“Adapt to what else…” were my exact thoughts when the word that seems to be everywhere first caught my attention. Then, when “adaptogens” started showing up in cocktails and mocktails, I couldn’t help but investigate. Described as calming, focusing or restorative, adaptogen mocktails feel like a modern phenomenon or trend, but the idea of medicinal drinks is anything but new. 

For centuries, people have stirred herbs, roots, bark and botanicals into liquids with the hope of feeling better. Bitters, for example, were originally marketed as digestive aids. Tonic water contains quinine, once used to prevent malaria. Fortified wines and Amari evolved from monastic herbal preparations. Even the humble hot toddy (whiskey, honey, lemon and spices) and my personal favorite — tequila, local honey and lime served warm — are associated with soothing winter ailments. Alcohol and herbs have shared the glass for a very long time. 

While the term adaptogen is relatively modern, the roots of this beverage idea stretch back to Ayurvedic medicine dating back 5,000 or more years. Adaptogens are a category of herbs and mushrooms traditionally used in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine and believed to help the body adapt to stress. In Ayurveda, “stress” is not limited to being emotionally overwhelmed the way we often use the word today. It’s a broader concept tied to balance, resilience and how the body responds to change. No matter where you are in the world, adapting to change is nonnegotiable. Common adaptogens include ashwagandha, often associated with stress response; reishi mushroom, traditionally linked to immune support; lion’s mane, connected in emerging research to cognitive function; and holy basil, sometimes used for its calming properties. 

What’s different now is not the instinct, but the language. Today’s adaptogen drinks reflect a growing interest in wellness culture and plant‑based traditions, and they are appearing on drink menus for those of us who think, “Why not?!” In many ways, adaptogen beverages sit in the same lineage as bitters and tonics before them. They reflect a desire to blend pleasure with purpose. The idea of enjoying a mocktail while getting a small bonus for your well‑being certainly resonates with me. Nonalcoholic spirits and botanical beverage offerings have expanded. At the same time, stress has become a defining feature of modern life, so “why not?” A drink that feels intentional, even supportive, does carry consumer appeal. Lion’s mane espresso, ashwagandha spritz, reishi hot chocolate — all of them sound both inviting and treat-like. 

Like with many things, I try to approach new trends with both interest and perspective. There is something deeply human about wanting our rituals to do more than one thing. Hello, multitasking era! We don’t drink only for hydration (coming from the person who needs reminders to drink enough water). We drink to gather, to pause, to signal a transition from workday to evening. A warm mug of your favorite winter drink or a sparkling glass on a summer porch holds meaning beyond its ingredients. When adaptogens enter the glass, they become part of that ritual — whether the effect is physiological, psychological or simply flavorful. 

Approached thoughtfully, adaptogen drinks can be treated less as miracle elixirs and more as botanical beverages with history behind them. They invite curiosity about plants, traditional medicine and flavor. Earthy reishi, slightly bitter and woodsy, pairs well with cocoa. Floral holy basil complements citrus. Lion’s mane, mild in flavor, integrates easily into tea or cold brew. 

“Why not” look for ways to feel steadier, calmer or clearer? A drink can be functional, flavorful and communal at once. It can nod to tradition while reflecting modern curiosity. So here’s to emerging from winter’s grip with a nighttime mocktail for all the right reasons. 

Night, night fizz 

This nighttime mocktail uses tart cherry juice, honey, pineapple and ashwagandha — all known to have calming and/or sleep promoting properties. 

• 2 oz. 100% tart cherry juice
• 1 tsp. local honey
• 2 oz. 100% pineapple juice (no added sugar)
• 1 slice fresh ginger (about the size and thickness of a quarter)
• 5-7 mint leaves
• Equivalent of 300mg KSM-66 ashwagandha extract (usually droplets)
• Sparkling coconut water (not coconut flavored soda water) 

Place honey and tart cherry juice in a mug or small prep bowl; microwave just long enough to dissolve the honey in the juice (10 seconds at a time). In a drink shaker, muddle ginger, mint and pineapple. Remove ginger disk from muddled leaves, add cherry juice with honey, ashwagandha extract and a cup of crushed ice, and shake vigorously. Strain into a martini glass, and top with sparkling coconut water.

About

Lincoln Land Community College offers credit programs in Culinary Arts, Hospitality Management and Baking/Pastry, and non-credit cooking and food classes through LLCC Community Education.

Cooking or food questions? Email epicuriosity101@llcc.edu.