France is likely the most iconic country in the world in regard to wine production. France’s unique climate, geography, and deeply-rooted cultural attachment to the product makes it one of the most important regions in the world to learn about when delving into this exciting drink. This is by no means an exhaustive guide to …
In terms of sheer surface area Spain is the world’s largest grape growing country, making it an exciting and diverse region for wine. Much like their neighbors the French and the Italians, Spanish values around food and wine are deeply formative to their cultural motifs and national identities. Spain is a large region with great …
Brandy Cocktails Brandy is a term that most commonly refers to a liquor made from distilled wine, the most famous of which are the iconic Cognac and Armagnac from France. Related: Kahlúa Cocktail | Tequila Cocktails | Whiskey Cocktails | Gin Cocktails | Rum Cocktails | Vodka Cocktail | Amaretto Cocktail | Cognac Cocktail | Mezcal Cocktail | Frangelico Cocktails | Grand Marnier Cocktail | Peach Schnapps Cocktail | Vermouth Cocktail | Sherry Cocktail | Triple Sec Cocktail | French Wine | …
Triple sec is a French orange liqueur that is closely tied to cocktail history and the evolution of mixed drinks. It is an infusion of orange peels with a neutral spirit and sweetener to create a delicious liqueur that is present in all different families of cocktails, deeply versatile and elevating any drink it’s found …
Vermouth Cocktails Vermouth is an Italian fortified wine that is aromatized and has large variation from region to region. While we will get into the history and distillation process of this drink later, first I have compiled 30 of the simplest and most iconic vermouth cocktails, using both dry and sweet vermouth. These drinks require …
Kahlúa is a coffee liqueur that originated in Veracruz, Mexico. It is delicious in many different cocktails and since its creation it can be found all over the world – this is one of my favorite bar ingredients and I’m very excited to dive in. First, I’ve assembled a list of some exciting and easy-to-make …
Schnapps is a large and exciting family of fruit spirits and liqueurs with many iterations and styles. While the traditional fruit brandy known as schnaps is the original (and we’ll explore that later in the article), we’ll be building cocktails out of the schnapps more popular in North America, a loanword for a sweet and …
Frangelico is a brand of hazelnut-herbal liqueur with caramel coloring coming from Canale, in the Piedmont region of Italy. Before we dive into the history of the liqueur and the nuances behind its flavor, let’s talk drinks. Below I’ve compiled and tinkered with a few very easy Frangelico cocktails that require little ingredients and experience. …
Grand Marnier is a brand of liqueurs based out of France, largely out of brandy and distilled with orange essence, bitters, and sugar. Before we dive into the history and production of this liqueur, let’s get into the fun part right away: DRINKS. Below I’ve compiled a handy list of 35 different cocktails with which …
Jam cocktails. It’s breakfast and happy hour all in one. If you’re looking to jam some jam in your next cocktail (or brunch, charcuterie spread, or cabin fire-side picnic), grab a spoon. Saltspring Kitchen Co. offers handmade savory, spicy, and sweet jams + preserves, and full-flavor funky hot sauces. Melanie started sharing the creations she made …
Amaretto is a classic Italian liqueur that is sweet and complex, often characterized by a strong almond and vanilla flavors as well as a distinctive dark amber color. Related: Tequila Cocktails | Whiskey Cocktails | Gin Cocktails | Rum Cocktails | Vodka Cocktail | Mezcal Cocktail | Cognac Cocktail | Grand Marnier Cocktail | Frangelico Cocktails …
Ah, la délice du cognac – this French spirit made by distilling white wine grapes is one of the most iconic worldwide, an eau-de-vie with a reputation long-characterized by luxury and excellence in flavor. Cognac is technically a style of brandy from a specific region in France – the varied characteristics of brandy and its …
Mezcal is a unique, oft-smoky, and always delicious spirit that hails from the Jalisco region of Mexico. Using the agave plants native to this part of the country, mezcal distillation has long-been a central tradition in the culture and consumption of Mexican people as well as those that lived there far before. The word mezcal …
