing the growing interest among younger generations to reduce or eliminate alcohol consumption, Gupta explores the motivations, health benefits, and best practices for crafting delicious, low-sugar mocktails that do not compromise on taste or social experience.

Embracing the Mocktail Movement

Dr. Gupta opens the discussion by highlighting the shift from "Dry January"—a popular annual challenge to abstain from alcohol during January—to a year-round preference for non-alcoholic beverages. He notes, “if it's done right, they don't miss the alcohol. That's the key. It's the whole experience, the look, the feel, the taste” (02:34). This sentiment reflects a broader societal move towards healthier lifestyles without forfeiting the enjoyment and social aspects traditionally associated with drinking.

Health Implications of Alcohol Consumption

Gupta underscores the significant health risks linked to alcohol, citing authoritative sources to bolster his points. He references the World Health Organization's 2023 statement declaring, “No level of alcohol consumption is safe,” and the Surgeon General’s warnings about alcohol increasing cancer risk (02:55). These compelling insights provide a strong foundation for the episode's focus on healthier alternatives.

Personal Insights and Experiences

Sharing his personal journey, Gupta recounts his foray into mocktails, stating, “I got to tell you, if you've started to go the mocktail route, this is a different day than it was 10, 20 years ago where people ordered Shirley Temples. You can get a really good mocktail and it is a very positive, healthy first step” (07:21). His anecdote about nearly mistaking a mocktail for an alcoholic drink emphasizes the sophistication and quality achievable in non-alcoholic beverages today.

Listener Engagement: Jane’s Question on Healthy Mocktails

The episode features a listener question from Jane, who inquires about healthy mocktail options amid concerns over high sugar content. Gupta responds by introducing Miles McQuary, an award-winning mixologist recognized by Michelin and the James Beard Foundation, to provide expert advice on creating balanced, low-sugar mocktails.

Expert Tips from Mixologist Miles McQuary

1. Dilution with Water (05:38)

McQuary reveals a pivotal technique for reducing sugar without sacrificing flavor: "We add water. So if you think of like a drink that has 2 ounces of gin, we'll sub in 2 ounces of water and just balance it to get the volume right without having to add too much sugar and too much juice." This approach ensures the mocktail remains light and less sugary, mirroring the dilution achieved when mixing alcoholic spirits.

2. Portion Control and Savored Drinking (06:09)

Emphasizing moderation, McQuary advises, “Remember these mocktails like cocktails are actually meant to be small and savored, not these gigantic drinks that you slurp down” (06:09). By keeping mocktails petite, one can enjoy the flavors without excessive sugar intake, aligning with the traditional cocktail experience of appreciating nuanced tastes.

3. Opting for Low-Alcohol Alternatives (06:41)

McQuary also suggests incorporating low-alcohol beverages to retain flavor complexity while minimizing alcohol consumption: “Using sherry and fortified wines and things like that to make drinks are great” (06:49). This mirrors European aperitivo culture, where lower alcohol options offer rich, complex flavors without the intensity of higher-alcohol spirits.

Crafting the Perfect Mocktail Experience

Returning to the conversation, Gupta synthesizes McQuary’s insights, emphasizing that mindful preparation and portion control can make mocktails a healthy, enjoyable alternative to alcoholic drinks. He encourages listeners to communicate their preferences when ordering, stating, “Don’t hesitate to ask the bartender to tone down the sweetness” (07:02). Additionally, he provides practical resources, including a curated list of 32 non-alcoholic drinks, to inspire those seeking healthier options.

Health Benefits of Reducing Alcohol Intake

Gupta highlights the substantial health gains from reducing or eliminating alcohol consumption: “One month without alcohol, just one month, will improve your sleep, boost your energy, lower your blood pressure. That's pretty good incentive” (07:25). These benefits underscore the episode’s overarching message that transitioning to mocktails can be a pivotal step toward enhanced well-being.

Additional Resources and Encouragement

To further support listeners, Gupta references another episode titled “Your Shame-Free Guide to Cutting Back on Booze,” available through show notes. He also invites ongoing listener engagement by encouraging questions via voice memos, email, or phone, fostering a community-oriented approach to health and lifestyle discussions.

Conclusion

The episode concludes with a reaffirmation of the potential for mocktails to transform social drinking habits into healthier practices without sacrificing enjoyment. Gupta’s balanced narration, enriched by expert insights from McQuary, provides listeners with both motivation and practical strategies to embrace non-alcoholic beverages. By addressing common concerns about sugar content and taste authenticity, Chasing Life empowers its audience to make informed, health-conscious choices in their social and personal lives.

Notable Quotes:

• Sanjay Gupta (02:34): “If it's done right, they don't miss the alcohol. That's the key. It's the whole experience, the look, the feel, the taste.”

• Miles McQuary (05:38): “We add water. So it becomes kind of just leaner and lighter.”

• Miles McQuary (06:09): “These mocktails like cocktails are actually meant to be small and savored, not these gigantic drinks that you slurp down.”

