Food

I’m an RD, and These Are the 11 Alcohol-Free Drinks I Recommend During Dry January and Beyond

Among the plethora of alcohol-free drinks out there, discover the top picks a dietitian recommends to her clients. .

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Photo: MEDITERRANEAN
Published Dec 30, 2023

Written by 

Lauren Manaker, RD

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More people are choosing to live an alcohol-free lifestyle than ever before. In fact, according to Gallup News, 62 percent of adults under the age of 35 are active drinkers, which is down 10 percent from only two decades ago. As a registered dietitian, I am always excited to help people navigate their alcohol-free lifestyle if that is something they are motivated to do, and that includes figuring out the growing world of alcohol-free drink options because not having alcohol doesn’t mean that a drink supports your health.

Sure, zero-proof drinks are alcohol free, allowing the body to avoid being exposed to its toxins (fyi the World Health Organization refers to alcohol as a toxin), but some non-alcoholic drinks can be loaded with added sugars and nothing more.

Thankfully, there are plenty of choices out there that help people either avoid or limit their alcohol consumption, are free from (or extremely low in) added sugars, and taste great. Many alcohol-free drinks also have additional ingredients that support our health in various other ways, like by adding prebiotic fiber or adaptogens (herbs that can help your body cope with stress and boost overall health).

Among the plethora of alcohol-free choices out there, here are my top picks that I enjoy recommending to my clients who are embarking on an alcohol-free or reduced-alcohol journey.

11 alcohol-free drinks an RD recommends

1. Moment Drinks Cherry Hibiscus, $40 (12 pack)

Adaptogenic drinks are rising in popularity across the globe as their properties and benefits become widely known and further studied. Moment contains ingredients like ginseng and L-theanine, which combat fatigue1 and aid in focus2 respectively. At a base level, these adaptogens simply help you “adapt” to stressors, quite like alcohol does in those first few sips (although we all know how quickly that feeling can pass). The best part is that Moment Drinks contain no added sugars or artificial flavors, so you can rest assured that you’re only drinking the good stuff.

Moment Cherry Hibiscus is an effervescent option made with hibiscus tea and sweetened with bright black cherries and a dash of cinnamon. The addition of ashwagandha helps manage stress, and the l-theanine may help improve mental clarity.

2. Wildwonder Strawberry Passion, $40 (12 pack)

Wildwonder combines herbs and botanicals with luscious fruit flavors that are inspired by the healing tonics the founder’s grandmother would brew for her in China. It’s the first sparkling drink to contain both prebiotics and probiotics to support gut health, and it makes for an excellent, alcohol-free, effervescent option to pour into your champagne or wine glass.

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Lightly sweetened with agave nectar and monk fruit for only 6 grams of sugar, this drink is USDA Organic, vegan, and GMO-free. It’s also AAPI- and female-founded.

Wildwonder Strawberry Passion offers the taste of perfectly ripe strawberries and tart passion fruit juice for a naturally sweet and juicy refresher. Balanced with freshly brewed hibiscus and elderflowers, this variety makes for a satisfying pre and probiotic-containing mocktail drink choice.

3. POM Wonderful Pomegranate Juice, $18 (6 pack) 

With the look and boldness of certain red wines, POM Wonderful pomegranate juice is a great alternative to your nightly glass of vino. Made with 100-percent pomegranate juice—so no added sugars—each serving of this juice provides 10 percent of your daily potassium needs, approximately the same amount contained within a single banana. Additionally, this juice is packed with antioxidants, as the pomegranates have been whole-pressed from the rind, pith, and arils. In fact, there are 700 mg of polyphenol antioxidants per cup of this juice.

4. Olipop Ginger Ale, $36 (12 pack)

Instead of drinking traditional ginger ale, Olipop’s version can satisfy that desire for a gingery drink with only 5g of added sugars (compared to 36g of added sugar found in a can of original). Olipop’s is also free from anything artificial, and it contains a whopping 9g of prebiotic fiber to support gut health. It’s also infused with sweet lime, tart quince, and real ginger root for a sharp, sophisticated flavor that makes it the perfect swap.

