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11 Best Summer Mocktails

By Holly Darnell, RD

June 20, 2024

Summer is the season for relaxing and sipping cold drinks. However, not all of us want a cocktail (too much booze) or a soda pop (too much sugar). Instead, a classy mocktail can fit the bill.

Mocktails have become very popular, as they’re now served in most restaurants as well. You can make your own, including with more nutrients yet just as much taste.

Check out these mocktails that often feature one of Ancient Nutrition’s collagen powders alongside a few key ingredients to produce a colorful, delicious result.

What Is a Mocktail?

Mocktails are non-alcoholic drinks that are usually designed to imitate regular cocktails minus the alcohol. For example, a mocktail margarita, a virgin Bloody Mary or virgin piña colada.

Mocktails help you enjoy a “fun” drink but without any alcohol (or any of the side effects of that alcohol consumption).

The word mocktail is an abbreviation for “mock cocktail.” They came about because while cocktails continued to be popular, more and more customers wanted a nonalcoholic option rather than only being left with sparkling water or, worse, a soda.

Mocktail Ingredients

The best mocktails offer a refreshing, delicious taste and are presentable, plus they ideally feature a few healthy ingredients. Ideally, they’re not high in sugar or full of empty calories.

Instead, they feature fresh ingredients as well as a healthy liquid base.

The best liquid for a cocktail base include mineral water, coconut water, green tea and even kombucha.

Other ingredients include fresh juices like pineapple, orange, lime, lemon, pomegranate, açaí berry and noni. Sometimes some coconut milk may also be added.

Other healthy ingredients include herbs like mint and basil, along with spices like turmeric, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.

Benefits of Mocktails

• More nutrients: Using fruits and fresh herbs means more micronutrients and antioxidants

• More protein: When you use collagen protein, you’ll be getting more protein into your day

• Easy to make and inexpensive

• No hangovers

• Hydrating: While alcohol is dehydrating, cocktails made with Multi Collagen Advanced Hydrate, coconut water or sparkling mineral water do the opposite.

• Non-addictive

Best Summer Mocktails

1. Frozen watermelon margarita

Watermelon is one of the great hydrating foods and tastes great by itself, but it also works really well in drink recipes such as a frozen watermelon margarita mocktail. Its flavor, color and consistency work incredibly well as a mocktail … and we include some collagen powder to make it work for your skin, joints and gut!

Nutrition highlights: 111 calories, 6 grams of protein, 80% Daily Value (DV) of vitamin C and 38% DV of vitamin A

2. Beauty collagen drink

Want to put together a drink that will maximize your skin's potential? Make up this beauty drink with a few key ingredients, including Multi Collagen Protein Beauty Within alongside beets, oranges and strawberries.

Nutrition highlights: 162 calories, 7 grams of fiber, 12 grams of protein, 272% DV of vitamin C

3. Cucumber limeade

This cucumber limeade recipe is perhaps the perfect summer drink that quenches one's thirst while offering a sophisticated flavor. The combination of cucumber, fresh mint, lime juice, a bit of sea salt and sparkling water is something to savor.

It also features one of Ancient Nutrition’s most highly rated collagens: Multi Collagen Protein Cucumber Lime.

Nutrition highlights: 59 calories, 10 grams of protein

4. Strawberry lemonade

This strawberry lemonade is better for you than most sugar-laden lemonades, as it contains less sugar (in the form of raw honey here) and contains satisfying strawberry-flavored collagen protein.

Nutrition highlights: 129 calories, 10 grams of protein

5. Mangorita

Among mocktails, the mangorita is fast becoming the most popular because of its delicious taste alongside it being loaded with vitamins and minerals. This version adds the insanely popular Organic SuperGreens Mango powder to pack an extra wallop.

Nutrition highlights: 229 calories, 8 grams of fiber, 6 grams of protein, 200% DV of vitamin A, 170% DV of vitamin K, 169% DV of vitamin C, 83% DV of manganese

6. Cucumber juice

Cucumbers are all the rage, from simple cucumber water to cucumber soup to cucumber juice. Sure, you can just juice a cucumber but add in these ingredients as well to elevate it to a summer mocktail experience.

Nutrition highlights: 100 calories, 4 grams of fiber, 3 grams of protein, 85% DV of vitamin C, 35% DV of vitamin K

7. Ginger turmeric tonic

Here's a cleansing recipe full of healthy ingredients that's still fun to drink. It features raw ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, lemon, raw honey and apple cider vinegar.

Nutrition highlights: 61 calories, 1 gram of fiber

8. Matcha lemonade

When summertime hits, you’re ready for summer drinks that can cool you down while also providing some energy. Rather than get jittery on cold brew and iced coffee, try this delicious matcha lemonade.

Nutrition highlights: 97 calories, 9 grams of carbs, 6 grams of fat

9. Classic margarita

Want to make up a classic margarita that comes with bennies? In this case, it's rapid hydration for your skin and body with our new collagen supplement. It’s loaded with flavor, including lemon and lime.

Nutrition highlights: 59 calories, 5 grams of protein, 105% DV of vitamin C

10. Pink drink

Rather than overpay for this simple drink with less than ideal ingredients (and too much sugar), you can make it at home with the best ingredients and sip with the comfort knowing that it's good for you.

It features our Multi Collagen Protein Beauty Within powder, which offers serious support for your skin, hair and nails while also providing the sublime guava passionfruit flavor.

Nutrition highlights: 139 calories, 10 grams of fiber

11. Watermelon aqua fresca

Agua fresca, or “fresh water,” is a popular drink in Mexico and throughout Central America. They’re made by combining water with sugar and fruits to create a sweet and tasty beverage.

Here we use cooling benefit-rich watermelon and honey to keep it free from refined sugars. When mixed with sparkling water, the result is a fizzy beverage you’ll want to drink all summer long.

Nutrition highlights: 85 calories, 10 grams of protein