West of Ireland Wellness Drinks Worth Trying This Winter
We all know the value of putting organic produce, complex superfoods and wholesome recipes onto our plates. But what about the ingredients that we drink? While you might occasionally swap your soft drink for a kombucha, there’s a variety of wellness beverages that can become a staple in your daily routine, from soothing teas to immunity-boosting supplements and nourishing tonics.
And just as the West is home to some of the country’s best foodie businesses, it’s also got wonderful beverage producers making drinks designed for better health. Just choose your favourite cup and prepare to drink yourself well.
The Organic Cuppa
If you love the sacred ritual that is brewing a pot of loose-leaf tea, you’ll love Solaris Botanicals. The Galway-based business (officially B Corp certified!) was founded by qualified medical herbalist couple Jörg and Karin Müller, who specialise in the blending and preparation of whole-leaf organic teas.
Free from additives and artificial flavourings, their tea promotes overall health and wellbeing, and is made from only the finest organic and raw ingredients sourced from ethical traders. Their extensive range offers classics like Earl Grey and chamomile, and more unique blends like peppermint with fennel and mint, and rooibos with cacao and vanilla. They’ve even got a decaf black tea, ideal for late winter evenings.
The moss tonic
Ireland’s first liquid seaweed food supplement, Moss Boss is a beverage punching well above its weight. Founded by Edel Breslin in Co. Clare, it’s a mineral-rich tonic full of wholefood goodies, inspired by traditional uses of sea moss in coastal Irish communities to support wellbeing as well as immune health. The (sustainably-sourced) ingredients list includes raw honey, ginger, clementine and apple cider vinegar, alongside Atlantic Irish sea moss.
This combination was designed by the wellness gurus at Óir Tonics to maintain balanced gut flora, boost collagen production and increase your metabolism, and is packed with prebiotics, probiotics and antioxidants. It’s been such a hit that iconic UK store Fortnum & Mason has come on board as the first UK stockist. Moss Boss now comes in a range of flavours, like turmeric and ginger, lion’s mane and blueberry, and tart cherry and ginger.
Óir Tonics also has a gorgeous stone-wall flagship shop and café in Ballyvaughan, The Óir House. It’s home to a thoughtful collection of organic and sustainable Irish products, from artisan snacks to natural skincare – and of course, their full range of tonics and teas. Their café offers fresh toasties, pastries and coffee, perfect for restful afternoons or a thoughtful road-trip break. While visiting, you can try their Tonic Tasting Experience, sampling signature Moss Boss creations before you stock up. It doesn’t get more wholesome than this.
The Power Boost Supplement
As the mornings get darker and the evenings shorter, supplements help to make busy days feel less daunting. Revive Active’s daily supplement was designed to simplify wellness by combining essential vitamins, minerals and amino acids into one sachet, for overall health support and a powerful energy boost.
Featuring a well-balanced formula that includes vitamins B6, B12, C and D along with zinc, copper and selenium, it helps look after the immune system, heart health and general wellbeing all in one sachet. This isn’t one of those dusty multivitamins you have to grin and bear, either – they’ve nailed their flavour range so that you’ll look forward to your daily dose.
While the brand has gone worldwide with their products, exporting them to over 48 countries, they remain made in Ireland and are still headquartered in Galway, where their story began.
The warming cacao
Warm, frothy and full of flavour, cacao is one of those drinks you can’t knock until you try – especially if you’re a coffee addict! This pure, organic, bean-to-bar chocolate drink comes from the least processed form of the cacao tree, retaining its natural fats, prebiotic fibres and antioxidants. It contains energy-boosting stimulant theobromine, which has a slower, more sustainable energising effect on the body than regular coffee.
Nibbed in Galway produce their cacao in small batches, partnering with smallholder farmers across the world for organic-certified cacao that’s rooted in ethical practices. The brand was founded by qualified chef and nutritionist Lisa Kleiner, from Wicklow. The more Lisa experimented with cacao in her culinary career, the more she uncovered its extraordinary health benefits. This inspired a bold pivot into food production, and Nibbed was born.
Lisa runs the company with her niece, Anna Kelly, who has a background in design and wellness marketing and looks after product design, sales and branding. Together, Lisa and Anna now run the company in Athenry, and are keen to spread the good word about the magic of their cacao. You can buy it pre-grated and ready to go, or in a pure cacao block, perfect for a slow morning ritual.
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