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In observance of Alcohol Awareness Month, a member of the Forbes Health editorial team tested a product or service designed to affect your relationship with alcohol use. For some, this meant replacing a glass of wine in the evening or reducing it. Others have focused on relieving hangovers that accompany a night out, and have occasionally succeeded in relieving tension without alcohol. This is how our experiments went.
Price: $25. 00 for a one-time purchase of 12 servings, $65. 00 for forty-five servings
Available at: apothecary and specialty retailers website
What it’s designed for: With a list of items including soulwort, jujube, aronia berry, acai berry, and MCT oil, Apothekary claims that this powdered supplement can decrease stress, improve immunity, and offer anti-inflammatory benefits. Specifically, Stop Your Wine-ing aims to combat chronic and mild anxiety, calm exhausted nerves and chest tightness. Best of all, it’s designed to cut anxiety in the moment without causing drowsiness. Boticario does not offer this product for pregnant individuals.
The functional herbs in this 20-calorie-per-serving supplement provide antioxidants and polyphenols similar to those provided by red wine, according to the company. The bitter taste of the motherwort combined with the herbaceous sweetness of the berries also gives it a taste reminiscent of red wine. It pairs well with a base of warm milk or maple syrup, says Apothekary, or even paired with tart cherry juice for a mocktail similar to red wine.
Why I tried: I love having a glass of wine after work and it’s become a habit to look forward to after a particularly stressful day. However, lately I’ve been focusing on pushing myself harder at the gym and eating healthier. in preparation for my upcoming wedding. I’m looking to lose a few more pounds before the big day, and cutting out my glass of wine for the evening could give me that extra kick I need: wine, after all, provides about 120 calories equivalent to those in the glass. Not to mention, those calories are empty and don’t provide any nutritional value.
Immediately, I was drawn to the appeal of this supplement, as it is particularly advertised as an alternative to wine. I found this technique refreshing: although I’m familiar with mocktails and other alternatives to spirits-based drinks, at the end of the day, I never fancy an old-fashioned gin and tonic or gin and tonic. When it comes to opting for my poison, wine is the winner.
I tried this supplement to see if it could help me like wine, without the empty calories; Even better if it tasted a little like a glass of Merlot.
How I tried it: I tried this powdered supplement in a variety of ways: a teaspoon combined with water and ice and served in a wine glass (to check it out and make my brain appreciate it more, I reasoned), as well as a teaspoon. It is mixed with hot water and served in a cup. The apothecary also has a handful of recipes on their website, and I tried one of their recommendations, mixing the supplement with tart cherry juice (higher in sugar than I’d prefer, but for the sake of this experience, I gave it a try).
My experience: No matter how I fed this supplement, I found it tasteless. This truth was a bit disappointing, as some reviews on Apothekary’s online page claimed that it tasted like wine, giving me hope of drinking a drink that would fill up the flavor. Pinot Noir punch, but without calories. Instead, it tasted a bit like flavored water. Mixed with tart cherry juice, it tasted similar to red wine, but was too sweet for my taste.
Still, I felt a little calmer after drinking my first glass of Apothecary, in the same way that CBD has a tendency to exhaust my nerves and release tension in my shoulders and jaw. I also discovered the ritual of preparing this drink with the sole objective. It seems to be comforting, much like opening a cork and pouring a glass of velvety red wine.
I don’t think this supplement updates all the benefits I get from a well-deserved glass of wine, which in addition to its calming effects includes a rich flavor that I enjoy. But if I need to cut calories during the day and if I feel like it, I’ll choose this supplement as a proper, albeit tasteless, upgrade.
Price: $32 for a 25-gram bag (plus $5. 85 shipping)
Available at: All Natural Artisan website
What it’s designed for: Kanna, a plant local to South Africa, has been used for centuries to improve mood, relieve tension, and promote a calmer state of mind. This herb can help relieve or manage symptoms of depression, anxiety, and irritability caused by menstruation or menopause, according to All Natural Artisan, it should not be used with certain antidepressants, adding MAOIs and SSRIs.
Why I tried: As someone who suffers from anxiety, I need to incorporate herbal (and legal) stress remedies into my wellness program. I tried trying this product as an alternative to alcohol, which often increases my anxiety.
How I used it: Since Kanna originated in South Africa, I combined All Natural Artisan’s kanna powder with orange rooibos tea (an herb also local to South Africa) for a more original experience. I drank this concoction every night for a week or two before bedtime.
