Paleo Alcohol Options

Let’s face it.  If you’re going to drink alcohol at least one day of the year, it’s going to be New Year’s Eve.  Hey, I don’t judge!  Let’s celebrate that we survived another year with some fun!  But if you’re like me and trying to do the least amount of damage when you’re going to drink, then you’re probably looking for the most ‘paleo’ drinks you can have.  That’s where this article comes in!  Yay!

So first things first, realize you are not being paleo and accept it.  It’s okay!  Me, personally, I don’t adhere to a 100% strict paleo diet. There are a few reasons.  One of them being that I believe avoiding certain things 100% will cause your body to react incredibly bad when you do accidentally have a taste of it.

 Another reason, that has more to do with this particular post, is that I also like to live my life and have fun. There’s been plenty of studies that have stated that moderate alcohol consumption is not only not bad for you, but even  “eight proven ways to reduce coronary heart disease risk” according to Harvard researchers.

Let’s get to the important stuff, here are some healthier drink options for the fun adult in you:

Red Wine

Notice how I specifically point out RED wine, and not white wine?  Well, it’s due to the antioxidants from the skin and seeds of red grapes.  Scientists believe the antioxidants, called flavonoids, reduces production of low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (also know as the “bad” cholesterol), boosts high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (the good cholesterol), and also prevents blood clots.  

Other than cardiovascular benefits, there’s also been other studies that red wine helps diabetics regulate their blood sugar, boost brain power, and resveratrol (antioxidant in wine) was found to inhibit cancer-feeding protein.

If you’re thinking to yourself “but, in my experience, I don’t like red wine!” then you might want to try out a red wine sangria sometime!  Buy a red wine to your taste (sweeter or drier?) and then chop up some fruit to throw in there!  Or if you want a recipe, check out this Red Wine Sangria recipe.

Hard Cider

Hard cider is a fermented  alcoholic beverage typically made from apples or pears.  Because of this it is naturally gluten free (I’d still double check to make sure the brand you have IS gluten free if you have Celiac Disease or are extremely sensitive to gluten though.  

Recently, scientists have confirmed that there are high levels of healthy antioxidants in cider.  The antioxidants in hard apple cider may help lower risks of medical problems like heart disease and cancer.

Looking for gluten free cider?  Here’s a list.

Spirits

Not all spirits are made equally.  Bourbon, Gin, Whiskey are grain based, so if you’re trying to stay grain free, they’re probably out of the question.  Now, vodka can be both grain based or potato based, so you would have to make sure what kind it is before drinking.  Spirits that aren’t grain based include Rum, Tequila, Brandy, and potato based Vodka.

I recommend ordering/making/drinking drinks made with the spirits that are not grain based along with fruit.  (REAL fruit.  Not sugary fake fruit juice.)  Some drinks that come to mind:

• Margaritas – Paleo Margaritas
• Mojitos – Naturally Sweetened Mint Mojito
• Gin Martini – Low-Carb Gin Fizz
• Brandy Metropolitan – Metropolitan
• Screwdriver – Screwdriver
• Bloody Mary – Fresh Tomato Bloody Marys
• Miami Vice Cocktail – Recipe here!

All right, that’s all I can think of for now.  So if you have any questions, feel free to comment and I will get back to you!

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