5. White Claw Non-Alcoholic Seltzer (available Jan. 1)

White Claw is known as one of the most popular hard seltzer brands in the world, and they’ve just introduced their first non-alcoholic option. This seltzer contains the same great taste as their original line plus hydrating electrolytes with only 2g of sugar per can—minus the cruddy hangover the next day.

6. Kin Euphorics (prices vary)

Kin Euphorics has revolutionized the non-alcoholic game as they offer a vast plethora of drink alternatives that are made to look like the real thing. These drinks are infused with adaptogens instead of alcohol, and their drinks range from their “High Rhode” blend, which infuses caffeine and 5-HTP (an amino acid that can boost serotonin in the body) to induce sociality all the way to their “Dream Light” blend, which utilizes adaptogens, Reishi mushroom, and melatonin for a calm, sleep-inducing chill. They have a little something for everyone.

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7. Aplós, $48 (10 servings)

Aplós spirits come in “Calme” and “Arise” varieties that do just what their titles say. Their Calme variety contains broad-spectrum hemp to calm the body (so if you’re avoiding hemp products, watch out for this), while Arise contains a blend of adaptogens to aid in smooth conversation and social settings.

8. De Soi, $70 (12 pack)

Inspired by the French ethos of both pleasure and restraint, De Soi drinks are a non-alcoholic, sparkling alternative to your traditional aperitif. Created by both Katy Perry and master distiller Morgan McLachlan, these drinks contain—you guessed it—natural adaptogens to make you calmer, more focused, and less likely to react to stress during social situations. Their drinks really are alternatives to that well-loved aperitif as they come in four different mouth-watering flavors: Très Rosé, Golden Hour, Champignon Dreams, and Purple Lune.

9. Avec x Yes! Apples Fuji Apple and Cardamom Sparkling Beverage, $36 (12 pack)

Yes! Apples is a network of 50+ family-owned farms located in New York’s Upstate region, and they have officially collaborated with Avec to create a mouth-watering sparkling beverage. This drink is made with NY Fuji apples and world spices including cardamom, lemon verbena, tarragon, vanilla, and orange blossom to really capture that cozy winter taste. With only 5g of sugar per can, you don’t have to worry about overdoing it in terms of sweetness.

10. Longbottom Virgin Mary Bloody Mary Mix, $14 (4 pack)

Longbottom Bloody Mary mix is so delicious that it can be enjoyed without vodka and still be satisfying. It’s is made with quality ingredients like real tomato juice, onion puree, and capers. Bonus? This bloody mary option only contains 50 mg sodium per serving, which is far less than what other leading brands provide.

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11. Thomson & Scott Noughty Dealcoholized Sparkling Rosé, $22 (per bottle) 

This dealcoholized wine gives the same satisfying bubbles and tart flavor as rosé, but minus the booze. Made with organic Spanish grapes, it truly tastes like the real deal.

  1. Arring, Noël M et al. “Ginseng as a Treatment for Fatigue: A Systematic Review.” Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.) vol. 24,7 (2018): 624-633. doi:10.1089/acm.2017.0361

    ↩︎

  2. Giesbrecht, T et al. “The combination of L-theanine and caffeine improves cognitive performance and increases subjective alertness.” Nutritional neuroscience vol. 13,6 (2010): 283-90. doi:10.1179/147683010X12611460764840

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FoodNutrition

Why Are People Suddenly Eating Handfuls of Spinach Straight From the Fridge?

TL;DR: You don’t have to eat raw spinach out of the container like a raccoon to get the nutritional benefits.

Girl in leggings and green shirt holding colander of washed spinach with hands visible, top view.
Photo: Getty
Published Feb 21, 2025

Written by 

Emily Ziemski

TikTok is full of microtrends, especially when it comes to food. Eating a whole cucumber, making protein Diet Coke; remember the baked feta pasta? The list is endless and frankly, can be a bit silly. The latest: Creators shoving a whole handful of spinach into their mouths, citing a “max nutritional benefit boost” by doing so. 

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Searching for videos about eating a handful of spinach yields hundreds of people looking vaguely uncomfortable while trying to chew and swallow, well, a whole handful of raw, unseasoned spinach. Of course, I have questions. Is this the cinnamon challenge but with vegetables? Do you hate joy? And, the most important, is this *actually* the best way to get nutritional benefits from spinach?