My experience: I was pleasantly surprised by kanna. I came with low expectations, as many versions of herbs, supplements, and exotic plants seem too promising and underrated, in my opinion.
While I can’t say that I’ve experienced much of the “euphoric state of the brain” touted by some kanna enthusiasts, I can verify that I feel gently lifted and calm, with a break that begins in a while after a few sips. of Kanna tea. This delicious feeling, at least for me, lasted for more than two hours. At night is when my brain speeds up and I’ll most likely be tormented by thoughts of worry, but most nights on my first vacation with kanna, I’ve avoided any primary anxiety attacks. I can also verify that I slept like a bath the first night after enjoying a cup of kanna.
Information on the dosage of kanna powder is scarce, so I use a few pinches of powder in a well-brewed tea. I would recommend starting with very small amounts to see how it affects you and then you can adjust accordingly.
The powder, which is earthy brown and smells a bit like freshly plowed soil, is very soluble, but it mixes with some effort. It tastes exactly like it smells and looks, which is a great way to say, “Mix it with anything else that tastes good. “
Overall, I would recommend one hundred percent giving kanna a try, either as a replacement for alcohol or as an all-natural way to relieve stress. I can’t say that I experienced any primary negative side effects after eating kanna, adding the following morning, which is much more than what other people can say about alcoholic beverages.
—Robby Brumberg, Associate Editor, Forbes Health
Price: $30 for a pack of 8
Available at: Manufacturer’s website, thezeroproof. com, Amazon, and specialty retail stores and grocery markets nationwide.
What it’s designed for: Kin Euphorics offers 3 canned goods: Kin Spritz, Lightwave, and Bloom (for my test, only Kin Spritz and Lightwave were available), as well as custom-made drinks.
Kin Spritz is a frothy drink meant to refresh a cup of coffee in the morning, a pre-workout supplement, and/or a cocktail party at a happy social hour. The company claims that it can help you with your mood, your artistic expression, and developing your sense of clarity and focus. Its featured ingredients include rhodiola rosea, 5-HTP, and GABA. One can also contains 50 milligrams of caffeine.
Lightwave, on the other hand, is a nighttime option for a wine-based routine. The company suggests that its formulas help promote emotions of softness, balance, and calmness for those looking to do so in a healthy way. The ingredients come with reishi mushroom, L-theanine, and L-tryptophan.
Why I tried: I enjoy my glass of wine (or two) in the evening as part of my relaxation ritual, but I’m also well aware of what the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) does: seven or more drinks a week for women. If I quit after two drinks, my sleep is unaffected and my energy is at its peak the next day, but technically I’m still doing too much. So I tried to take a look at a drink that I can swap out for a glass of wine and relieve that same oral fixation and want to relax, but with adaptogens like reishi mushrooms and rest-promoting ingredients L-theanine and L-check outtophan instead of alcohol.
How I used it: Since Kin Euphorics sells cans of Kin Spritz and Lightwave together, I wanted to try them out even though my real goal was to rest. One night, I took a sip of Kin Spritz while making dinner and chatting with my husband. , then I poured a Lightwave for a while in front of the TV. Another night I settled for just a Lightwave after drinking seltzer for dinner. And some other night, I doubled down with Lightwave, grabbing a can in a while after completing my workday and some after dinner to gauge its power.
My experience: I enjoyed the dynamic flavors of those two drinks from Kin Euphorics. Kin Spritz is citrusy, herbaceous, and bitter, just like I like my cocktails. Lightwave, meanwhile, is earthy, a little spicy, and pleasantly reminiscent of root beer. . Both are more productive served on the rocks, as the carbonation goes away faster than I’d like if sipped. They served their purpose as well: I didn’t want or desire any other glasses while enjoying one, which meant that my wine consumption especially decreased during my attempt. In the future, I’d be much more likely to buy Lightwave instead of Kin Spritz, as it’s designed to relax at the end of the day, and I think this has helped promote a mild sense of calm. Meanwhile, the caffeine content of the Kin Spritz makes me nervous since I’ll probably only drink it at the end of the day (I know it’s a mocktail, but I can’t believe I drink one instead of coffee). in paintings or before). exercise).
—Alena Hall, Editor-in-Chief, Forbes Health
Price: $19. 99 for 30 pills (3 pills per serving)
Available in: Amazon
What it’s designed for: This supplement is designed to “help other healthy people after a night out. “The formula, which includes milk thistle, green tea, schisandra and artichoke, is designed to replenish nutrients and minerals that are lost after drinking alcohol. It also contains magnesium, nutrients C, B1, B6, B9, B2, and B12, and much more. You can take the supplement daily, but if you drink alcohol, you deserve to take a second dose before bed that night, according to the company.
