Mindful drinking: cheers to non-alcoholic drinks!
Dry January in January or Tournée Minérale in February: at the start of the year, we are reminded as usual of the importance of responsible alcohol consumption. With the arrival of new, healthier, more sophisticated, and tastier variants, non-alcoholic drinks are on the rise. Time for 'mindful drinking'!
What is 'mindful drinking'? In 'mindful drinking', we recognize the concept of 'mindfulness', which has been very trendy for several years. Nowadays, it is also applied to the consumption of alcoholic beverages, prompting us to rethink our own usage. The idea behind it? Abstinence is not the goal, but rather ensuring that you truly feel like having alcohol and are handling it responsibly.
Is alcohol compatible with health and well-being?
'Mindful drinking' proves that our lifestyle is changing. We are adjusting our behavior because we are paying increasing attention to the negative impact of alcohol on our health (alcohol is said to cause at least seven types of cancer!1) and on that of others. Think, for example, of road traffic (in Belgium, there were 4,224 alcohol-related accidents in 20222) or the social harm caused by alcohol consumption. In addition, various awareness campaigns (Dry January, Tournée Minérale), public health initiatives, and stricter regulations are trying to keep our alcohol consumption in check. As a result, non-alcoholic drinks are gaining an increasingly modern and responsible image, succeeding in appealing in particular to young professionals and followers of a healthy lifestyle.
The improved taste and quality of non-alcoholic products are crucial to their success
Why we don't say no to non-alcoholic drinks
If we want to combine our social interactions with non-alcoholic options from now on, these drinks must of course be appealing! We used to ignore them because their taste profile was judged to be substandard. However, investments in research (particularly into dealcoholization processes) and development have improved the quality and diversity of these products (wines, cocktails, beers3 or other fermented drinks), making the sensory experience more closely resemble that of alcoholic beverages. Non-alcoholic drinks are now attracting an increasingly broad and curious audience that is health-conscious, rather than just people who, for one reason or another, cannot drink alcohol, whether temporarily or otherwise.
Non-alcoholic is booming in Belgium
The non-alcoholic drinks sector is on the rise in our country, both in the development of new non-alcoholic drinks and in non-alcoholic alternatives to traditional beers, wines, and spirits. By the end of November 2024, one supermarket chain had already sold 40% more non-alcoholic beers than in 2023! During that same period, a study by the Belgian Hospitality Federation indicated that about 30% of their customers no longer drink alcohol.4 Will the Belgians eventually turn their backs on their beloved beer – one of their great specialties? According to Belgian Brewers, the Belgian brewers' federation, that is certainly not the case. Belgian brewers continue to expand their range and have now reached 100 different non-alcoholic beers!5 However, interest in non-alcoholic products is also bringing new specialties to the market. Local producers and start-ups (such as Rish and Botaniets) are innovating with original alternatives that are often in line with the concept of 'mindful drinking'. This is the case, for example, with fermented drinks, such as kefir and kombucha, which are promoted in some top Parisian restaurants as true grands crus6. Cheers!
Have you already succumbed to non-alcoholic? Share your favorite drinks on our Facebook and Instagram!
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