‘Science’, ‘Sugar’ and ‘Fructose’ – Changed Interpretations in 2013
Sounds boring but ‘Science’ was the 2013 Word of the Year from the Merriam Webster dictionary group.
‘Science’ had a marked upturn in search engines than ever and the communities interest in looking for an evidence base rather than just an opinion seems to be increasing – but that’s just an opinion, or is it? The Huffington Post article explores this.
What I have seen is that the wider press and community is changing the definition and understanding of the word ‘sugar’.
A year ago, ‘we’ still felt that sugar was a treat and ‘natural’ and good for us. ‘Sugar’ has lost it’s shine. It has a dark side now. Not everyone has picked up on it but they will as more ‘science’ comes along.
Here is part of the Merriam Webster definition of ‘sugar’ – “as a sweetener and preservative for other foods and for drugs”
A search across several dictionaries on and off line show that this is the first time I have seen a definition include the food and drug industries use of ‘sugar’ to manipulate our senses.
I would like to see in the next few years a broadening of the dictionary definition to include it’s wider effects on our health and obesity.
I nominated ‘Fructose’ for my Word of the Year back on March 7. There has certainly been a rise in awareness of the word in the last 12 months. I cannot enter a room without people referring to me as the ‘No Fructose’ guy.
So ‘Fructose’ remains my Word of the Year. ‘Sugar’ isn’t as sweet as it was and ‘Science’ will give us a lot more to back us up in the next 12 months.