Between Daiquiris, Pina Coladas, and getting caught in the rain, rum is one of the most commonly-enjoyed spirits on the planet, possessing a wide range of utility and flavors that positions it as a central ingredient in the home bartender’s collection. Equally, it is a spirit with an important history and a dark past. To …
Quicklist: Tequila Cocktails Classic Margarita Cucumber Margarita/Tequila Eastside Jalapeño Margarita Tequila Sunrise Paloma Mint Paloma Tequila Collins Tequila Martini Dirty Tequila Martini Brave Bull Tequila Sour Ranch Water Agave Mule/Mexican Mule El Diablo La Siesta Bloody Maria Tequila Old Fashioned Tequilano/Tequila Negroni The Marble Queen (Fishbowl @ Dream Midtown Bar, NYC) El Agresor (Dorsey at …
In Russian it means ‘little water’, but this name can be deceiving. Vodka is far from water, with a large range of cocktails and effects. On the surface, it is unassuming yet far-reaching, transparent yet full of possibility. In a way, this nebulous spirit is unique among the other aqua vitae we’ve explored thus far. …
No such thing as a girly drink. Bright, refreshing, and a lovely shade of pink, the Cosmo is perfect drink to get the night started or as a tart liquid dessert after a good meal. Double-straining is a must – you don’t want any ice chunks in this drink. Step-by-step instructions and ingredients for creating …
An interesting riff on the French 75 I came up with. Using vodka and some Lillet gave the drink a completely different structure, but it still worked really well as a combination. The drink is a little rounder, a little sweeter, and a little more downplayed. Step-by-step instructions and ingredients for creating the Moscow 77 …
Sparkling wine and amaro always go together. Add a little bit of vodka to your spritz and turn the 5-7 happy hour on the patio to a full-blown night on the town. Step-by-step instructions and ingredients for creating the Spiked Spritz Vodka Cocktail Recipes Related to: All Vodka Cocktails Recipes
One of my personal favorite vodka drinks. Mellow, not too strong, and easy to drink in any situation. Simplicity is key. Step-by-step instructions and ingredients for creating the Vodka Gimlet Cocktail Recipes Related to: All Vodka Cocktails Recipes
A bit more personality than the Vodka Soda. For when you’ve had a couple of drinks and you want something tasty but not feeling a beer or a full-on cocktail. Step-by-step instructions and ingredients for creating the Vodka Tonic Cocktail Recipes Related to: All Vodka Cocktails Recipes
A much simpler and pragmatic take to the White Russian. It has its place and is a delicious digestif cocktail. It’s also incredibly easy to make. Step-by-step instructions and ingredients for creating the Black Russian Vodka Cocktail Recipes Related to: All Vodka Cocktails Recipes
These are sneaky drinks so don’t underestimate them. Peach Schnapps does this thing to the texture of a drink that is so good and I find myself chugging drinks when they have that ingredient. The Hairy Navel adds a bit of vodka to the Fuzzy Navel and gives it a bit of bite. This is …
A delicious ginger and vodka drink. If you have the chance to make a ginger syrup, I strongly recommend it. Step-by-step instructions and ingredients for creating the Moscow Mule Vodka Cocktail Recipes Related to: All Vodka Cocktails Recipes
Easy to make and if you have frozen fruit that can work really well. I like using a blend of different berries if I have the ability to. The Peach Schnapps and some crushed ice can really serve to elevate this drink. Step-by-step instructions and ingredients for creating the Vodka Berry Smash Cocktail Recipe Related …
The classic. The inimitable. The Vodka Martini. I like mine with a splash of vermouth and a twist. How to make and the ingredients of the Vodka Martini Cocktail Recipe Related to: All Vodka Cocktails Recipes
Like a milkshake with some pep to it. I personally like the texture of the heavy cream, which is diluted in the shaker and gives the drink an ice-cream consistency. Like Christmas in a Collins glass. Step-by-step instructions and ingredients for creating the White Russian Vodka Cocktail Recipes Related to: All Vodka Cocktails Recipes
