I Have Chronic Inflammation & This Is the Anti-Inflammatory Beverage I Drink When I'm Sick

When cold and flu season hits, I like to be prepared. So I have my favorite anti-inflammatory mocktail on standby, making it easy to pour myself a glass once I start to feel sick. 

Remember when that sleepy girl mocktail was taking the internet by storm? It featured probiotic soda, tart cherry juice and magnesium supplement powder that was purported to make you fall asleep in no time. In our version, we skipped the branded soda and extra supplements to focus on our favorite ingredient—tart cherry juice. We then created our Tart Cherry Juice Mocktail, which includes ingredients like lime, sage and honey for added flavor.

The easy drink that helps me sleep is a simplified version of this mocktail. Trust me, I tried the full recipe and it was delicious—you can even watch my taste test on EatingWell’s TikTok—but I really only need three of the ingredients to whip up a drink that helps me feel my best.

How to Make My Anti-Inflammatory Cocktail

In an iced glass, I combine tart cherry juice and seltzer water—it can be plain seltzer, but I think lime-flavored seltzer works great here. Then, for sweetness, I thin a tablespoon of honey by mixing it with a tablespoon of hot water before adding it to the drink. Stirring all of this together creates an easy drink with delicious nutritional benefits.

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Why It's Good for You

Tart cherry juice is a great source of antioxidants, which are important for your overall health but can also reduce inflammation in the body. As someone who struggles with chronic inflammation, it’s really important to relieve my inflammatory symptoms, especially when I’m sick.

Plus, staying hydrated is important when you’re under the weather, so when I feel like I’m starting to show signs of sickness, a refreshing drink like this alongside water throughout the day is really helpful in easing oncoming sinus pressure.

And because of its antioxidants—specifically polyphenols—and magnesium and natural melatonin, tart cherry juice can also help you sleep, which is something I have trouble with when I’m sick. So I recommend my concoction—or our mocktail—as a pre-bed ritual about an hour before your head hits the pillow.

For more drinks and recipes featuring tart cherry juice, take a look at our Tart Cherry Superfood Shots or our Whipped Frozen Cherry Limeade.

Our Expert Take

Our Tart Cherry Juice Mocktail is an anti-inflammatory drink that also has magnesium and melatonin to help you sleep—two things that can really help when you're not feeling well. Add just a touch of honey and lime juice for vitamin C and you've got yourself a delicious nightcap for health.