A few years after her drinking, Logan Denzer decided to give it a try Non-alcoholic beer and mocktail While others around her are having a real drink Alcohol.
The 27-year-old from Los Angeles, who considers these drinks as a “great solution,” said “many people are out of place” when others are absorbing them.
Millions of Americans agree – including others recovering from addiction, Reduce their drinking And the number increase Young adults who fully forge alcohol.
They fueled booming industries. Recent research has shown that you drink less or nothing. It’s a much healthier way. Alcohol is associated with cancer, injuries and many other issues.
Still, health experts say non-alcoholic drinks are not for everyone, especially if they can cause alcohol cravings. These so-called NA drinks are intended to mimic alcohol in a variety of ways, including appearance, smell, and taste.
“It’s important to realize that these are probably not all-purpose products,” says Molly Bowdling, a researcher at Stanford University. “You may see your peers, friends and family members using them without any issues, but it really brings back to your own individual experience.”
This article is part of the AP’s proper coverage focused on wellness, fitness, diet and mental health. read more.
“Zebra stripes” help to reduce alcohol
Retail sales of non-alcoholic wines, beer and spirits skyrocketed to $823 million last year. This said 10 NA customers have purchased more than nine alcohol, according to market research firm Nielseniq.
“They don’t necessarily want to drink it a week or switch to certain occasions,” said Marcos Salazar of the Adult Non-Alcoholic Beverage Association. “So they may have alcoholic beverages, and then they may have adult non-alcoholic beverages. It’s called zebra striping… and it kind of extends the night.”
Ankop Mitchell, a retired man who recently tasted various NA drinks at a Monday morning bottle shop in San Diego, does this version.
“If you want to drink wine with dinner, you don’t feel guilty. You can enjoy that wine. And if you want to have a spirit, since you’re celebrating someone’s birthday or champagne, I do it. “It’s a way to continue the social patterns of drinking that I enjoy.”
Typical beer volumes have around 5% alcohol, but NA drinks are only allowed at about 0.5%, almost the same as ripe bananas. People sometimes choose them before exercise or driving when they don’t want to be drunk.
More mocktails on the menu are in positive health, but look at the sugar
An online survey conducted with colleagues has shown that the majority of people who drink both drinks say NA drinks can help reduce alcohol use.
That will make their growing popularity generally a positive trend, said Dr. Joseph Lee, CEO of the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, an addiction treatment and advocacy organization.
“When I go to restaurants, they’re on the menu and now they’re just part of the standard,” said Lee, a psychiatry and addiction drug expert. “These are very healthy things to look at at a broader public health level.”
But there’s a catch. Drinks like mocktails made with soda or sweet syrup have a high level of sugar. The American Heart Association recommends limiting sugar to about 6 cups per day for women and 9 teaspoons per day for men. A 12-ounce can of soda itself contains 10 teaspoons.
Who should be wary of NA drinks?
This photo is clear for those with drinking problems.
People who are being treated for alcohol use disorder have had a variety of successes using NA drinks to reduce or stop drinking, Bowdling said.
“They have a lot of alcohol-related cues,” she said. “They are so similar to alcohol that they can actually cause a craving for full-strength alcohol, leading people to go back to alcohol use.”
When Denzer first settled seven years ago, she and her friends avoided drinking NA drinks.
“Well, this tastes like beer and we were sober for a year so we were going to associate that taste with actual alcohol, so we were pretty opposed to it,” said Denzer, who was treated at Hazelden Betty Ford. “As time passed, we became more open.”
But it’s not for everyone, she said, “especially for those who are on new or unstable ground with recovery.”
Experts agreed that NA drinks would be even more appropriate along the recovery line.
“Everyone’s journey will be a little different,” Bowdling said. “I encourage people to just know how these drinks are affecting them.”
That’s the bottom line, even for those who aren’t dealing with alcoholism.
You need to “authorize your own health risks without judgement, in almost the same way that most people can look at their family history and measure everything from diabetes to breast cancer,” Lee said. “At the end, you really need to know yourself.”
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Video journalist Javier Arciga contributed to this story in San Diego.
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