3 Gut-Friendly Gin Cocktails to Enjoy EVEN If You Have IBS

If you are someone who is having to navigate life with IBS or just trying to maintain better gut health, you may feel like you miss out on some of life's more indulgent moments - chocolate eggs at Easter, rich, yummy food at Christmas and a refreshing, tasty G&T on World Gin Day - which is today by the way (Saturday 14th June) In the gut health industry, alcohol, booze, or as my niece calls it - "go-go juice" is known for upsetting a sensitive gut, and our professional advice to those who suffer with any type of gut problem is to steer well clear. In fact, we have a whole blog post full of delicious Mocktails for those who choose not to risk the hangover for their gut here. However, we also live in the real world, and at Ferrocalm, we believe in empowered, informed choices. Everyone’s gut is different. What sets one person off might be totally tolerable for another. The key is to:

• Know your own limits
• Track your symptoms
• Choose your moments wisely
• Check the ingredients - are there any of your trigger foods in there?

The good news is that gin is considered a low FODMAP alcohol, so if you are going to partake in a dash of "go-go juice", World Gin Day - may be a good place to start! DISCLAIMER - we are not in any way endorsing the consumption of alcohol - with or without IBS - we are simply offering some advice and guidance around IBS and alcohol in general - you'd be surprised how often we get asked about this! With all this in mind we have cumulated some tasty tipples that are designed to be more gentle on your gut. But please - drink responsively - the hangover on your body is just not worth it!

Cucumber & Mint Gin Spritz

This light, cooling and herbaceous spritz has mojito-vibes about it, minus the gut-UNfriendly sugar and potent rum! This alternative is simple, elegant and made with ingredients that are gentle on the tum. Cucumber is known for its refreshing and soothing properties and we all know mint is GREAT for digestion! Ingredients:

• 35ml of London Dry Gin (avoid any with added sugar)
• 3 Slices of fresh cucumber
• 4/5 fresh mint leaves
• 1/2 tsp of fresh lime juice (this small amount shouldn't be too acidic for your gut)
• 100ml soda water or sparkling water for a lower carbonation
• Ice

Method:

• Add a couple of the cucumber slices and mint leaves to a cocktails shaker and mush them up together with a muddler or the end of a wooden spoon
• Add you gin, lime juice and ice and shake for 30 seconds
• Using a tall glass, add ice
• Strain the contents of the shaker into the glass
• Top up with soda or sparking water
• Garnish with more cucumber slices and mint leaves
• Find some sun and enjoy! (Can also be enjoyed without the sun...)

Berry and Basil Gin Smash

There are so many cocktails that are full of sugary syrups, high FODMAP fruit juices and usually topped up with fizzy , sweet mixers - literally a RECIPE FOR DISASTER if you have gut issues. This one has all the sweetness without the sugar. But with this one - be mindful of the portion size of the fruits - as too many strawberries will quickly become high FODMAP...for this recipe, aim for 2 - quartered, per serving , and you should be fine! Maple syrup is also a lot more friendly to you gut than processed sugar syrups - but only a dash mind! Ingredients:

• 35ml of London Dry Gin (avoid any with added sugar)
• 2 strawberries , quartered
• 4 Basil leaves
• 1/2 tsp of fresh lime juice (this small amount shouldn't be too acidic for your gut)
• dash of pure maple syrup (optional)
• Ice

Method:

• Add a one of the quartered strawberries and a couple of the basil leaves to the cocktails shaker and mush them up together with a muddler or the end of a wooden spoon
• Add you gin, lime juice and ice and shake for 30 seconds
• Using a coupe glass, strain the contents of the shaker into the glass
• Garnish with more strawberries and basil leaves
• This one is a sipper - quite punchy and made to be savoured!

Ginger Lemon Gin Fizz

You can not getter a better ingredient for you than ginger. Not only is it's anti-inflammatory properties good for your gut, but it can also strengthen your immune system and improve blood sugar control - an "all-rounder" if you will! This simple twist on a gin fizz makes ginger the star of the recipe and by swapping the tonic for still water, you will be preventing any carbon-induced bloat too! Ingredients:

• 35ml of London Dry Gin (avoid any with added sugar)
• 1 tsp fresh grated ginger, or 5ml of ginger juice (pure not mixed with apple juice)
• 1/2 tsp of fresh lemon juice (this small amount shouldn't be too acidic for your gut)
• Ice cold still water
• Ice

Method:

• Add the grated ginger and lemon juice to a cocktails shaker and mush them up together with a muddler or the end of a wooden spoon
• Add you gin, shake for 30 seconds
• Using a tall glass, strain the contents of the shaker into the glass
• Top up with water
• Garnish with a sprig of mint for a more herbaceous kick!

And there you have it, three gut-friendly gin cocktails for you to experiment with this world gin day. Having IBS doesn't mean you have to miss out on these little treats, but to give your gut a fighting chance make sure you are giving it the support it needs with a probiotic, like Ferrocalm. Ferrocalm's advanced probiotic strain FX856 is specifically designed to stay active and effective even during flare-ups and high-stress situations, times when traditional probiotics often fail. It helps reinforce the gut lining, rebalance the microbiota, and support calm, regular digestion. In short, it helps your gut handle life’s real moments, like that celebratory gin & tonic (or glass of wine). “Ferrocalm has really enabled me to manage my IBS. I can even enjoy a glass of wine occasionally now!” – happy customer! So if you’re managing IBS and still want to enjoy life, including the occasional drink, make sure you’re supporting your gut microbiome with something built to go the distance. Cheers!