• Miles McQuary (06:49): “Using sherry and fortified wines and things like that to make drinks are great.”

• Sanjay Gupta (07:02): “Don’t hesitate to ask the bartender to tone down the sweetness.”

• Sanjay Gupta (07:25): “One month without alcohol, just one month, will improve your sleep, boost your energy, lower your blood pressure.”

This comprehensive discussion not only addresses the current trends and health implications associated with alcohol consumption but also equips listeners with actionable advice to make healthier lifestyle choices without compromising on the social and sensory pleasures of drinking.

Transcript

[Sanjay Gupta]

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[Sanjay Gupta]

Welcome to Paging Dr. Gupta. This is something new that we're trying where I get to answer the health questions that you've been asking. Ever since we started doing the podcast, we would get a lot of you sending in your questions and we thought we should create a space to just try and answer as many of those questions as we can. So this is going to be our shot at that. And we're going to start off with something that I'm sure you've heard Dry January. So how many of you did dry January? Well, if you managed maybe a damp January, I'm guessing that you're still feeling better. But the question that we've been getting a lot of is what if you want to keep that going, how big a thing is this? And what we're learning is that more and more people, particularly younger generations, they are starting to choose non alcoholic drinks all year long. And I gotta tell you, as a father of three teenagers, this is something that I can totally get behind. Now what I will tell you is that people who are doing this, drinking non alcoholic drinks all year long, they do still want those drinks to look and to feel and to even taste like the real thing. And what they're finding out is that if it's done right, they don't miss the alcohol. That's the key. It's the whole experience, the look, the feel, the taste. But even without the alcohol, they just don't seem to miss it. They feel that it's just as social, just as fun. And of course, again, we know that alcohol is not healthy for us. It is linked to all these various things, including high blood pressure and heart disease and strokes and dementia. In 2023, the World Health Organization, they said something that caught a lot of people's attention. No level of alcohol consumption is safe. The Surgeon General recently weighed in, saying that alcohol could actually increase your cancer risk. So there's all sorts of reasons not to drink alcohol. And recently I jumped on this mocktail train as well. I love a phony Negroni, for example. But again, if it's prepared just the right way, proper glass, proper ice, proper environment, sometimes I can't tell the difference. I recently had to ask my waitress if she was in fact sure that it was a mocktail she had served me because it tasted and felt so much like the real thing. So, given all that, we're going to jump into this week's question and Kira, who are we hearing from?

[Kira]

Hey Sanjay. So Jane is one of our listeners and she wants to know what some healthy mocktail options are because she feels like so many of them seem to have high sugar content.

[Sanjay Gupta]

By the way, Kira is one of our show's fantastic producers. We're so excited she's here. Thank you for that question. Before we answer it though, I wanted to turn to an expert who knows a thing or two about crafting the perfect zero proof drink.

[Miles McQuary]

You want me to open some and pour you some?

[Sanjay Gupta]

What you're listening to is the backside of the bar at Kimble House. This is a place just outside of Atlanta. If you want to picture it, there are dozens of bottles behind the bar. There are hundreds of mixers. There is the perfect ice. There's all these glasses, the accoutrements, all of it to help craft your perfect cocktail. Or in this case, your perfect mocktail. We're catching up with Miles mcquary. He is an award winning mixologist. He's been honored by Michelin and the James Beard Foundation. After the break, we're going to ask him for his advice and and how to make the perfect, well balanced zero proof beverage.

This podcast is supported by Sleep Number There's a reason the Sleep Number Smart Bed is the number one bed for couples. It's because you can each choose what's right for you whenever you like. Firmer or softer on either side. Sleep Number does that one side cooler and the other side warmer. Sleep Number does that too. You have to feel it to believe it. Only Sleep Number Smart beds let you choose your ideal comfort and support your Sleep Number setting. Sleep Number Smart Beds learn how you sleep and provide personalized insights to help you sleep better. The new Sleep Number Climate Cool Smart Bed lets you adjust up to 15 degrees cooler on either side. It's perfect for couples who struggle with sleeping too hot.

[Sleep Number Advertiser]

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[Anderson Cooper]

I'm Anderson Cooper. Grief isn't talked about much, but that's what my Podcast is all about. This is all there is season three in the past year, I've listened to about 6,000 voicemail messages you've left for me after season two and most of the ones sent in so far this season. When I listen to your messages, it makes me feel less different and alone.

[Listener]

My grief is deep and real and it has brought me to my knees.

[Anderson Cooper]

Listen to all there is with Anderson Cooper wherever you get your podcasts.

[Sanjay Gupta]

All right, we're back with paging Dr. Gupta and bartender Miles. Tip number one.

[Miles McQuary]

One of our secrets to na drink. It's not really a secret, but it's, we just, we add water. So if you think of like a drink that has 2 ounces of gin, we'll sub in 2 ounces of water and just balance it to get the volume right without having to add too much sugar and too much juice. And so it becomes kind of just like leaner and lighter. So you think about like a lemonade or a limeade, it's got lots of water in it, so we just add a little bit of water to make up for the lack of volume in an alcoholic distilled spirit.