Out of respect for the sours I love so much I vow to put one on every list I make. The vodka sour is a little more downplayed than other sour drinks you might make. Whereas the central taste of the base liquor isn’t the focus, the experience becomes much more textural. A good foam …
This is the best highball combination for vodka (in my humble opinion). The cranberry juice has all the components of a successful cocktail in one ingredient – enjoy it for the sour sweetness that pairs so well with vodka. Step-by-step instructions and ingredients for creating the Cranberry Vodka Cocktail Related to: All Vodka Cocktails Recipes
A delicious and bright vodka cocktail that mimics the structure of a daiquiri or a margarita. It has a bit more bite than the gimlet and is perfect on a cool summer evening. Step-by-step instructions and ingredients for creating the Kamikaze Vodka Cocktail. Related to: All Vodka Cocktails Recipes
Sweet, fruity, and boozy. It’s an excellent combo that works well in the sun – fair warning these pack a massive hangover (all the sugar). Drink at your own risk. Step-by-step instructions and ingredients for creating the Sex on the Beach Vodka Cocktail Related to: All Vodka Cocktails Recipes
A delicious sweet-sour drink. For some reason the only time I’ve ever made lots of these was when bachelorette parties would come by the bar. Bachelorette parties are 93% fueled by Lemon Drops. Also makes 3-4 great shots if you pour this into shooter glasses. Step-by-step instructions and ingredients for creating the Lemon Drop Martini …
I may have just said that Vodka Cran was the best highball for vodka, but the screwdriver gives it a run for its money. Orange juice, especially fresh-pressed, works so well with vodka. I know this is weird, but I actually like adding a lemon wedge to my vodka-OJ drink. I’m not sure why, I …
Calgary’s finest. An excellent savory cocktail that has lots of possibilities for personalization. Read the longer article for some of my Caesar Mix tips for at-home bartenders. Below is the bare-bones Caesar and it’s great. Step-by-step instructions and ingredients for creating the Bloody Caesar Vodka Cocktail. Related to: All Vodka Cocktails Recipes
A bitter and herbal drink that shows off vodka’s versatility; it doesn’t need to be covered in acidity and sweetness to hide the flavor completely. Instead, it can be a great base to a nuanced sipper. Step-by-step instructions and ingredients for creating the Campari Vodka Cocktail Related to: All Vodka Cocktails Recipes
Classic and delicious. Perfect for someone who doesn’t like the taste of alcohol. Step-by-step instructions and ingredients for creating the Soda Vodka Cocktail Related to: All Vodka Cocktails Recipes
This is a really fun riff on a very delicious and well-established cocktail from Brazil. You build in the glass, but it’s a bit more involved. I’d also recommend crushing some ice so you have smaller pieces as you drink. Step-by-step instructions and ingredients for creating the Caipirinha Vodka Cocktail Related to: All Vodka Cocktails …
Aqua Vitae Ahh, whiskey. This broad umbrella of spirits – affectionately known by some as ‘brown’ – is rich, full, strong, and definitely an acquired taste. It is a classic spirit that is as well-suited to being enjoyed neat on its own or also combined with other ingredients as a cocktail base. Every home bartender …
I love Hot Toddies. Whether with rum or whiskey, this warm winter drink is comforting and perfectly suited to a boozy Saturday in the snow. I’d strongly recommend making this with honey and cracking some fresh cinnamon sticks into the mix. How to make and the ingredients of the Whiskey Hot Toddy Cocktail Recipe Related: …
A personal favorite of mine and one to offer to the person who swears they don’t like the flavor of whiskey. If food limitations allow, please make it with egg whites. The texture is such an important part of the drink and there is no real imitation for the merengue. Serve it on the rocks …
A delicious and classic cocktail that traces its roots to the prohibition era. The use of grapefruit juice and honey syrup balances an inherently bitter flavor with the richness of the honey, helping cut through some of the intensity of the whiskey. What results is a balanced, mellow cocktail that deserves to be made over …
Another modern cocktail classic that is undeniably good. It shares a similar structure to other sours but with the addition of a red wine float, giving the sweet, citric drink a unique and delicious tannic undertone. I’d strongly recommend making this with egg white to keep to the authenticity of this drink as a riff …