What is this trend, exactly?

Cropping up in feeds in early February, the TikTok videos hinge on two key factors: The spinach has to be raw, and you have to eat it first thing in the morning. One handful seems to do the trick for most, and it appears that nothing else is consumed alongside the spinach. Just a whole bunch of raw spinach. That’s it. That’s the tweet. 

Surely, it would be easier to incorporate it into the smoothie you’re already planning to have, or the omelet you just made, but here we are. 

Why are people doing this?

According to these videos, besides kicking off your day with multiple vitamins, iron, and potassium, some claim it can also “curb carb and sugar cravings” while others assert that doing this every morning helps “train your tastebuds for the day.”

For me, this feels like it’s veering into the 90s and early aughts culture of “no pain no gain,” a mindset that had us doing things like scrubbing our faces with apricot shells every night, and only eating cabbage soup for every meal. 

Not to say those things aren’t great in moderation (gentle exfoliation is wonderful for the skin, and cabbage is a great, nutritionally dense vegetable), but banking your health on one, singular thing isn’t a great road to success. “I think that spinach is obviously a very nutritious food, but it doesn’t contain the full spectrum of vitamins and minerals that one needs daily,” says Christina Manian, RDN, a sustainable food systems professional. “In terms of claims that doing this first thing in the morning hacks your body’s cravings for the rest of the day, I’m not sure whether that’s true.”

So, what’s the actual science behind this trend?

Realistically, there’s just not a lot of science that backs up these claims of tastebud training and curbed hunger. Research done by the University of Buffalo on bitter foods showed that when feeding bitter foods (like leafy greens) to rats, a protein-based salivary compound that was activated when eating something bitter could be trained to increase over time. 

Basically, the press release stated that when that protein was activated, “the bitter tastes like water.” So, the rats could eat more of the bitter foods without minding the taste. It is important to note that studies done in mice and rats don’t translate well to human consequences, as our physiological differences, like hormonal makeup and immune systems, vary too much from these lab mice/rat studies to be able to draw any definite conclusions. In fact, human-based studies show that denying food cravings can actually lead to increased appetites, and even bingeing behaviors. 

However, it’s not all bad news. There is a lot of info that shows food sequencing—starting each meal by eating vegetables, then protein, then everything else—*does* indeed help with hunger cues, satiety, and better blood sugar control. “I often enjoy spinach in the morning (usually cooked with tofu or eggs and whole grain toast) but don’t feel called to eat it raw as the very first thing I put into my body,” says Manian. 

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Should you do this trend?

There’s truly no harm (except maybe a minor choking hazard?) in trying this trend. “Considering how most Americans aren't eating enough veggies, I'll count this as a win,” says Lauren Manaker, RDN, a women’s nutrition expert and consultant. “They are still getting fiber and plant compounds when they eat it by the handful.”

If you’re like me, and seeing a new internet trend makes you feel like the oldest, crankiest person on planet earth, take solace in knowing that dietitians believe adding spinach to any part of your daily meal plan is a total win. “Overall, eating raw spinach is an excellent practice, as is eating cooked spinach,” says Manian. “I think if [people] are doing this any time of the day, that’s fantastic, and if they feel inclined to eat spinach in the morning, then that's also wonderful.”

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Food

The Making of an Internet-Famous Fruit: How Sumo Citrus Has Captured Hearts, Tastebuds, and a Devoted Following

photo of growers transporting many sumo citrus for review
Photo: Sumo Citrus® & W+G Creative
Published Feb 20, 2025

In Partnership With 

Sumo Citrus

Written by 

Maeve McCormick

Confession time: I love citrus—zesty limes squeezed on my tacos, fresh-squeezed orange juice on slow Sunday mornings, and the invigorating scent of grapefruit candles when I need to unwind. But when it comes to eating whole citrus fruits? Historically, not my thing. The mess of peeling, the sticky fingers, the rogue juice dribbling down my wrists—for me, most citrus has never been worth the (literal) squeeze.

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Then, one day, my roommate came home from the store with an oversized citrus I didn’t recognize. She told me I had to try a piece, while effortlessly peeling it in one smooth motion—no mess, no struggle. I skeptically accepted a slice, wondering what the big deal was. 

