Dry January is here again and with it, the hunt for cocktail alternatives. Happily, recipes for tasty mocktails are not in short supply in 2025. With the right ingredients, you can even turn your nonalcoholic drink into something of an elixir, also known as a functional beverage. This type of drink has health benefits beyond hydration — and tastes much better than plain water.
We’ve assembled a list of mocktail ingredients that can maximize the health benefits of your beverages. Whether you’re giving up alcohol for January or you’re sober year-round, these mocktail drink components can potentially aid everything from your immune system to your stomach.
1. Ginger
Ginger has several health benefits, especially for your gut. Gingerol, a component of fresh ginger, helps your body digest food faster and can provide nausea relief. Johns Hopkins Medicine points out that ginger can also cut down on the amount of bloating and gas you experience. Plus, ginger contains many anti-inflammatory compounds.
Of the more than 400 natural compounds in ginger, some of them keep oral bacteria from growing. While a ginger mocktail can’t replace your mouthwash, using this ingredient may be better for your teeth than many sugar-rich mixers.
Ginger is famously used to flavor mule drinks, but it can also be paired with a lot of ingredients. Consider adding a dash of ginger to your mocktail along with some of the following:
- Hibiscus
- Lime
- Lemon
- Cucumber
- Mint
- Cranberry
2. Elderberry
Elderberries are dark purple berries that grow on several continents. Before you add them to your mocktail, it’s essential to know that they shouldn’t be eaten raw. They must be cooked to reduce toxic compounds called cyanogenic glycosides that can cause symptoms such as gastrointestinal problems, dizziness and weakness. However, once your elderberries are cooked and safe to consume, they offer a number of potential health benefits and a tart flavor profile.
Mount Sinai says that elderberry may help with congestion and is often used to treat cold and flu symptoms. It may also lend itself to upper respiratory health. These berries are packed with everything from vitamin C and vitamin A to potassium and fiber. If you don’t want to buy and cook the actual berries, you can also get elderberry in liquid, syrup, capsule or gummy form.
Elderberries are tart but can be countered with other ingredients to round out the taste. These berries are often paired with:
- Blueberry
- Lychee
- Mint
- Ginger
- Apple juice
- Spearmint
3. Coconut water
Coconut water comes from the center of a coconut. It’s not only sweet and perfect for a mocktail, but it’s very hydrating. Coconut water is full of electrolytes, including sodium and magnesium. These electrically charged minerals help your body hold onto water and can rehydrate you after a workout or if you’re sick.
While the data is currently limited, some older studies suggest that the potassium found in coconut water may be enough to help you manage high blood pressure. Potassium also helps your body remove excess sodium and reduce pressure on your blood vessels.
Coconut water would be great in a mocktail with other ingredients like:
- Pineapple juice
- Orange juice
- Mint
- Lime
- Raspberry
- Basil
4. Pure cranberry juice
Pure cranberry juice is different from cranberry cocktail because it doesn’t contain any added sugars. While this makes the drink quite tangy, it has several health benefits that make it a good addition to your next mocktail. For one, pure cranberry juice is beneficial for your urinary tract system. Cleveland Clinic says that while cranberry juice can’t cure a urinary tract infection, it can help you prevent one in the first place. Cranberry stops E. coli from binding to your bladder, which often leads to a more serious infection.
Additionally, the A-type proanthocyanidins found in pure cranberry juice can reduce harmful microbes in your colon and improve your digestive health. This type of juice may also prevent bacteria from forming in your mouth.
The next time you’re brewing up a new mocktail recipe, consider combining your pure cranberry juice with some of the following:
- Orange juice
- Mint
- Rosemary
- Elderflower
- Apple juice
- Ginger
5. Raw honey
If you’re looking for a way to sweeten a mocktail without sugar, consider raw honey. This is honey that is taken directly from a bee hive, filtered and bottled. It doesn’t go through the pasteurization (heating) process that regular honey does. While raw honey may contain bacteria, it remains safe for most healthy adults, and it has a lot more nutritional value than regular honey.
Raw honey is full of vitamins and minerals, including calcium, magnesium, zinc, potassium and riboflavin. It’s a good source of antioxidants, which help protect your body’s cells from being damaged by free radicals. Raw honey also has some antibacterial properties.
You may want to add raw honey to your drink along with these complementary ingredients:
- Tangerine
- Sage
- Agave
- Blackberry
- Mint
- Lemon
6. Green tea
As it turns out, green tea isn’t just good for breakfast. You can also add it to a mocktail at any time and enjoy a caffeine boost along with a host of potential health benefits. According to Cleveland Clinic, green tea can help you with everything from inflammation to high cholesterol. The amino acids found in green tea can even aid in brain health, improving your memory and concentration.
Green tea is rich in L-theanine, which may help some people prevent Type 2 diabetes. This amino acid is also known to decrease stress and anxiety, making your mocktail experience all the more relaxing.
If you’re not drinking right now, green tea makes a great base for a variety of mocktails. The refreshing beverage can be paired with ingredients such as:
- Passion fruit
- Coconut water
- Basil
- Pineapple juice
- Honey
- Blueberries
7. Tart cherry juice
Tart cherries don’t taste as good as sweet cherries when eaten raw, but they can be turned into a healthy juice chock full of nutrients. Tart cherry juice contains iron, zinc and calcium and also has anti-inflammatory properties, thanks to its anthocyanin compounds.
If you decide to mix up a cocktail after a workout, adding tart cherry juice could help you recover more quickly. It can reduce your muscle pain and aid with blood flow. You may also want to indulge in a cherry-flavored mocktail in the evening. Tart cherry juice has been shown to increase sleep time by increasing your melatonin production.
You can pair tart cherry juice with sweet ingredients to balance its sharp flavor. Try adding some of these to your next drink, too:
- Honey
- Maple syrup
- Pineapple juice
- Vanilla
- Orange juice
- Chamomile tea
The bottom line
Mocktails offer a way to socialize or wind down at home without consuming alcohol. They allow you to recreate some of your favorite cocktails with nutrient-rich ingredients, and you may even create something better than your go-to Paloma. The healthy ingredients in this list are just the beginning. You can play around with myriad whole foods, ranging from grapefruit juice to muddled blueberries, until you find the perfect recipe.
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