Every year, the editors at Merriam-Webster keep track of any new words gaining prevalence in our lexicon, making this online dictionary a valuable — and maybe unexpected — lens on trends. Here are just a few of the new entries.
By Athena McKenzie
Zoodle
Child of the spiralizing and low-carb craze, zoodles are long, thin strips of zucchini that resemble strings or narrow ribbons of pasta. For a DIY approach, pick up a spiralizer from Capital Iron and start cranking. (If one looks at plant-based meat and zoodles as part of a larger trend, veggies may be taking over the world.)
Mocktail
Another ingestible that’s faking it (we’re looking at you, zoodles), mocktails are challenging their alcoholic counterparts in terms of complexity and taste.
“Low-alcohol and non-alcoholic cocktails are having quite the moment, and people who choose to drink moderately or abstain entirely are gaining more representation within bar programs,” says Brant Porter of Veneto Kitchen + Bar.
“Bartenders are also becoming more creative with non-alcoholic drinks. They are trading in the typical sugar and fruit juice mocktail for a more serious blend of ingredients that feel less patronizing to a grown guest. Teas, alternative acids (such as citric, malic, and lactic), and non-alcoholic hydrosols (such as distilled herbal and floral waters) can create flavours complex enough to pass or even surpass the real deal.”
Biohacking
Responsibility may lie with Gwyneth Paltrow and Goop for this one. Defined as “biological experimentation done to improve the qualities or capabilities of living organisms especially by individuals and groups outside of a traditional medical or scientific research environment,” biohacking promises performance boosts through everything from superfoods to personalized health testing.
Victoria-based Dave Asprey is considered a guru in the biohacking realm, with many people finding benefits in his Bulletproof coffee.
At Ageless Living’s BioHacking Centre, you’ll find a range of treatments, including hyperbaric oxygen therapy and vitamin IV therapy.
This article is from the January/February 2019 issue of YAM.