Spirit-free doesn’t mean spiritless during the holidays. A healthy mocktail will leave you feeling more spirited than most after a night of drinking, and you’ll feel better the next morning. Cranberry juice is common in winter drinks because cranberries are harvested in the fall, and their sweet-tart flavor and deep red color are naturally festive. Plus, cranberries are a superfood that can reduce inflammation that leads to rheumatoid arthritis and lower several heart disease risk factors. They may also suppress H. pylori, the bacteria associated with stomach ulcers.

One serving of cranberry juice (8 ounces) contains 26% of the RDA of Vitamin C, 20% of Vitamin E, and 10% of Vitamin K. And, of course, cranberry juice has long been associated with preventing urinary tract infections due to antioxidants called proanthocyanidins that ward off infection-causing bacteria in the bladder. Given all those health benefits, let’s raise a toast to cranberries with my Skinny Sparkling Winter Mocktail!