3 Healthier Margarita Mocktail Recipes

You probably know drinking alcohol isn’t necessarily healthy. While the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020–2025 allow for up to 1 drink per day for women and up to 2 drinks per day for men, the truth is that even drinking in moderation may be risky. The World Health Organization itself released a statement in January 2023 saying that there is no level of alcohol consumption that doesn’t negatively affect health.

In the United States, more people are joining the so-called "sober-curious" movement, partaking in annual events like Dry January and Sober October, while some are forgoing booze altogether, year-round. The sale of nonalcoholic beverages increased almost 21 percent between August 2021 and August 2022, data from NielsenIQ suggests.

Among drinkers, one alcoholic drink that has remained popular is the classic margarita. Here’s a buzzy stat for you: Every hour, Americans guzzle 185,000 of them, according to the South Florida Reporter. The website notes 56 percent of the population lists the beverage as its choice order when going out.

It probably comes as no surprise to hear this sugary drink isn’t nutritious. The average margarita contains about 274 calories, 36 grams (g) of carbohydrates (all from sugar), 18.4 g alcohol, and 0 g fiber, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

If you’re a margarita lover yourself, and are either looking to cut back on drinking or slash cals or sugar, you’re in luck: These simple and delicious “margaritas” each contain only three main ingredients, and have fewer calories and sugar, and lots more fiber, vitamins, and minerals than the traditional beverage.

Whether you’re abstaining completely, sober-curious, or merely looking to try something new, we’ve got the drink for you. In only five minutes, you could be sipping one of these delightful margarita mocktails.