Recipe/Article from American Cancer Institute Research
Get Punchy Without Alcohol
Whether it’s rum punch or a glass of wine, plenty of alcohol flows during the holidays, right through midnight on New Year’s Eve. But taking it easy with the alcohol isn’t just a word to wise drivers. It’s a good idea for anyone to limit alcohol for good health and lower cancer risk.
Researchers have linked regular alcohol to head, neck and liver cancers, and believe it may be a culprit in higher risk for colon, rectal and breast cancers. (See “Cancer Experts Call for ‘Alcohol Facts’ Labels,”)
Alcohol affects men and women differently. A woman’s body has more fat and less muscle than a man’s. Alcohol can be diluted in water-holding muscle tissue, but not in fat tissue. That means alcohol lingers in a woman’s bloodstream longer so the health risks for cancer, liver disease or injury to an unborn child are greater. (See Should Women Drink Alcohol?)
Health experts recommend limiting alcohol consumption to one drink per day for women and two for men. One drink equals: 12 oz. of beer, 5 oz. of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor.
It can be challenging to rein in drinking in a social setting — but these strategies might help you make one drink last longer:
• Start with a non-alcoholic drink. When you do drink alcohol, choose a wine “spritzer” (wine mixed with club soda), a low-alcohol beer or a drink that is diluted with fruit juice or soda and ice. Take small sips of any drink so a little lasts a long time.
• Eat when you drink maybe save your alcoholic beverage to drink with dinner so you are not drinking on an empty stomach. Food will slow alcohol’s effects and take the focus off just “having a drink.”
• If you are a host, set filled water glasses next to every plate on the dinner table. Use small glasses to serve wine and other alcohol. Always provide plenty of non-alcoholic choices for your guests. (See recipes, below).
• If you’re a guest, offer to bring a fruity punch to the party for everyone. “Spike” it with something special like sparkling cider, an unusual fruit juice or a fruit nectar.
Recipes Below:
Pomegranate-Apricot Sparkler
Holiday Citrus Punch
Sparkling Grape
Party Punch
Fruit Punches Sparkle with Health Protection
Punches can be a chance to get creative. Mix up a warming drink, like hot apple cider diluted with an equal amount of ginger-flavored tea and spiced cinnamon for “wassail,” a word derived from the Norse phrase, “Be in good health.”
If making a cold punch, unsweetened frozen and thawed fruits, like strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and cherries are usually packaged with some juice and can be pureed in a blender to use as punch ingredients. Dilute them with other club soda and 100% juice.
The following recipes use just a few nutritious, low-sugar ingredients to make delicious drinks guests may like even more than the usual bar fare.
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Pomegranate-Apricot Sparkler
Tangy pomegranate juice is full of phytochemicals and makes a perfect base for a dazzling holiday punch.
1 1/2 cups cold pomegranate juice
1 1/2 cups apricot nectar
1 cup cold seltzer, lime-flavored if desired
Ice
1 fresh lime, quartered or kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced (optional)
In large pitcher, combine first 3 ingredients. Pour into ice-filled glasses. Garnish each glass with lime or kiwi wedge, if desired.
Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 105 calories, 0 g total fat (0 g saturated fat), 27 g carbohydrates, <1 g protein, <1 g dietary fiber, 14 mg sodium.
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Holiday Citrus Punch
This refreshing punch looks pretty on the table and is loaded with Vitamin C.
4 cups orange juice
2 cups 100% cranberry juice
4 cups sparkling water or club soda
1 orange, sliced horizontally into 1/4-inch slices
1 lime, sliced horizontally into 1/4-inch slices
In large punch bowl, combine juices and sparkling water or soda. Float orange and lime slices on top and serve.
Makes 20 servings (1/2 cup each). Per serving: 33 calories, 0 g total fat (0 g saturated fat), 8 g carbohydrates, <1 g protein, 0 g dietary fiber, 1 mg sodium.
