Healthy Drinking Delights

August 21st, 2008 by MeganMooren | Filed under Women's Health.

Keep Life Healthy–But Never Boring!

Amidst the scorching heat of the summer, what’s better than a cocktail to keep you refreshed (Besides a cabana boy fanning you with palm leaves)?

Any kind of alcohol is good for you in moderation (really?) but vitamin and antioxidant packed fruit–fresh fruit, not the syrup that comes in a can–is the secret to concocting a super drink. The following two drink recipes are fun and filled with fresh fruit–mix them up on a summer evening to catch a buzz you can feel good about.

White Wine Sangria

Recent research has found that the grapes used to make white wine also contains another variety of healthy antioxidants also found in red wine (haven’t you heard, a glass of red wine a day keeps the Dr. away???)

1 green apple

1 pear

1 orange

1 cup pineapple

1 plum

1 cup watermelon

2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

2 Tbsp. agave nectar

1 bottle White Wine

Dice the fruit. Add all the ingredients to wine and pour into a pitcher or punch bowl. Help yourself!

Blackberry Sunset

Blackberries are one of those ‘‘power foods”——the foods that doctors say are so chalk full of antioxidants that they will help prolong your life. When researching this drink, I read a study that when blackberries are paired with ethanol, the type of alcohol found in vodka, their antioxidant levels are kicked up a notch. Hey, I’ll take it.

1 medium handful of blackberries

2 oz orange juice

1 oz lime juice

1 oz lemon juice

1 oz agave nectar

3 oz vodka

Divide blackberries between two tall glasses. Fill glasses to the rim with ice. Combine the next five ingredients and pour over ice. Makes two servings.

Mix these up on a warm summer evening, invite over some friends and let the good times roll.