We just saw the classic Manhattan, now lets go for the ‘Perfect’. Despite the suggestion behind the name, this version isn’t intrinsically better – it simply uses both dry and sweet vermouth to create a rounded flavor that mutes some of the whiskey and melds the flavors in a more uniform way. It’s a delicious …
If you read the gin recipes I did a little bit ago, you’ll know I really like ginger drinks. Ginger beer or a homemade ginger syrup can elevate your cocktail game to new dimensions – the Whiskey Buck is a perfect example of this. You want some element of sweetness in this, sometimes the ginger …
An interesting take on the classic Manhattan but made with scotch instead of rye or bourbon. I personally like this drink with a bit of a peaty scotch so that some of the smokiness comes through as a central flavor. Keep in mind that it should pair well with whatever vermouth you choose – something …
Another beautiful take on the inimitable Whiskey Sour. This one makes use of either absinthe or Pernod (pastis) for a rinse beforehand, giving the cocktail an underlying structure of anise flavor that props up the rest of the ingredients. The use of an absinthe/pastis rinse is subtle but effective – it’s the key to the …
Ok, I’ll admit that this it would be a huge stretch to call this a cocktail. That being said, I’m such a huge fan of this combination that I had to find a way to sneak it into this whiskey cocktail list. It’s the shot I order for all my friends when I’m feeling like …
The Paper Plane cocktail is a relatively modern one, created by Sasha Petraske and Sam Ross of New York’s iconic bar Milk and Honey. It’s a riff on a Last Word, one of my personal favorites. Traditionally it’s served in a coupette, but I love a Paper Plane on the rocks and that’s how I …
The Old Pal follows a similar structure and format to our friend the Boulevardier, but with a few key changes. Swapping out the sweet red vermouth for dry white – as well as serving this straight up in a cocktail glass – gives the drink a bit more of an elegant and lighter feel. There …
Beverages hydrate and supply the body with minerals, vitamins, proteins, fats, and other essential nutrients that it may need to operate optimally. However, choosing the right one for your body’s needs might be daunting, given the numerous options available.
For this reason, I researched and discussed the different types of beverages you can find across the globe, their features, significance, and downsides to help you make informed decisions about their consumption. Please, keep reading to learn about them.
What is a Beverage?
A beverage refers to any drink that is safe for human consumption, like plain water, yogurts, beer, wine, sodas, smoothies, etc.
The drinks feature different production procedures and formulas to fit them to their intended roles in the human body. For instance, some carbonated drinks like sodas are ideal for quenching the body, while others like hard liquor are meant to improve your mood, among other things.
Want to learn more about beverages? Let’s dig deeper into the different types of beverages, their composition, and their roles in the body.
Types of Beverages
Beverages fall into alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage categories discussed below:
Alcoholic Beverages
As the name suggests, alcoholic beverages contain between 1% and 75% of ethyl alcohol or ethanol as the intoxicating ingredient.
While most alcoholic beverages improve mood, scientists associate them with improving cardiac health and reducing the risk of ischemic stroke and diabetes, among other functions. Alcoholic beverages are further classified into undistilled and distilled drinks explained below:
Undistilled Alcoholic Drinks
Undistilled alcoholic drinks are the ones that have been prepared through fermentation, a process through which the yeast converts the sugar into ethanol. Typically, drinks made through fermentation contain less alcohol than their distilled counterparts.
The main types of undistilled alcoholic beverages include:
Beer: Great For Guys Looking For The World’s No 1 Socializing Drink
Beer is one of the most consumed alcoholic beverages in the world. The key ingredients include water, malted cereal grains, and flavorings (like hops).
