I’m what some would call a ‘wild hypocrite’ when it comes to my personal health because I try to eat quite healthy, but then I’ll spend an entire weekend trying to end my liver’s life.
If someone offers me free lollies on a Tuesday, I’ll respectfully decline, however, if someone offers me a free cocktail that probably has an entire kilo of sugar in it, I’ll inhale it without thinking twice.
So, to get my head around my godawful life decisions and to try to get myself on the better mix bandwagon, PEDESTRIAN.TV chatted to Shannon Rosie – the creator of Conscious Cocktails.
Shannon has gone and done what most people thought was impossible – she’s found a way to indulge in a bev without maxing out your daily sugar intake in the space of an hour.
P.TV: Why do you think people ignore their health goals when it comes to drinking?
Shannon Rosie: I think the biggest reason is simply not knowing that there is a better way. People are so used to just taking off their “healthy” hat the moment 5pm rolls around on a Friday. But the thing is, it really doesn’t have to be that way. When people learn how to make more conscious drinking choices, you’d be surprised how excited and eager they are to make the change. It just makes sense. We are all so conscious about the way we move and eat – why has this yet been inclusive of the way we drink?
P.TV: Have your friends started to cut down on the sugary drinks when they’re out?
SR: Absolutely! You’ll find us either drinking dry rosé, organic red, or gin with either kombucha as a mixer or soda with a splash of dry tonic for a lower-sugar version of a G&T. If we are at my place, I’ll whip up some cocktail creations and we love ordering a cocktail or two when out and about, but they all know I will micromanage our orders with the poor bartender to give it a Conscious Cocktails twist.
P.TV: Have you noticed a difference the next morning after a night of drinking Conscious Cocktails versus a night of syrupy cocktails?
SR: Oh, it is worlds apart. Not only do Conscious Cocktails take out the sugary crap, but they replace them with ingredients that are actually beneficial for you – such as kombucha, a freshly squeezed juice, coconut water or fresh ginger. Conscious Cocktails are also designed to be as hydrating as possible. This is a hangover game-changer as dehydration is the key culprit to your next-day headache.
P.TV: If you’re out at a pretty standard bar that won’t serve healthier drinks, what’s your drink of choice?
SR: Depending on how friendly the bartender is feeling it can be quite easy to tweak traditional cocktails to make them more conscious. If you usually go for a G&T, try having a gin & soda with a tiny splash of tonic with extra lime. Less sugar, more hydration and extra antioxidants from the lime. I also love margaritas so I will order a traditional margarita with no sugar syrup, and ask for fresh lime juice (not bottled) and choose a quality tequila for the base. Yum!
(Editor’s note: have a squiz at our Angostura Lemon, Lime & Bitters recipes right ‘ere.)
P.TV: What caffeinated alternative would you recommend to people whose go-to drink is something like an espresso martini?
SR: That’s a tricky one. Look, if you really love an espresso martini, treat yo’ self! But I always make sure to ask a bar if it is a premix or if it is freshly made. Many bars use prepackaged mixes that already have sugar syrup in them. Just ask for one made with fresh espresso and no sugar syrup.
P.TV: How long did it take you to build your brand?
SR: It is kind of impossible to put a start or end date on a personal brand. You could say that Living With Rosie began with my very first health struggles when I was a little girl, as they are what pushed me to study Nutritional Medicine at university. Since then, my brand has ebbed and flowed across the years depending on what I am doing. First I was seeing one-on-one clients, then authoring and creating Conscious Cocktails, next a restaurant owner, a public speaker, a consultant and now a retreat manager. My brand will always continue to grow as I do. That’s what I love about working for yourself – nothing is fixed.
P.TV: What Conscious Cocktails have really taken off in 2019? Do you have any predictions for 2020?
SR: Gin! People have been loving their gin in 2019. Botanicals have been back in a big way. Alcoholic kombucha is also having a real moment in the spotlight – you can even buy pre-canned ones from your local bottle shop that are great quality, with almost no sugar. What a win for the mindful drinking movement.
My prediction for 2020 is all things hemp and other stress-reducing adaptogens. Australia has now legalised hemp products and we are already seeing a huge rise in hemp-infused non-alcoholic beverages and I believe next will be hemp (and hopefully one day CBD) infused cocktails.
P.TV: Do you still treat yourself to a sugary cocktail every once in a while? What’s your guilty pleasure cocktail of choice?
SR: Absolutely I do. There’s even one that I don’t pester the bartender with tweaks. Whenever I am on a beach-y holiday, my very first cocktail order is a big slushy piña colada. I love the tradition, it’s such a treat for me and I enjoy every last sip without a hint of guilt. In saying that, I do also make my Ginger Colada Conscious Cocktails recipe from my book which is even tastier.
Now look, I can’t say that I’ll change my self-sabotaging ways any time soon, but it is comforting to know that the option’s there.
However, if you are all about improving your life (and in turn, your life expectancy), you can also head to our PEDESTRIAN.TV X The House Of Angostura self-care fest, Selfish Saturday, where there’ll be an entire bar dedicated to healthier drinking.
On the day, there’ll be a House Of Angostura ambassador repping the bar and helping punters concoct the perfect drink – and you bet there’s going to alcoholic, non-alcoholic and low-alcoholic bevs so no one will miss out.
Grab a mate who you reckon deserves some self-love and clear your schedule for Feb 22, 2020.
Don’t drink ’til ya over 18 and do it responsibly, pls.
