Low-Carb Drink Recipes

The momentum behind functional foods and wellness elixirs is at an all-time high. Expensive products are touted as having the power to do everything from restoring gut health to boosting immunity and fighting inflammation, but their health claims are often backed by little solid science. So instead of pricy supplements, we're mixing up a more affordable antidote that's both healthy and homemade. A tonic, by definition, is a combination of ingredients that have the potential to enhance or restore health. While this tonic (or any tonic) is not a cure-all remedy, consuming more anti-inflammatory foods--like the ones found in this tonic--over time may only not only ease current symptoms (such as fatigue, joint pain and chronic bloating), but it may also reduce the risk of future diseases and slow aging. The combination of green tea, herbs, honey, apple-cider vinegar and spices also makes for a tasty and refreshing beverage!

This weight-loss tonic might help you slim down, even though it's not a quick fix for healthy habits. Apple cider vinegar's sour flavor (the acetic acid) may help you eat less and stay more satisfied. Green tea has caffeine and antioxidants that may help boost fat loss. Ginger might help you burn more calories. And maple syrup adds a touch of natural sweetness to this hydrating drink. Add this tonic to your diet in addition to sensible eating and exercise to help boost your weight-loss efforts.

You'll want to bring a pitcher of this white sangria to parties and potlucks all summer long. Fresh peaches look gorgeous in these delicious sparkling peach cocktails, but frozen peaches work too (and help keep your drink cool).

Pineapple juice adds plenty of sweetness to this no-sugar-added margarita recipe.

This refreshing shot captures the sweetness of carrots and coconut water, with a slight hint of heat from fresh ginger. If your blender is big enough, this would be easy to double and have in your fridge, ready when you are.

This type of drink tends to be pricey in the big city juice bars. Now you can make the recipe at home.

This healthy spinach-apple juice is a green nutrient powerhouse loaded with calcium for bone health, and vitamins A and C for antioxidants. No juicer? No problem. See the juicing variation below to make this spinach-apple juice recipe in a blender.

Give your mind and body a boost with this tart cherry superfood shot. Tart cherry juice is rich in heart-healthy polyphenols and anthocyanins, which can help fight free radicals and thwart inflammation. And some researchers have found that regularly consuming tart cherry juice may improve one's cognitive abilities. You can find 100% tart cherry juice in the juice aisle at most large grocery stores.

This refreshing, healthy strawberry-cucumber juice is also made with an apple and carrots, making it taste like the farmers' market in a glass. No juicer? No problem. See the juicing variation below to make this strawberry-cucumber juice recipe in a blender.

This healthy tomato-vegetable juice recipe contains all the components of a healthy salad, such as lettuce, tomato, bell pepper, celery and carrot, but with less salt than bottled vegetable-blend juices. No juicer? No problem. See the juicing variation below to make this tomato-vegetable juice recipe in a blender.

Immunity-boosting ingredients--ginger, lemon and rosemary--are steeped with soothing chamomile tea and honey for a homemade health tonic. While the drink may help when you're sick, it's not a quick fix. Drinking wellness tonics, like this one, regularly over time may help boost your immune system. Serve hot, room temperature or cold.

When you're feeling backed-up, this high-fiber chia concoction can help make your bathroom routine smoother. The chia seeds form a gel-like consistency to help move digestion along easily, and the kick of cayenne pepper acts as an intestinal stimulant.