Naturally Stimulating Alternatives to Alcoholic Beverages

Having a beer with friends or chugging down cocktails at parties has become an essential aspect of our social lives. However, not everyone wants to socialize with alcohol. Years of scientific research has shown the detrimental effects alcohol has on the body. It’s addictive and too much of it could get you into legal trouble as well. Therefore, it’s really in your best interests to ditch the alcohol and switch to a different type of beverage. Therein lies the main challenge. So far, there is no safe alternative to alcohol that provides the same type of buzz that most alcoholics crave. However, there are several beverages that come really close. Here is a list of excellent alternatives to alcohol that will leave you stimulated but not drunk:

Raw Cacao Drinks

Cacao is the non-processed form of cocoa powder that you find in local supermarkets. Cacao is a moderately powerful stimulant packed with tryptophan, a well-known mood enhancer. Consuming cacao-based drinks can improve your mood and increase your energy levels so you can get in the party mood without liquor. Cacao drinks are not addictive and are perfectly legal in several situations. Cacao is healthy as well, as long as you don’t add a lot of sugar to your drink. If you crave alcohol, try to substitute with cacao drinks. You may not feel much of a difference except for the taste.

Marijuana Beer

What if a non-cereal grain beer exists, that doesn’t cause addiction, fill the body with toxins, or impair cognitive functioning? An ingenious entrepreneur, Dooma Wendschuh, thinks this synthehol-like beer can be brewed from marijuana plants. The type of cannabis beer Mr. Wendschuh and his company, Province Brands, is in the process of investing is not the same as beer infused with marijuana. Province is crafting a beer by using marijuana stems and other byproducts of commercial hemp plants. It solves a major waste problem and also results in a beer that is not as unhealthy to consume. Mr. Wendschuh is currently in the process of making this beer a reality, so stay tuned.

Alcarelle

What if you could have an alcohol substitute that doesn’t increase aggression levels like actual alcohol?  Alcarelle is an alcohol alternative developed by David Nutt, a former professor of Neuropsychopharmacology and an addiction advisor to the British government. Alcarelle contains chemical compounds that act like alcohol in your body but are not harmful. The beverage has yet to undergo safety testing, and when it does, you may have a superb alcohol alternative in your hands.

Kava Kava

Kava, Native to South Pacific countries, is hailed as a miracle plant by many. It’s known to ease anxiety, relieve headaches, and treat muscle pain among many other health benefits. Kava can be brewed into a drink as well. The beverage kava is said to be very similar to alcohol. It can give you a buzzy feeling but has no side-effects like alcohol. Kava stimulates the central nervous system, unlike alcohol, which depresses this part of the body. So, you can enjoy kava without all the negative consequences.

You could also try drinking tea or coffee. The above suggestions, however, have a much closer feel to alcohol than most other easily available beverages.