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Sparkling Grape Party Punch
This punch provides the phytochemical resveratrol from grapes as an alternative to red wine. (See “Foods that Fight Cancer: Grapes and Grape Juice”)
1 bottle (46 oz.) 100% grape juice
1 bottle (25 oz.) sparkling apple-grape juice
4-6 cups sparkling spring water
1-1 1/2 cups 100% orange juice
2-4 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 thin lemon slices
4 thin orange slices
2 cups frozen grapes
Make sure all beverages are cold. Pour grape juice, sparkling apple grape juice, sparkling spring water, orange juice and lemon juice into large punch bowl. Add ice, if desired. Top with lemon slices, orange slices and grapes.
Makes 16 servings. Per serving: 91 calories, 0 g total fat (0 g saturated fat), 22 g carbohydrates, <1 g protein, <1 g dietary fiber, 10 mg sodium.
Whether it’s rum punch or a glass of wine, plenty of alcohol flows during the holidays, right through midnight on New Year’s Eve. But taking it easy with the alcohol isn’t just a word to wise drivers. It’s a good idea for anyone to limit alcohol for good health and lower cancer risk.
• Start with a non-alcoholic drink. When you do drink alcohol, choose a wine “spritzer” (wine mixed with club soda), a low-alcohol beer or a drink that is diluted with fruit juice or soda and ice. Take small sips of any drink so a little lasts a long time.
• Eat when you drink maybe save your alcoholic beverage to drink with dinner so you are not drinking on an empty stomach. Food will slow alcohol’s effects and take the focus off just “having a drink.”
• If you are a host, set filled water glasses next to every plate on the dinner table. Use small glasses to serve wine and other alcohol. Always provide plenty of non-alcoholic choices for your guests. (See recipes, below).
• If you’re a guest, offer to bring a fruity punch to the party for everyone. “Spike” it with something special like sparkling cider, an unusual fruit juice or a fruit nectar.
Pomegranate-Apricot Sparkler
Party Punch
Punches can be a chance to get creative. Mix up a warming drink, like hot apple cider diluted with an equal amount of ginger-flavored tea and spiced cinnamon for “wassail,” a word derived from the Norse phrase, “Be in good health.”
If making a cold punch, unsweetened frozen and thawed fruits, like strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and cherries are usually packaged with some juice and can be pureed in a blender to use as punch ingredients. Dilute them with other club soda and 100% juice.
The following recipes use just a few nutritious, low-sugar ingredients to make delicious drinks guests may like even more than the usual bar fare.
Tangy pomegranate juice is full of phytochemicals and makes a perfect base for a dazzling holiday punch.
1 1/2 cups cold pomegranate juice
1 1/2 cups apricot nectar
1 cup cold seltzer, lime-flavored if desired
Ice
1 fresh lime, quartered or kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced (optional)
In large pitcher, combine first 3 ingredients. Pour into ice-filled glasses. Garnish each glass with lime or kiwi wedge, if desired.
Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 105 calories, 0 g total fat (0 g saturated fat), 27 g carbohydrates, <1 g protein, <1 g dietary fiber, 14 mg sodium.
4 cups orange juice
2 cups 100% cranberry juice
4 cups sparkling water or club soda
1 orange, sliced horizontally into 1/4-inch slices
1 lime, sliced horizontally into 1/4-inch slices
In large punch bowl, combine juices and sparkling water or soda. Float orange and lime slices on top and serve.
Makes 20 servings (1/2 cup each). Per serving: 33 calories, 0 g total fat (0 g saturated fat), 8 g carbohydrates, <1 g protein, 0 g dietary fiber, 1 mg sodium.
1 bottle (46 oz.) 100% grape juice
1 bottle (25 oz.) sparkling apple-grape juice
4-6 cups sparkling spring water
1-1 1/2 cups 100% orange juice
2-4 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 thin lemon slices
4 thin orange slices
2 cups frozen grapes
Make sure all beverages are cold. Pour grape juice, sparkling apple grape juice, sparkling spring water, orange juice and lemon juice into large punch bowl. Add ice, if desired. Top with lemon slices, orange slices and grapes.
Makes 16 servings. Per serving: 91 calories, 0 g total fat (0 g saturated fat), 22 g carbohydrates, <1 g protein, <1 g dietary fiber, 10 mg sodium.
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