This cantaloupe mojito mocktail, or faux-jito as I like to call it, is one of my favorite summer mocktails! It’s great for boosting your gut microbiome health, featuring juicy cantaloupe and a salty lime zest rim. Bursting with flavor, this mocktail recipe aims to do more than just take out the alcohol which is shown to disrupt endocrine systems, hormone levels, and microbiome balance. I designed this summer mocktail to be functional and add in a bunch of health benefits, which in this recipe is anti-inflammation and gut health. To celebrate my favorite fruit of the summer, this healthy mocktail recipe uses juicy cantaloupe to enhance any summer party, BBQ, or picnic!
It’s cantaloupe season, baby! If you’ve been following along on my sober curious journey on Instagram, you may remember I’ve been on a mission to make mocktails functional by adding in health benefits for digestion, glowing skin, immune systems, and more—like this immune-boosting Sumo citrus mocktail or this aphrodisiac strawberry mocktail or this stress-relieving blackberry chamomile mocktail. Cantaloupe is the perfect juice for this anti-inflammatory mocktail because it contains carotenoids which lower inflammation and have been proven to positively impact cellular, ocular, and cardio-metabolic health. Research also shows that high levels of carotenoid consumption are associated with a diverse and healthy microbiome! I also use fresh mint which is proven to soothe your digestive tract while the lime zest contains d-limonene, which can relieve symptoms of indigestion and GERD & it adds the most beautiful, sweet lime flavor.
What are functional mocktails?
If you’ve ever wanted not only to take the alcohol out of delicious cocktails but also add in extra health benefits, you’re going to love my concept of functional mocktails. Despite how alcohol is literally everywhere, anywhere you go, there is an overwhelming amount of research that proves how negative the impacts of alcohol are on our bodies and minds. It feels like no one is talking about this, so earlier this year I did a 3-part podcast series all about it. I interviewed world-class doctors who specialize in gut health, hormones, and cancer, and they shared about the latest science on the effects of alcohol. If you haven’t listened to it yet, I highly encourage you to do so as you’re making this recipe!
All my latest podcast episodes on the health effects of alcohol:
- Gut Health and Cancer with Dr. Robynn Chutkan and Dr. William Li
- Hormones and Brain Health with Dr. Aviva Romm and Louisa Nicola
- How to Drink Less and Have More Fun with Amanda E. White
Ingredients in this cantaloupe mojito mocktail
This healthy mocktail features cantaloupe, fresh mint leaves, zesty lime, and bubbly kombucha that mixes together for the perfect summer mocktail to serve at your next sunny gathering.
Here’s what you’ll need to make it:
- Fresh cantaloupe
- Fresh lime and zest
- Fine grain sea salt
- Fresh mint leaves
- Lemon or lime kombucha
- Ice
- Optional: honey or maple syrup for extra sweetener
How to make a cantaloupe faux-jito
One of the best parts about this absolutely delicious cantaloupe virgin mojito mocktail is that it’s made with just a handful of ingredients and comes together in just a few steps. Seemingly simple, but the flavor combo in this summer drink is out-of-this-world. Here’s how to make it:
- Blend cantaloupe, then strain through a nut milk bag or clean thin dish towel (stop toward the end so you don’t add any pulp).
- Zest a lime and mix WELL with a palmful of fine grain sea salt. Run the lime around the edge of 2 glasses then roll the outside only in the lime zest salt.
- Slap 8-10 fresh mint leaves a few times to bring out the flavorful oils, then add 4-5 to the bottom of each glass. to each glass, add ice, 3/4 cup of cantaloupe juice & 3 tbsp of fresh lime juice. Stir, then top with lemon or lime kombucha float and garnish with mint.
- Optionally, you can add some honey or maple syrup to the juice before combining to make it sweeter, though I don’t think it needs it.
Can I add alcohol to this virgin mojito mocktail?
Of course! You can turn this summer mocktail recipe into a healthy cocktail that has added anti-inflammatory and gut health benefits by simply adding your choice of liquor to the mocktail mixture. I think these ingredients would play nicely with vodka, gin, tequila or mezcal.
More summer mocktails with health benefits:
Watermelon Red Pepper Virgin Margaritas
Print
Cantaloupe Mojito Mocktail
Ingredients
- 5 cups cubed cantaloupe
- 1 lime
- Palmful of fine grain sea salt
- 8–10 fresh mint leaves
- Lemon or lime kombucha
- Optional: honey or maple syrup
Instructions
- Blend the cantaloupe until it’s liquid, then strain through a nut milk bag or clean thin dish towel (stop toward the end so you don’t add any pulp). Set your cantaloupe juice aside.
- On a plate, zest the lime and mix WELL with a palmful of fine grain sea salt. Run the lime around the edge of 2 cocktail glasses then roll the outside only in the lime zest salt.
- Slap the fresh mint leaves a few times to bring out the flavorful oils, then add four to five to the bottom of each glass. Then, add ice, 3/4 cup of the cantaloupe juice & 3 tablespoons of fresh lime juice to EACH glass.
- Stir, then top with lemon or lime kombucha float and garnish with mint. I don’t think it needs sweetener, but if you want, you can add some honey or maple syrup to the juice before combining!