During its brewing, the malted cereal grain (starchy component) is converted to a sugary fluid, and then fermented with yeast to make beer. The hops are added to kill the strong malt smell.
The final products of the brewing process come in different flavors including bready, bitter, sweet, and sour flavors, depending on the nature of the cereals and the degree of their roasting. Examples of beer include German Bock, Pale Ale, Porter, Stout, Pilsner, etc.
Typically, most beers feature an alcohol content of between 4% and 6%.
Besides alcohol, beer contains B vitamins, magnesium, and potassium, which work in tandem to ensure good heart health and counter diabetes.
On the flip side, consuming beer in excess can impair your judgment.
Wine: A High-Quality Alcoholic Beverage for Boosting Your Confidence
Wine is another type of undistilled fermented drink. Its main ingredients include water, grapes, and yeast. Besides the grapes, wine may be fermented from other fruit varieties like red plums, pomegranate, cherry, elderberry, and currant.
During the fermentation, the yeast converts the sugar in the fruits into ethanol and carbon dioxide (as a by-product). The manufacturers then transfer the wine into bottles after fermentation.
Wine comes in two main types — red and white wine. According to sources, wine is rich in antioxidants, and it can enhance your cardiac health, counter diabetes, and regulate blood pressure, among other functions.
In addition, wine contains alcohol, whose effects depend on the amount of wine taken.
For instance, taking it moderately can improve your mood, confidence, and sociability, and decrease your anxiety.
On the flip side, its excessive consumption may impact your body negatively and impair your judgment.
Apple Cider: A Great Take Home for Your Better Half
Cider is a distilled alcoholic beverage that comes from fermented apple juice. It is a popular drink in the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom (West Country).
If you love brewing cider at home, can you use the Fuji, Golden Delicious, Gala, Red Delicious, and Cortland Apple varieties for a sweet cider?
Fond of that acidic tort flavor? Try out the Braeburn, Pink Lady, and Jonathan apple varieties.
To prepare the cider, the manufacturers extract the apple juice, then ferment it with yeast to convert it to alcohol. After the fermentation, they add tannins and other flavorings before bottling them.
Generally, cider contains between 3% and 8.5% alcohol. However, some continental flavors may contain up to 12% Alcohol.
Why should you choose apple cider over other alcoholic beverages? The fermented apple cider contains polyphenols and antioxidative compounds, which avoid the damage of the body cells by free radicals, reducing the risk of some chronic illnesses like cancer, diabetes, cardiac problems, etc.
On the downside, apple cider is acidic, and its long-term consumption may erode the tooth enamel or the throat.
Distilled Alcoholic Beverages
Distilled alcoholic beverages are potable drinks that contain at least 35.5% alcohol. They are purified from fermented substances like beer, wine, fermented cereals, etc., to attain a higher concentration of alcohol in the distillate.
Examples of distilled alcoholic beverages you can find across the globe include:
Hard Liquor/ Spirits: Great for Hard Drinkers and Folks who Want to Burn Some Body Fat
Hard liquor is an umbrella term for all alcoholic beverages that have been produced through the 2-step process of fermentation and distillation. Examples of beverages that meet the above description include whiskey, tequila, vodka, brandy, gin, and tum, among others.
The alcohol by volume (ABV) in the hard beverages may vary slightly depending on the quality of the materials and the amount of heat applied in producing them.
You can take them with ice cubes, hot water, or soft drinks. Alternatively, you can take them as they are to enjoy their true test and flavor.
Distilled alcoholic beverages can be tonic and deadly at the same time. Taking the recommended levels can be good for unblocking the arteries and veins. It can also aid in preventing some types of cancer and diabetes.
On the other hand, exceeding the recommended levels can cause devastating effects like liver cirrhosis, stroke, high blood pressure, and so on.
Cocktails: Ideal For Guys Looking For Mixed Shot To Uplift Your Significant Other?
