10 Healthy Christmas Drinks

30 November 2016

It's typically during the festive season that endeavours to stay healthy go out of the window as we tuck into cakes, chocolate and other things that, well, aren't exactly renowned for their nutritional value.

But it's perfectly possible to enjoy yourself while still taking care of your waistline. To help demonstrate how, here are ten examples of tasty but healthy drinks to enjoy over the festive period. Christmas parties here we come. 

Early Christmas
The name alone likely explains why we're listing this drink first. However, being very easy to make from dark crème de cacao and Drambuie, it's genuinely good for early festivities.

Vegan eggnog
Prepared with the right amounts of soy milk, whipped egg, cloves, nutmeg, brandy and maple syrup, this eggnog looks as white and beautiful as falling snow on a White Christmas.

Campari with a pear puree
This is recommended due to the low number of both calories and ingredients; it's made by throwing together Campari, pear puree and aromatic white wine.

Ginger pear and brandy cocktail
If you ever find yourself too cold on a festive night, get this drink, the ingredients of which include fresh ginger, pear juice, cognac and lemon rind twists, down your neck.

Cosmopolitan champagne
Champagne seems like a pretty standard drink to treat yourself to at Christmas. This type adds cranberry and fresh lime juice for a healthier beverage.

The King's Ginger
So-called as King Edward VII, who was reigning when this drink was first produced by Berry Bros & Rudd in 1903, was fond of consuming it during morning trips in his Daimler.

White hot-hot chocolate
A chocolate drink, healthy? Have we gone bonkers? Actually, the cayenne pepper and ground cinnamon in this makes for a chocolate drink with a lessened burden on health.

Bolshoi basil
Throw in Russian standard vodka, lime juice, basil leaves, soda water and ice cubes for a drink that will simultaneously warm your cockles and, thanks to the basil, satiate your sweet tooth.

Hendrick's Gin
Do you know that this gin punch was a favourite of esteemed Victorian novelist Charles Dickens? The ingredients include cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, orange twists, pineapple and honey.

Wassail punch
No wonder this festive punch can satisfy on so many levels - the ingredients list is super-lengthy! It is also, to an extent, flexible; apples, cloves, dry sherry, grated nutmeg, allspice berries, cinnamon sticks, castor sugar, cider and brandy are among the many potential ingredients of a great wassail punch.