A healthy margarita? With Elkarita, it’s possible

What better way to stay healthy this summer than with a refreshing, frozen margarita? If it sounds too good to be true, it isn’t. Baton Rouge native Elke Ellzey is the creator of Elkarita, a natural, no-sugar-added non-alcoholic drink mix. Elkarita comes in three flavors: lime, mango and pomegranate. Each mix has fewer than 40 calories, and the four ingredients used are all pronounceable. Ellzey says that although the mixes were originally intended for combining with spirits, she suggests adding it to water for the kids and even using it as a marinade for cooking.

Ellzey’s inspiration for her mixes is her husband David, a Type 1 diabetic. “When I met my husband, I realized how much sugar is in a [serving] of limeade,” Ellzey says. Famous among her friends for her margaritas, she sought to create a margarita mix that wasn’t full of sugar so her husband could enjoy her signature drink. A year later, Elkarita was born. Ellzey is currently balancing being a working mom of two and trying to run the business on her own, but she has plans of expanding her line of products to include a Louisiana Strawberry flavor. Currently, Elkarita can be purchased at local grocers including Matherne’s, Calandro’s and Maxwell’s Market to name a few. For more information, visit elkarita.com.—Sydney Blanchard