A cocktail is an alcoholic drink featuring a blend of a spirit/s and other ingredients like cream or fruit juice. Cocktails can have a high or low alcohol concentration, depending on the type of alcoholic beverage included in the blend.
Examples of the famous cocktails you can find in most parts of the globe include Cosmopolitan, Mojito, And Passion Fruit Martini, among others.
You can take the cocktail with ice cubes or as it is.
Drinking cocktails come with a double benefit. First, the antioxidative compounds in the hard liquor inhibit the destruction of your body cells by free radicals.
Additionally, your body benefits from other ingredients used in blending your cocktail. For instance, citrus juice can impact your body’s immunity positively.
Note: When taking mixed drinks, it can be hard to tell how much alcohol you have taken, and the chances of overindulgence might be high. And you know what is likely to come from excessive alcohol consumption.
Non-Alcoholic Beverages
Non-alcoholic beverages are potable drinks that contain zero alcohol or whose alcohol content has been reduced to almost zero. In other words, their preparation process doesn’t include using any yeast to convert any sugary content into alcohol. Below are the different types of non-alcoholic beverages you can find in different parts of the globe.
Plant-Based Beverages
Plants are great sources of alcoholic (discussed earlier) and non-alcoholic drinks. This section discusses the various plant-based non-alcoholic beverages that you can find in different parts of the world.
Cereal Based Beverages: A Great Shot that would Act as a Food Supplement
Generally, cereal-based beverages use grain suspension as their main ingredient. They can come from different sources like barley, oats, rice, corn, wheat, malt, rye, etc.
The cereal-based beverages can be fermented or unfermented. For instance, The Russian Kvass is a fermented non-alcoholic drink produced from rye. It is believed to enhance immunity in people of all ages, cleanse the blood, and combat allergies and some liver problems.
Horchata is another good example of plant cereal-based alcohol-free beverages. This nutritious Mexican drink is extracted from white rice and cinnamon stick suspension. It is believed to be rich in magnesium, calcium, iron, and vitamins E and C, which are ideal for optimal functioning of the body cells.
Another example of cereal-based beverages is champus, which is native to Ecuador and Colombia. It is extracted from a blend of maize, seasonings, and fruits and is believed to deliver various health benefits to the body.
In a nutshell, different parts of the globe offer varied versions of cereal-based beverages. And, since each drink utilizes a different blend of ingredients, you should expect to gain different health benefits from each drink.
Also. ensure that you take the different cereal-based beverages to the recommended levels. Remember, too much of everything is poison.
Tea/ Herbal Tea: A Great Stimulant to Keep Your Brain Alert
Tea is the second most-consumed non-alcoholic beverage across the globe after water. It is planted in different parts of the world, including India, Kenya, China, and Srilanka.
Tea growers harvest the Camellia Sinensis tree leaves and then process them to make different tea products, including black, oolong, yellow, green, herbal, yerba mate, and other tea varieties.
The most basic way to consume tea is to mix it with hot water and then take it as a hot drink. In some cultures, tea is blended with milk, some flavors, and some sugar to enhance its taste. You can pair it with fruit salads, cupcakes, pastries, etc.
Perhaps you are asking, “what’s so special about tea?” Tea is taken hot, making it a great drink on cold days. Besides that, tea contains caffeine and amino acid L-theanine, which work in tandem to enhance the functioning of your brain and keep you alert.
Some reliable sources indicate that tea contains polyphenols and flavonoids, which act as antioxidants, preventing the damage of body cells by free radicals.
Like any other beverage, taking tea in excess can trigger unwanted side effects like iron intolerance, pregnancy complications, lack of sleep, etc.
Take Fruit or Vegetable Juice: Great for Guys Want to Shed Off Some Body Weight
As the name goes, fruit juice is a type of beverage extracted exclusively from the flesh of fresh fruits, including their rinds. You can extract the juice from one or multiple fruit types, depending on your targeted final taste and flavor.
