Tequila is a versatile spirit that can be enjoyed in a variety of creative cocktails. However, choosing the right mixers is crucial to creating delicious and well-balanced drinks. Whether you’re a tequila aficionado or looking to explore new flavour combinations, this guide will introduce you to some of the best drinks to mix with tequila.
Key Takeaways
- Growing demand for low-sugar, low-calorie, and zero-sugar drinks, especially among younger consumers.
- Non-alcoholic and low-alcohol products are gaining popularity, with the global market expected to grow at around 4% per year from 2024–2028.
- Many new low-sugar cocktail recipes and ready-to-drink options are emerging to cater to health-conscious consumers.
- Natural sweeteners like stevia and monk fruit are increasingly used in place of added sugars.
- Citrus, herbs, and infusions can provide flavour complexity without large amounts of sugar.
Exploring Low-Sugar Tequila Cocktails
As health-conscious consumers seek out more low-sugar drink options, the tequila cocktail scene has seen a surge of innovative recipes that cater to this demand. One of the best drinks to mix with tequila is a low-sugar Gin & Tonic, where you can swap regular tonic (high in sugar) for diet/light tonic or soda water, and add a small amount of lime and stevia for sweetness.
Another popular low-sugar option is the Skinny Margarita, which uses tequila, lime juice, soda water, and a small amount of monk fruit or stevia syrup instead of the traditional sugary margarita mix or triple sec.
For a low-sugar Vodka Soda, simply combine vodka with soda water and a lemon or lime wedge. This refreshing drink is essentially zero sugar if no juice or sweetener is added. Similarly, a Low-Sugar Mojito can be made with rum, lime, mint, soda water, and a reduced amount of sweetener (or stevia-based syrup) instead of full sugar.
Other tequila-based options like the Low-Sugar Paloma (tequila, soda water, grapefruit, and a small amount of sweetener) and the Low-Sugar Whiskey Highball (whiskey with soda water and lemon) are great choices for those watching their sugar intake.
The Rise of Low-Sugar RTD Cocktails
The growing demand for low-sugar, low-calorie drinks has also led to a surge in the popularity of ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktail options. These convenient, pre-mixed beverages are formulated with reduced sugar and lower alcohol by volume (ABV) to cater to health-conscious consumers.
Some examples of low-sugar RTD cocktails include vodka sodas with natural flavours and 0 grams of sugar, as well as tequila seltzers flavoured with lime, grapefruit, or pineapple and marketed as low in sugar. Non-alcoholic RTD mocktails that are also low in sugar, such as sparkling botanical blends sweetened with stevia or monk fruit, are another popular choice.
Conclusion
In the ever-evolving world of cocktails, the demand for low-sugar, better-for-you drink options has become increasingly prominent. By exploring the wide range of low-sugar tequila cocktail recipes and ready-to-drink options, you can enjoy the bold flavour of tequila while catering to your health-conscious preferences. Whether you’re mixing up a Skinny Margarita or sipping on a low-sugar Vodka Soda, the possibilities are endless when it comes to the best drinks to mix with tequila.
Sources:
Publicis Sapient – “2025 Trends Shaping the Beverage Industry”
Innova Market Insights – “Low Alcohol Beverage Market Trends in the US”
LearnBrands – “Top Alcohol Industry Trends for 2025: Low/No Alcohol, RTDs and Premiumization”
Sustainalytics – “Tapping Into the Rise of No- and Low-Alcohol – Opportunities and Risks for Beer, Wine, and Spirits Companies”
Penn State Extension – “Alcoholic Beverage Trends 2025”
ANBA (Adult Non-Alcoholic Beverage Association) – “ANBA Industry Statistics”
BeverageDaily – “Global low and no alcohol market data for 2025”
Oh Bev – “Gen Z Alcohol Trends, Consumption and Marketing 2025”
Keurig Dr Pepper – “State of Beverages – 2025 Trend Report”
