It’s funny to think that when juice and smoothies first hit the scene, we thought they were the absolute peak of wellness beverages. Some people even dismissed them as a passing trend! Now, in hindsight, we realise we hadn’t seen anything yet. Seemingly every month, a new non-dairy milk, magical water or Insta-worthy latte pops up, claiming to be the ultimate health elixir. And why not? Wellness drinks are a great way to get a nutrition boost in a convenient dose. The fact that they tend to be extremely photogenic certainly doesn’t hurt either!
From superfood lattes to booze with health benefits, read on for 5 buzzy beverages you need to know about.
Mushroom coffee
Medicinal mushrooms are taking the wellness storm right now and no, we’re not talking about the type that makes you hallucinate! More and more people are opting to add shrooms like cordyceps, chaga and lion’s mane to their coffee for an extra energy and cognitive boost. While coffee stimulates the central nervous system and adrenal glands, these mushrooms have been known to provide balanced cellular energy support, leading to a more sustained buzz that won’t make you feel jittery. The most popular brand on the market right now is Four Sigmatic and you can test it out at The Shroom Room in Los Angeles.
Pho cocktails
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Savoury and cocktails are two things that don’t normally mix, but that may be about to change thanks to the latest mixology trend—pho cocktails! Inspired by the Vietnamese beef noodle soup, the original recipe emerged in 2012 when a spicy, herby beverage with a Cointreau gin-based won a cocktail competition (no, there’s no meat in it). Now, the buzzy beverage is popping up in trendy bars in Saigon and beyond! You can try the original at Nê Cocktail bar in Hanoi, but they also serve the Pho-groni, a pho-inspired Negroni at Uncle Collins Street in Melbourne.
Alcoholic kombucha
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Speaking of alcohol, the ‘booch has had a boozy makeover. Yep, you can now enjoy the probiotic benefits of kombucha at Friday drinks, because spiked kombucha is a thing. Of course, kombucha has always contained trace amounts of alcohol due to the fermentation process, but there are now a range of higher alcohol versions on the market. Pioneering the trend is California company Boochcraft, who created the world’s first bottled high alcohol kombucha out of organic, locally-sourced beverages. Meanwhile, bars like Garden State Hotel in Melbourne and Marco Polo in NYC serve up kombucha cocktails.
Chia juices
Chia is one of the OG superfoods, worshipped for its high fibre content. So, it’s a wonder that a conveniently bottled version of it hasn’t gone mainstream yet. Nevertheless, we predict that chia juices are going to be the next big thing in the wellness world, with New Zealand company The Chia Sisters leading the way. They combine dehydrated chia seeds with other superfoods like coconut water and turmeric to create a natural, sugar-free beverage that packs a serious nutrition punch.
Unicorn lattes
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Yes, ombre lattes and moon milk have been dominating our Instagram feeds for a while now, but it’s safe to say the unicorn latte trend takes it to a whole new level! Combining health-boosting ingredients like beetroot, blue algae and lavender, the colourful swirls are nothing short of mesmerising. You can try the trend at cafes like Home San Francisco or The End in NYC, or make it yourself at home using Nutra Organics superfood latte packs.
