Functional Beverages

As you navigate the world beyond alcohol, you might still want your drinks to “do something.” Not in the way alcohol does, but more in the sense of enhancing your mood, boosting your energy, or even helping you relax. Enter so-called “functional beverages”: drinks that are not only booze-free but also boast potential benefits thanks to their blend of adaptogens and/or nootropics.

Adaptogens are natural substances, often herbs, that help the body adapt to stress and promote a sense of balance. Common examples include ashwagandha, ginseng and rhodiola, known for their calming, energy-boosting and mood-enhancing properties, respectively. On the other hand, nootropics are substances that could improve cognitive function, particularly executive functions, memory, creativity or motivation. Most people are familiar with caffeine and, to a lesser extent, L-theanine – they’re both widely-used nootropics.