To my surprise, the experience was completely sticky-fingers-free. And the taste? Unlike any citrus I’d had before—enormously sweet, impossibly juicy, and balanced with just a hint of tang. That was my first bite of Sumo Citrus®—and now, I understand why The Office actress Jenna Fischer planted a Sumo Citrus tree in her yard, John Mayer peeled it on TikTok, and it has its very own merch (kind of eyeing that beanie, TBH).

So, what’s earned Sumo Citrus this devoted following? Sumo is taking the sweetness on the road for you to experience it yourself with the Tastemonial Tour—and it’s making a special stop at House of Good during our Ultimate Citrus Experience pop-up from February 21 to 23. Stop by for the hype if you're in Los Angeles, and read on to find out how this one-of-a-kind fruit became a seasonal fruit fixation.

sumo citrus with purple sticker

Find Sumo Citrus Near You

Sumo Citrus wasn’t just plucked from a tree one day and marketed as the next big thing—it’s the result of decades of careful cultivation, according to Sunnia Gull, AC Food’s vice president of marketing. First developed in Japan in the 1970s, it was naturally bred to combine the best traits of different citrus varieties—including the sweetness of mandarins, the juiciness of navel oranges, and the easy-to-peel skin of a satsuma.

Despite its popularity, growing Sumo Citrus is no easy feat. It takes years of expertise to perfect, and California’s Central Valley is the only place in the United States where it’s grown. Even then, farmers face unpredictable weather challenges, which means every piece of fruit that makes it to the store is a result of careful tending and patience.

The first thing you notice about Sumo Citrus is its size—it’s the largest variety of mandarins. The second? Its signature Top Knot®, a bump on top of the fruit that serves as an easier way to peel it. The skin practically lifts off, revealing plump, seedless segments that don’t leave your hands coated in juice and stubborn pith. 

Every Sumo Citrus is guaranteed to be incredibly sweet, thanks to each being measured on the “brix meter,” to ensure it meets sky-high sweetness standards before hitting shelves, Gull says. For those who prefer their fruit without surprise sour bites, it’s a game-changer.

Beyond its chef’s-kiss flavor and finally-I-don’t-need-a-wet-wipe convenience, Sumo Citrus packs a *serious* nutritional punch. Each fruit contains 163 percent of your daily vitamin C, along with fiber, potassium, and a flavonoid called hesperidin, which has antioxidant benefits. Whether you’re looking for immunity support, a gut-friendly snack, or a natural energy source, it fits the bill. Bonus: It’s the kind of snack I can toss in my bag and eat in two minutes flat—way better than the sad granola bar that’s been in my purse for the past three months.

And while Sumo Citrus is made to eat straight out of the peel, fans have gotten creative with how they use it. The fruit’s sweetness and juiciness make it an ideal addition to everything from bright citrus salads to zesty cocktails and refreshing desserts. Its bold flavor also complements savory dishes—think citrus-glazed salmon or a tangy dressing for roasted vegetables.

All of that creativity may be a result of the fact that Sumo Citrus is here for a good time, but not a long time. Unlike standard grocery store oranges that are available year-round, Sumo Citrus has a limited growing season, running only from January to April. This short window has created an almost cult-like following, with fans stocking up as soon as they see the signature purple sticker in stores. 

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I get it—now that I’ve experienced Sumo, I fully understand the impulse to grab them while they last. The anticipation is almost part of the appeal: Like cherry blossom season or holiday peppermint mochas, Sumo’s fleeting availability makes it even more special. And when the season ends? People (me) are already counting down the days until its return. Conclusion: Do yourself a favor and grab a few before they disappear for the year. Because once you’ve had a taste of this juicy citrus, there’s no going back.

Psst: Want a taste ASAP? The Sumo Tastemonial Tour is rolling into Belmont Park in San Diego from February 28 to March 1, Boreal Ski Resort in Tahoe from March 7 to 8, Craig Ranch Regional Park in Las Vegas from March 10 to 11, and La Encantada in Tuscon from March 14 to 15—or stop by House of Good in Venice Beach for the Ultimate Citrus Experience from February 21 to 23.

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