[Sanjay Gupta]

Tip number two, remember this mocktails like cocktails are actually meant to be small and savored, not these gigantic drinks that you slurp down. You don't need a lot of added sugar or fancy syrups.

[Miles McQuary]

If you start to compensate to make more volume, to make it a big drink, it doesn't need to be a big drink. Like cocktails before dilution are often three, three and a half ounces in a classic style drink. And so it's not meant to be a 12 ounce beverage, you know.

[Sanjay Gupta]

And finally, remember this, you don't necessarily need to go all or nothing with alcohol. You can also go low alcohol.

[Miles McQuary]

Using sherry and fortified wines and things like that to make drinks are great. And that's nothing new. That's like apero and aperitivo culture in Europe for a long time where it's kind of like you start with these lower alcohol drinks and spritzes and things like that, and I think those can often deliver a little bit more interest from a flavor profile than completely zero proof. Just because when you're dealing with low alcohol bitter liqueurs and fortified wines like Sherry's, you get this nutty oxidative quality you can really have. You can have something that is hugely flavorful but lower in alcohol percentage than a glass of wine, like by a significant amount.

[Sanjay Gupta]

Whatever the case may be for you, what I think you're going to find is that when you start to cut back on alcohol or maybe go no alcohol, there is a chance you're not going to miss it. That was the big revelation for me because so much of this is about the expectation. Point being, again, if it's presented the right way, if you're with good friends, if you're in that environment and you're not drinking alcohol, you may feel just as fun, just as social. And I got to tell you, if you've started to go the mocktail route, this is a different day than it was 10, 20 years ago where people ordered Shirley Temples. You can get a really good mocktail and it is a very positive, healthy first step. But back to Jane's question. Jane, you're spot on here. Mocktails are not perfect. We sort of alluded to this many zero proof options. They rely heavily on fruit juices and sodas and syrups to try and compensate for the lack of alcohol. But the good news is that if you keep some of Miles tips in mind, you can still enjoy the fun of a really fancy drink without overloading on the sugar. So if you're making mocktails at home or if you're ordering one at the bar, don't hesitate to ask the bartender to tone down the sweetness. Make a point of this. Or maybe as we just learned, just simply add a little water. Also, Jane, if you're looking for healthier mocktail options, we have taken the liberty of linking to 32 of the best non alcoholic drinks to hopefully provide you a little inspiration. And if you need even more inspiration, remember that one month without alcohol, just one month, will improve your sleep, boost your energy, lower your blood pressure. That's pretty good incentive. And if you want to hear more from Miles or learn more about the health impacts of alcohol, check out our episode called your Shame free Guide to cutting back on booze. We'll link it in the show notes. All right, that's it for today. If you have other questions for me, I want to know. Record a voice memo, email it to asksanjayn.com or give us a call 470-396-0832 and leave a message. Thanks for listening. I love being here and I'll see you next Tuesday. Chasing Life is a production of CNN Audio. Our podcast is produced by Aaron Mathewson, Jennifer Lai, Grace Walker, Lori Gallaretta, Jesse Remedios, Sofia Sanchez and Kira Dehring. Andrea Cain is our medical writer. Our senior producer is Dan Bloom. Amanda Seely is our showrunner. Dan Dezulla is our technical director and the executive producer of CNN Audio is Steve Lichti, with support from Jamis Andrest, John Dionora, Hailey Thomas, Alex Maniseri, Robert Mathers, Lainey Steinhardt, Nicole Pessarou and Lisa Namoro. Special thanks to Ben Tinker and Nadia Kanang of CNN Health and Katie Hinman.

There's a reason the Sleep Number Smart bed is the number one best bed for couples. It's because you can each choose what's right for you whenever you like. Firmer or softer on either side. Sleep number does that. One side cooler and the other side warmer. Sleep number does that too. You have to feel it to believe it. Sleep better together.

[Sleep Number Advertiser]

And now save 50% on the new Sleep Number Limited edition smart bed limited time, exclusively at a Sleep Number store near you. See store or sleepnumber.com for details.

[Audie Cornish]

This week on the Assignment with Me, Audie Cornish, the truth is that many.

[Reverend Gabriel Salguero]

Of us warned about this.

[Audie Cornish]

Reverend Gabriel Salguero, pastor of the Gathering Place in Orlando, Florida. What are the kinds of messages you have been getting?

[Reverend Gabriel Salguero]

I got a call from from somebody saying that they're not gonna go to church because they're afraid. Many pastors are concerned that it will impinge on our religious liberty to serve immigrant communities and mixed status communities.

[Audie Cornish]

What does it feel like to be on the front lines of the immigration debate? Listen to the Assignment with Me, Audie Cornish. Streaming now on your favorite podcast, Apple.