According to YouGov, a third of Brits have already slipped up and fallen off the Dry January wagon – with 16 per cent succumbing by January 3rd. If your New Year’s resolutions are going just as well, we’ve got some CBD soft drink suggestions that can help you get back on track.
Meet MEDA
Identifying a gap in the UK CBD market to add a nutraceutical-focused beverage collection to the existing capsules, tinctures and creams that were out there, London-based MEDA launched its functionally-focused beverages back in August.
Designed with those with busy, demanding lives in mind, they blend CBD (cannabidiol) with synergistic ingredients including turmeric, ginger, aloe vera, magnesium and chamomile to help restore the body’s balance and offer a range of benefits.
Choose from its selection of six drinks and you can help to ease anxiety and tension (with Calm), boost the immune system (Defence), reduce inflammation (Recover), improve focus and cognitive performance (Focus), strengthen and nourish your skin (Glow) or aid sleep (Sleep). Each bespoke blend comes in a 150ml shot-style formula and contains 15mg of THC-free, micro liposomal organic cannabidiol, which both maximises the absorption and wellness benefits of the CBD.
If that wasn’t enough to help you get through the rest of the month, MEDA has also teamed up with The Coral Room in Bloomsbury, London and its Head Mixologist Stefan Pohold to create four mood-enhancing virgin cocktails (priced at £10 each) for your alcoholic-free start to 2020.
Incorporating MEDA’s bestselling Glow, Calm, Recover and Espresso Medatini, Stefan has mixed lime juice, cardamom bitter and elderflower syrup to create a Glow Spritz; lemon juice, peppermint cordial and strawberry purée for the Calming Coral; caramel cream, chilli bitters and coffee tonic for a Wake Up Call and Seedlip grove with grapefruit and lime shrub for his Recover & Revive. As well as being a tasty alternative to yet another soda and lime, these cocktails help to boost your mood, reduce inflammation, enhance memory and concentration.
The MEDA team said: “We are thrilled to be partnering with The Coral Room on this range of mocktails for Dry January. Each of the mocktails has been expertly blended to enhance the flavours of MEDA Calm, Glow, Recover and our Espresso Medatini, and they are a perfect option for anyone looking to introduce CBD into their lifestyle.”
Try TRIP
The husband and wife team behind TRIP also recognised CBD as one of the hottest ingredients of the moment and launched three drinks of their own last year.
Finding CBD for different reasons, TRIP’s co-founder Dan started using it to aid recovery from a knee injury while his wife, Olivia, found it helpful to relieve stress from the daily chaos that came with being a lawyer.
Wanting to help others enjoy CBD’s benefits in an accessible way they launched TRIP, combining natural adaptogens, rich in antioxidants, with 15mg of organically grown, broad-spectrum CBD per 250ml can (priced at £2.99 per can).
Choose from the range’s three flavours – Cold Brew Coffee and the lightly sparkling Elderflower Mint and Peach Ginger – and you can also expect ingredients such as ginseng, chamomile and turmeric that encourage calm, improve immunity and focus.
With Dry January in mind, the drinks are not only delicious served chilled, straight up, but also work well mixed into non-alcoholic cocktails. With no added sugar and less than 20 calories per can, TRIP is the lowest sugar CBD drink on offer on the UK market and a great alternative to sugary soft drinks and energy drinks that you may be substituting your usual boozy fix for.
The TRIP team said: “Everyone knows giving something up is tough if you don’t replace it with something else you enjoy! It’s a lot easier to pass on a G&T if you have a CBD-infused drink instead. Sometimes alcohol signals you are taking a decision to unwind, and drinking TRIP is the perfect alternative, so you can find your calm.”