Why I tried: In recent years, I haven’t had much to drink without feeling sick the next day, with lack of sleep, headaches, and general fog as a result of even moderate consumption. I tried to see if this supplement would help my hangover.
How I used it: I took this supplement before drinking a few glasses of wine and then before going to bed that night, according to the directions on the product label.
My experience: As I get older, my ability to handle alcohol decreases, no matter how much exercise I get and no matter how healthy I eat. I’ve never been a big drinker, but I do enjoy a bit of wine and the occasional cocktail. Until a few years ago, I didn’t hesitate to order a glass or two of red wine with dinner. I love the taste of it and of course the slight effect that helps a run-and-run mom relax. But lately, I’ve noticed that my subsequent mornings aren’t as cold. A few glasses of wine, just one glass of wine, are enough to make me feel dizzy, with a headache and a bit of a hangover the next day.
Enter the Drinkwel Better Mornings Premium Multivitamin Supplement. I made the decision to give it a try because my same old regimen of hydrating like crazy and taking my normal multivitamins before a few drinks was no longer enough. I invited my most productive friend over and we had a few glasses of wine on Sunday afternoon. She was surprised: it’s not the same as drinking every day, because it doesn’t make us feel anything wonderful. I explained that I had bought something that could help us recover. best of our weekend, and she completely agreed. We swallowed the pills and I packed the dose for her to take before bed. We had our wine and some clever best-friend gossip, which ended at 5:30 p. m. , we’re not 25 anymore. I took my pills before bed, drank plenty of water, and fell asleep with my hands crossed.
The results? Pretty good, surprisingly.
I’ll admit I’m a big skeptic: I didn’t think I’d notice the difference the next morning. But I felt normal, even if he was a little sleepy. I didn’t have a headache or fog like I used to get after a few drinks. My friend texted me that morning and told me the same thing, noting that she slept a lot more than ever after drinking.
Our verdict? It’s probably worth it, especially if you drink infrequently. A pack of 30 pills for $20 turns out to be a small value to pay for an occasional drink without problems with friends.
—Valerie Williams, Associate Editor, Forbes Health
Price: $40 consistent with the bottle
Available at: House website
What it’s designed for: Made with herbal ingredients, Haus aims to offer a new and easier way to enjoy an evening cocktail as an aperitif (liqueurs of a lighter variety derived from fruits, plants, and herbs). Inspired by Europeans. Traditionally, Haus creates a variety of flavored appetizers with low amounts of alcohol by volume (ABV), so you can (hopefully) have a hangover in the morning. Haus drinks can be taken neat, on the rocks, with mineral water or tonic, or combined in a spritz or with a spirit of your choice.
All Haus products are made at the company’s facility in Sonoma, California, where its farm-fresh ingredients are dipped in cognac and then blended with naturally fermented distilled grapes and uncooked organic cane sugar. The logo offers 8 flavors, ranging from lighter palates targeting citrus like lemony lavender and jalapeño grapefruit to shades like high-spiced cherry or “New Fashioned,” the old edition of Haus.
Why I tried: I enjoy a Manhattan on a cold winter afternoon or a margarita during a summer sunset, but I don’t like how I feel the next morning. Although I regularly save my cocktails for the weekend, I prefer to avoid them. a foggy feeling in the morning, if I can. For those nights when I’d like to relax with a little more flavor than a glass of wine, every once in a while I crave a lighter option and a lower number of calories never hurts.
How I used it: I ordered the Lavender Lemon and New Fashioned flavors from Haus in hopes of finding an option for a spring floral cocktail and a replacement for my favorite Manhattan. The first time I tried the “New Fashioned” as an after-dinner appetizer at a Friday night. I poured it over stones and drank it cold. A few days later, I tried Haus Cocktail’s lemon and lavender appetizer, a brand-recommended recipe made with two servings of lemon and lavender and a component of sparkling water or tonic, and added a lemon to it. Wedge for garnish.
My experience: The main merit of Haus snacks is that the company’s claim that they relieve hangover pain is true. The first time I tried Haus on a Friday night after a glass of red wine, I served the “New Fashioned” over ice. cream and he sipped it as a drink after dinner, unlike what an aperitif serves, since it is designed to be enjoyed before lunch.
