Now that the festive period is over and we say goodbye to the non-stop parties and events, we think it's safe to say that a few of us are out there regretting the overindulgence and need a total detox. So this January, we have challenged ourselves to Dry January – are you in?
What is Dry January?
Dry January is 31 days of drinking zero alcohol – a whole month to take a break and have a total reset for your mind, body and soul. Alongside your new year's resolutions, many people also take on Dry Jan to break bad habits and turn over a new leaf.
According to the UK charity Alcohol Change, the Dry January campaign started in 2013 with 4,000 people participating and has exploded, with over 130,000 people officially participating in 2022.
What Are The Benefits of Dry January?
Better Sleep
For some, having the odd nightcap helps them to relax and fall asleep; however, drinking too much alcohol before bed can damage the quality of your sleep. The reason for this is that alcohol has elements in it that can speed up the sleep process but skip the vital stages of a sound snooze, combine that with dehydration, and you're not in for a great night's sleep.
Statistics show that 71% of people's sleep behavioural patterns improved after cutting out alcohol for a month, and 67% of people felt like they had more energy.
Improved Energy Levels
Naturally, with more sleep comes more energy. So, if you're sick and tired of waking up with a heavy hangover, maybe it's time to quit the booze. Adapting to this new habit, you're more likely to feel better within yourself and may see yourself being more productive.
Stronger Immune System
As you probably already know, drinking too much alcohol can cause significant health issues, especially when it comes to your liver. By reducing how much alcohol you drink, you might even notice other improvements like losing weight, improved blood pressure, and a stronger immune system.
Change in Attitude
While it may seem like fun and games, having the odd drink or two at a get-together or with a meal – taking a month to detox is an excellent time to self-reflect and reassess how much you're drinking. On the plus side, you might even become a bit more money wise, just like 86% of people in one study who noticed they saved a few coins after Dry Jan.
Cocktails vs Mocktails – What is the most popular choice of drink?
Online search results show that more and more people are interested in non-alcoholic alternatives, as the term 'mocktails' had an average of over 8,100 searches per month in 2022. Meanwhile, the word 'cocktails' falls through with an average of 4,500 searches per month.
Using Google Trends to analyse the year-on-year changes – it's obvious that there are a couple of favourite mocktail recipes that people are searching for.
|
Mocktails vs Cocktail Trends |
YOY Change % |
|
mojito recipe |
110% |
|
mocktail recipes for kids |
90% |
|
Shirley Temple drink |
81% |
|
virgin mojito |
50% |
|
mocktail recipes |
50% |
|
pina colada mocktail |
50% |
*Google Trends Data for 23/12/2021 to 23/12/2022
Long Island Iced Tea is the most popular cocktail on TikTok, and here's how to make a mocktail version for Dry January.
#cocktails have an overwhelming 4.9 billion views on TikTok; meanwhile #mocktails have 357.2 million views. With half of its users being Gen Z, it's clear the social media platform has the most sought-after cocktail and mocktail recipes.
While users love to learn how to make different types of cocktails, from a Long Island iced tea to a Negroni Spagliato – this doesn't mean you can't learn how to make a mocktail alternative – read on for the mocktail versions of the top trending cocktails on TikTok!
2022's Biggest Cocktails/Mocktail Trends on TikTok
|
Types of Cocktails/Mocktails |
TikTok Views |
|
Long Island Iced Tea |
38,800,000 |
|
Margarita |
17,500,000 |
|
Strawberry Daquiri |
13,300,000 |
|
Mojito |
530,0000 |
|
Negroni |
240,0000 |
|
Espresso Martini |
240,0000 |
|
Manhattan |
176,000 |
|
Pornstar Martini |
6,196 |
|
Mimosa |
4,528 |
|
Pina Colada |
1,794 |
|
Cosmopolitan |
1,437 |
|
Zombie |
724 |
|
Bellini |
353 |
The Long Island Iced Tea (LIIT) is the most popular cocktail across the internet and consists of almost every bottle of liquor! Whether you're going on a detox from the festive period or don't drink alcohol, don't worry, as we've got the perfect mocktail recipes for you to get LIIT without ACTUALLY getting lit.
How to make Long Island Iced Tea at Home – MOCKTAIL EDITION
First things first, you'll need the following:
- 12 Black Tea bags – any brand will do!
- ¼ cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- 2 Cans (12 oz.) Non-Alcoholic Ginger Beer
- 3 Tbs Lemon Juice
- 4 Cups of Ice
- Lemon Slices and Mint Leaves
Number of servings: 6 glasses
Method:
Brew your tea bags with 4 cups of hot water for 4 minutes. Remove the tea bags and follow by adding cider vinegar, ginger beer, and lemon juice. Finally, once the tea is cool, fill your pitcher with ice, pour it in, and garnish it with lemon and mint.
How to Make a Margarita Mocktail
Ingredients:
- 2 Cups Limeade
- ¾ Cups Orange Juice
- ¼ Cup Simple Syrup
- ½ – 1 Cup Club Soda
- Sugar and Coarse Salt for Rim
- Lime Slices
- Ice
Number of servings: 4 glasses
Method:
Mix limeade, orange juice, and simple syrup in a small pitcher. Mix equal parts sugar and salt and pour it onto a plate. Slice the lime and run it across the rim of each serving glass. Dip the glass into the sugar/salt mixture to coat the rim.
Finally, fill the glass half full with ice and pour the limeade mixture to the top of each glass. Top the drinks with a splash of club soda and garnish with lime wedges.
How to Make a Virgin Strawberry Daquiri
Ingredients:
- 1 Ounce Fresh Lime Juice
- 3 Ounces Fresh Strawberries
- 1 Tsp Sugar
- Crushed Ice
- Strawberry Slices for Garnish
Number of servings: 1 glass
Method:
In a blender, combine the crushed ice, strawberries, sugar and lime juice until smooth. Depending on how you like your daiquiri, add more sugar and strawberries for a sweeter taste or lime juice for something a little more tart.
Finally, pour it into a glass and garnish it with strawberry slices.
Methodology
Monthly searches were sourced from SEMRush and Google Trends to analyse the year-on-year change. TikTok searches were used to discover the total number of views per search query.
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