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Alcohol-free Beverages: a Healthy Option?
On the other hand, it may be wise to limit:
- Highly sweetened ready-to-drink mocktails;
- Beverages containing large amounts of syrups or concentrated fruit juices;
- Alcohol-free beverages consumed daily as a replacement for water or other low-sugar beverages.
As a general rule, choose beverages that provide ideally less than 5–10% Daily Value (%DV) for sugars per serving, and limit products containing 15% DV or more.
In Summary
Non-alcoholic beverages reduce the risks associated with alcohol consumption. However, “alcohol-free” does not automatically mean “healthy”. As with many processed products, nutritional quality varies widely from one product to another. Some drinks contain higher levels of added sugars, while others use sweeteners or are low in sugar. The ideal approach is therefore a nuanced one: reducing alcohol intake is beneficial, but one must also pay attention to the nutritional content of the alternatives.
Sources
Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction. Canada’s Guidance on Alcohol and Health. 2023.
World Health Organization. No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health. 2023.
Bowdring MA, et al. Advising patients on the use of non-alcoholic beverages that mirror alcohol: a review for healthcare providers. 2024.
Cleveland Clinic. Healthy Nonalcoholic Drink Options. 2024.
Catarino M, et al. Techniques for dealcoholization of wines and their impact on wine quality. Foods. 2021;10(12):3184.
Diabetes Canada Clinical Practice Guidelines Expert Committee. Diabetes Canada 2023 Clinical Practice Guidelines.
Malik VS, Popkin BM, Bray GA, et al. Sugar-sweetened beverages and risk of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2010;33(11):2477-2483.
Author
Lyna is a McGill University–trained registered dietitian and has been a member of the Ordre des diététistes-nutritionnistes du Québec (ODNQ) since 2020. Through several years of varied clinical experience, she has developed a strong interest in science-based nutrition that is meant to be understood and applied in everyday life. Always with her glass of mint tea, she enjoys making complex nutrition concepts clear, practical, and accessible. She is particularly interested in the development of tools and projects with a broad positive impact, supporting informed and sustainable food choices.
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