The commonly used fruit types include pineapples, oranges, melons, pomegranates, apples, and grapes.
You can make a custom fruit juice at home or go for ready-made juices at the local grocery or supermarket. I’m fond of the custom-made juice since the fruit juices from these parties may contain added sugars and additives.
Fruits are great sources of vitamins A, C, E, and K and minerals like phosphorus, zinc, magnesium, folic acid, etc., which play different roles in the body. However, since different juices may contain fruits with different nutritional values, the best bet is to check the juice’s ingredients to confirm whether it will satisfy you.
Vegetable juice, on the other hand, is a drink extracted from a mix of vegetables. Examples of the commonly used ingredients in making vegetable juice include carrots, lettuce, beetroots, spinach, watercress, celery, tomatoes, etc.
Vegetable beverages are lower in calories than fruit juices, making them the perfect drink for weight watchers.
Besides, study reports indicate that fruits and vegetable juices contain antioxidants, fiber, nitrate, and oligosaccharides, which may initiate prebiotic-like effects.
Coffee: Keeps You Awake and Focused on Your Tasks
Coffee is a brewed beverage prepared from roasted coffee beans. In other words, Mature coffee beans are harvested from the coffee tree, dried, roasted, and then ground into fine particles, which are then brewed with hot water. Examples of the main coffee types in the market include arabica, robusta, espresso, and cappuccinos.
Most coffee lovers take it without sugar to feel its true character.
If you are a coffee enthusiast like me, you would identify a high-quality coffee by its perfect balance of acidity, body, and flavor. You can add milk and sugar to counter the acidity and the bitter taste.
When taken moderately, coffee can help you manage weight, optimize your blood sugar levels, and help you stay focused.
On the downside, too much can cause insomnia, increased heart rates, breathing rates, and even stomach upsets due to its high caffeine content.
Tired of Coffee? Why Not Try Cocoa Drinks
The cocoa drink is an umbrella term for all beverages produced using roasted and ground cocoa beans. These may include drinks from ground cocoa varieties like the natural cocoa powder, the dutch process cocoa powder, and the black cocoa powder.
The beverage is best taken hot. All you need is to add it to boiling water, top up some sugar and then stir to give it a taste.
Want to add some flavor to your drink? Sprinkle a pinch of nutmeg, anise, cinnamon, or any other flavor you feel like taking.
Why cocoa? Cocoa powder is rich in flavonoids, polyphenols, and other antioxidants, inhibiting body cell damage by free radicals. They also help prevent chronic illnesses like some types of cancer and diabetes.
However, it’s important to note that cocoa contains a higher amount of caffeine, and consuming it in excess can lead to nausea, insomnia, disturbed stomach, and other effects of caffeine.
Other Types of Non-Alcoholic Beverages
The other types of non-alcoholic beverages you can find in the market include:
Dairy-Based Drinks: Great for Your Bone Health and General Immunity
Dairy-based beverages refer to milk and other drinks, including milkshakes, yogurts, fermented milk, etc.
Taking a glass of milk or its related products gives your body calcium, zinc, iodine, phosphorus, vitamins, and other nutrients that work synergistically to enhance your overall wellbeing.
However, you should not try out dairy beverages if you’re allergic to dairy products or have lactose intolerance.
Soft Drinks: Ideal for Cooling and Energizing the Body
Soft drinks refer to any potable non-alcoholic beverage that has been sweetened with natural or artificial sweeteners. They are intended to hydrate, cool, and energize the body.
The main soft drinks include coco-cola products like sprite, coke, and PepsiCo beverages like mountain dew, sierra mist, Tropicana juice drinks, AMP Energy, izze, and Naked Juice, among others.
One advantage of these beverages is that they come in different flavors, giving you options. You can mix them with hard liquor if you need something more uplifting or take them as they are. Alternatively, you can offer them to your kids at home as you ride with alcoholic beverages.
However, you should limit your intake of soft drinks to the recommended one up to two glasses daily to avoid consuming excess sugar.