Why We Love Clean Cocktails

That’s right, we’re talking about cocktails cocktails… not, like, a skincare cocktail. There is literally nothing better than enjoying a summer cocktail on a warm day off. Daiquiris, margaritas, piña coladas—yep, sign us up! However, those “traditional” cocktails are likely wreaking havoc on your body’s AND skin’s health. So we sat down Holistic Health Coach, Tara Roscioli and talked about her book “Clean Cocktails: Righteous Recipes for the Modern Mixologist” and how her cocktails are a good solution for combatting weight gain, bloating, and inflammation.

Tara Roscioli, Founder of Highway 2 Well

First, who is Tara?

Tara Roscioli is the founder of Highway 2 Well, a Holistic Health Coaching practice that utilizes evidence-based nutrition and intuitive healing to help her clients lose weight and lead a more healthy lifestyle. She has been running Highway 2 Well for about 10 years, after making a major career switch where she realized she wasn’t taking care of her health. Since shifting her focus towards her health practice, Tara has been featured in publications like The Oprah Magazine, Forbes, and Well + Good, and we are so excited to have her here with Sacred! Here’s what she had to say about “traditional drinks” vs. her Clean Cocktails...

Question + Answer

1. Can you tell me a little bit about you and your company, Highway 2 Well?

“Highway 2 Well is my holistic health-coaching practice that I have been running for approximately 10 years now. It’s a second act for me. I’m actually a former attorney, and that’s relevant because that’s actually when I realized just how much I was neglecting my own health and wellness. I didn’t take care of my health, I smoked from the stress, I drank tons of coffee, I didn’t eat much and what I did eat was not healthy, and then I would go home at the end of the night and sit down in front of a huge bowl of pasta and drink wine… and then do it all again the next day! It definitely took its toll on me. I had no energy, my skin was grey, and I was just moody all of the time. So I definitely saw how nutrition, or I should say the lack-there-of, was really affecting my physical and emotional wellbeing.

And then I got pregnant, and had my son 10 weeks early, and I think I just realized during at that time that I really wanted to be better for him—be healthier, set better examples, and I did a whole career switch. And that’s how my holistic health coaching practice started."

2. What inspired you to co-write your book, Clean Cocktails: Righteous Recipes for the Modern Mixologist?

“It was sort of a fluke the way that it happened. So many women in particular that I was working with were wondering, ‘If I’m making these dietary changes, then does that mean I can never have [a drink] again?’ And these questions were asked repeatedly. And I finally sat down with a girlfriend of mine who was also a health coach, and she said, “We really should write a book about this. And yeah, that’s kinda how it came about!”

3. Why clean cocktails? How bad is wine, beer, or a standard cocktail for you actually?

"We just started the conversation. Restaurants, let's say, or food service providers… if they are going to such great lengths to give us gluten free options, dairy free options, vegan options, just cleaner menus in general, why shouldn’t the bar menu be the same? We need food for fuel, we certainly don’t need alcohol in the same capacity, however so many of us do enjoy that occasional cocktail. Why not have it be healthier? No one needs the sugar and artificial colors."

“You know, there’s a lot of inconsistency out there about wine being good for you, wine being bad for you… wine definitely has sugar. White wine is sweeter, and obviously has more sugar. It causes inflammation, that puffy skin, bags under the eyes, headaches. I know that women typically in their late 30s and beyond start to notice that if they have 1 or 2 glasses of wine, the day after leaves them with just a horrible horrible headache.

I don’t like to say that food or alcohol is necessarily bad or good, I really do believe that there is room in life for everything in moderation. Obviously 90% of the time I think it’s better to make cleaner choices... less processed choices. With respect to cocktails, the daiquiris, the coladas, the mud slides, all of those are loaded with calories and fat.... They’re just calorie BOMBS. They can be upwards of 300 calories, again depending on the size… it could be more than that. When you could really make a much cleaner version for a third of that. I believe it’s 95 calories per 1.5 oz of vodka, gin, rum, and tequila. Then you’re adding into it all of those artificial colors, artificial flavoring… that’s what’s really bad for you. Sugar. That’s what is causing the inflammation, the puffy skin, the dehydration the next morning."

4. We tell our clients all the time that inflammation is at the core of any skin issue. How might a traditional drink [beer, wine, etc.] affect your skin and body vs. one of your clean cocktails?

"It could be anything from constipation, to acne, dark circles under the eyes, bags under the eyes, mature aging, eczema, psoriasis, all of these things are signs that the body is inflamed and out of balance."

"When I eat a lot of sugar I feel it and I see it. I see the puffiness in my skin, I see the wrinkles in my skin. I do notice that when I drink a cleaner cocktail, a tequila or a vodka and I pair it with nothing more than just a fresh fruit juice or a fresh vegetable puree, and a little bit of my one honey syrup, I definitely notice that A. I don’t have headaches the day after, and B. I definitely notice that I don't feel as bloated and my skin doesn’t look as puffy. But again, everything in moderation."

Img. Source: Highway 2 Well

5. What is your philosophy when it comes to making clean cocktails?

"My philosophy is that simple is best. You definitely want layers of flavor, but it doesn’t have to be like 5 or 6 ingredients. Just keep it simple and fresh."

"Also, I think my philosophy is there is no right or wrong way to make a cocktail. It’s really about what appeals to you. So if you like a certain flavor profile... say you like lemon and mint. Then try muddling some mint with some fresh squeezed lemon juice with your honey syrup and vodka and you have a perfectly delicious 4 ingredient cocktail."

"Honey, yes, it’s sugar, but it's less refined sugar and a little bit goes a long way. You also want to remember that there are natural sugars in those fruit juices that you’re squeezing, so you don’t really need a lot more than that. When you talk about those cocktails you get at bars, you’re getting that concentrated juice, and they are adding in simple syrup… it’s just not necessary. A cleaner drink just tastes better, all of the flavors can come through!"

6. What are some spirits to gravitate towards and spirits to avoid for the health-conscious?

"I like any of the clear liquors, so definitely tequila, vodka, and gin. There’s also bourbon. All of those are 95 calories per 1.5oz. I try to stay away from wine, unless it’s a special occasion."

"I should also note that I will drink more wine because it will go down a little bit faster. Whereas if I order a cocktail, I sip it and have some water. I think overall I tend to drink less if I’m having a cocktail with hard alcohol in it."


7. What's a good go-to clean cocktail you can order at virtually any bar?

"My go-to is usually a margarita, and don’t order a clean margarita because they will ignore you. A lot of bars at least have some concept of a skinny margarita, except it usually involves agave. I don’t like agave, it’s highly processed and it’s really not necessary. Most bars will have a little bit of honey. So I would just say order a margarita with nothing but like a Casa Migos or Espolon (tequilas), with fresh lime juice, and with or without a little bit of honey and some seltzer on top. Even the salt rim if you’d like to. Those are ingredients that every single bar has. "

"Or, if the bar has it, fresh grapefruit juice and gin or vodka with a little sprig of rosemary in it. Three ingredients. Easy."


8. When we think “summer cocktails,” we think of daiquiris, margaritas, and Aperol spritzes. What are some fun alternative summer (clean) cocktails?

"I’m actually going to give you a recipe that is not in the book...