The “New Fashioned” flavor was lighter than I expected and tasted impossible to resist like cloves, one of the main ingredients of the flavor. However, it lacked the vintage spiciness of an outdated product, and even tasted mildly medicinal. rather than plant-based. However, as a self-proclaimed lightweight, a glass of wine paired with a cocktail regularly gives me a headache in the morning, and I’m happy to report that this wasn’t the case with Haus.
Then I tasted the lemon lavender flavor, served with lemon and seltzer over ice. This time, I drank it before dinner while cooking, true to its original purpose. On a warm spring day, I found this cocktail to be precisely what I expected in terms of lightness, and I once again had the advantage of having no repercussions the next morning. However, the taste leaves a lot to be desired. For a drink with lavender in its name and indexed as a key item, I was disappointed to learn that it only had light hints of grass. As for the lemon, another important element of the drink, it lacked the new citrus flavor I was looking for. and instead feels like a synthetic sweetener, the logo claims that all flavors are natural.
Haus is easy to drink: you just pour in and add your own toppings or mixers to your liking, and it turns out that it will allow you to have a cold morning the next day. However, keep in mind that my experience was based on one Haus drink each time and the number of drinks you drink can determine how you will feel the next day.
The next time you enjoy Haus, it’s probably not on the rocks, but as part of a cocktail. I’ll pair “New Fashioned” with a favorite bourbon for extra depth, and try lemon lavender with a twist of process to create the brand’s recommended spritz recipe. Anyway, I’ll be hoping to have a clear cerebral morning.
—Jessica Lester, Editor-in-Chief, Forbes Health
Price: $12 for one month, $29 for 3 months, and $99 for one year
Available in: Sunnyside. co
What it’s designed for: Cutting back on alcohol has many benefits, and whether you need to clean up your nutrition or increase your budget, drinking less alcohol can help. Sunnyside is an online subscription service that uses a psychology-based technique to help you track your habit and manage your SMS consumption with personalized recommendations, weekly planning, tracking, progress analysis, and much more.
Why I tried: During the COVID-19 pandemic, many people turned to alcohol to deal with stress and other emotions. I went to my field in case new variants brought restrictions. I’m not looking to cut out cocktails entirely, but I’d rather control my drinking and adopt healthier habits.
How I tried it: My main goal was to track my alcohol consumption to be more aware of my alcohol consumption. After all, recording the number of drinks you drink each day makes you think twice about taking that third drink. Anyone can check out Sunnyside for free, which is the first thing I learned when I started the 15-day trial.
My Experience: Sunnyside prompted me to complete a goals questionnaire, which focused on my current drinking behavior and the most productive drinking practices for others my age and gender. The platform then provided me with a personalized weekly plan detailing how many drinks I had. drank throughout the week and how many drinks they offered me on each specific day.
According to Sunnyside, my ideal amount is 12 drinks or less total to avoid excessive alcohol consumption and hangovers, decrease my dependence on alcohol in social situations, and my physical fitness and well-being. (Note: the longer you stay there, the more Sunnyside learns your taste and you can adapt. ) Most of the experience was done on my phone, aside from the mothership flavor dashboard I can see on my desktop, which showed my overall goals and progress, as well as helpful tips.
One thing I appreciated was the way the procedure played out via text message. I didn’t want to download an app and it seemed available to other people of all ages and levels of tech savvy. I woke up every morning to a message full of graphics and emoji faces, wondering how many drinks I had had the night before and obviously showing the effects of the week so far. All he had to do was answer with a number indicating the number of drinks he had had the day before.
I can be even more detailed if I choose to, answering the types of drinks I drank or any other nuanced questions, such as asking for help if I suffer from a particularly complicated temptation. Sunnyside also provides the ability to communicate with a real-life Human Coach, the ultimate personalized experience on the platform.
Although the entire program was very straightforward, I discovered a drawback: since the program divided my total drinks similarly during the week, for example I was allowed two drinks on Monday, while I normally didn’t drink anything that day. A near-constant tap from the platform, it rarely alerted me with a message and made me think about alcohol when I had something completely different in mind.
Still, in the first 30 days, members see an average of 29 cents of relief on their drinks, 1,500 fewer calories consumed and at least $50 in savings, according to the website. It remains to be seen whether those trends will continue for me. However, I hope to continue to expand my knowledge about alcohol. On the other hand, anyone facing a more severe alcohol use disorder seeks professional help.
—Shawn Carter, associate editor, Forbes Health
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