156. Drinks 101: Functional Drinks Artwork

Mindful Drinking and Moderation in Midlife: How to Drink Less, On Your Terms

**A Spotify 'Rising Star' show** Practical moderation for the way you want to live.

Why can't I drink like I used to? How do I drink less without quitting completely? Should I go for low, no or light alcohol drinks? Why do alcohol-free drinks cost so much?

If you're in your 30s, 40s, 50s or beyond and asking these questions, this is your podcast.

Welcome to the essential show for midlife adults who want to drink less, on their own terms—without the pressure to quit completely, follow rigid rules, or label themselves as sober.

I'm Denise Hamilton-Mace, your mindful drinking mentor, writer and public speaker on all things low, no and light. Each week, I help stressed parents and busy midlife adults navigate their relationship with alcohol through practical approaches grounded in real-world experience and behaviour change strategy, not willpower or wellness culture

What you'll get:

Mindful Moderation Solo Episodes – Deep-dives answering the questions that matter to sophisticated drinkers who want to moderate smartly:

How do I cut back when my partner still drinks at home?
What really works: willpower vs. strategy?
Why do premium alcohol-free drinks cost the same as full-strength versions?
How do I navigate social situations when I'm the only one moderating?

This podcast is for you if:

You're looking for practical advice that fits your demanding life, not another wellness overhaul
You recognise that coasting with mid-strength drinks, zebra-striping, or bookending your evening with something non-alcoholic are all valid strategies
You want better mornings without giving up celebrating life's special moments

This isn't about going completely dry or reinventing yourself. It's about keeping energy for what matters most: family, health, career, and living life on your own terms.

Join the moderation revolution happening in midlife – because while Gen Z gets the headlines, you're the one actually doing it.

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Mindful Drinking and Moderation in Midlife: How to Drink Less, On Your Terms

156. Drinks 101: Functional Drinks

February 09, 2026 • Denise Hamilton-Mace • Episode 156

0:00 | 4:24

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What actually is a functional drink – and why are they suddenly everywhere in low, no and light?

I'm kicking off the Drinks 101 mini-sodes with a four-part mini-series exploring functional beverages – drinks designed to do more than just quench your thirst.

From coffee (the original functional drink) to the adaptogens, nootropics, and CBD-infused options flooding the low/no market, functional drinks have been around for centuries but are now experiencing a serious glow-up.

I explain how some brands are investing thousands in creating alcohol-free drinks that target your brain's GABA receptors – the same ones that light up when you drink alcohol – to replicate that one or two drink feeling without the booze.

But do they work for everyone? Does anything?

If you’re curious but cautious about functional drinks, this episode gives you the grounding you need before we dive deeper into specific ingredients in the episodes to come.

Dive deeper with: ep#45. 5 New Functional Spirits from Smiling Wolf

On Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/45-5-new-functional-spirits-from-smiling-wolf/id1701338793?i=1000676998877

On Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/episode/17IVpcbwpPUYuQtDMU6WuC?si=70bb4a1587414f61

On Overcast - https://overcast.fm/+BDZGsjXgI4

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Welcome And Series Setup

SPEAKER_00 1:13

Welcome to Mindful Drinking and Moderation in Midlife Drinks 101, where in just a couple of minutes each week I help you to understand some of the mysteries behind low, no, and light alcohol drinks.

What Functional Drinks Are

SPEAKER_00 1:25

I'm kicking off today with the first in a four-part mini series about functional drinks. So functional drinks are those beverages designed to serve a purpose in the body beyond basic hydration. And even though they've recently become extremely popular, these drinks are not new creations. Functional drinks have been around for centuries, but there are a lot of new iterations being produced, what feels like every week at the moment.

Everyday Examples In The Aisle

SPEAKER_00 1:50

Now, of course, the most common functional drink that often goes overlooked when we talk about this category is coffee. Caffeine has been our number one functional beverage for as long as we can remember, but it's not the only one. In your supermarket, everything from your probiotic yogurt drink to your extra fiery ginger shot to your protein and electrolyte-packed sports drinks now falls under the functional drink umbrella.

Adaptogens And Nootropics In Low No

SPEAKER_00 2:15

For those of us who are interested in low-no and light drinks, however, the two biggest categories of functional drinks that have made their way into non-outbeths are adaptogens, which help the body, and nootropics, which support the mind. Now I'll explore both of these categories in more detail as part of this mini-series, as well as CBD-based drinks. Adaptogens and nootropics are now a big part of some lono drinks producers, and you can find them in lots of different types of drinks. For example, beers like On Beer, Lifted, and Impossible, and spirits like Three Spirit, Ascentia, and Smiling Wolf. While

Replicating The Two-Drink Feel

SPEAKER_00 2:57

some functional drinks in this space are designed just to help you feel more relaxed or more focused or more energized, some brands have spent tens of thousands of pounds in researching ingredients that can act on the brain's GABA receptors in the same way as alcohol. Your GABA receptors are the bit in the brain that light up when we have alcohol, and they've designed drinks that can help you replicate that one or two drink feeling just without any of the booze. Now, while these drinks do have the potential to be hugely beneficial, it is worth noting that they don't work the same way for

Variability And How To Trial

SPEAKER_00 3:34

everybody. Depending on your physiology, your tolerance, your general health, and even how much full strength alcohol you still currently consume, you might feel the impact of these drinks more or less than someone else that you know. So it is very much a case of trial and error till you find the ones that you like that you can feel the impact from. And note that you might have to make repeated consumption of some of these drinks to get the benefits actually coming through

Where To Learn More And Next Topic

SPEAKER_00 4:00

to you. If you want to know a bit more about the functional spirits space, then check out episode 45 where I interviewed the founder of Functional Spirits brand, Smiling Wolf. They have five different non alcoholic functional spirits. I'll link to it in the show notes for you. Next time we're looking at adaptogens. Until then, cheers to a life less intoxicated.

People on this episode

Denise Hamilton-Mace

Host