JAKARTA – The habit of drinking afternoon coffee among young Chinese people is starting to shift. In Beijing, herbal milk tea and coffee made from traditional Chinese herbs are increasingly popular, along with the increasing interest in drinks that are considered healthier, lower in calories, and low in caffeine.
Based on a report by China Daily quoted Wednesday, March 25, the change is visible in the Dongsi Street area, Beijing. On the pedestrian lane filled with hutongs and old buildings, some people began to leave hot lattes and switch to herbal drinks made from ginseng, astragalus root, red dates, murbei, to dendrobium, an herbal plant from the orchid family.
One that stands out is Tea of Seasons or Shunshieryin. The store, founded by the Chinese traditional medicine brand Chang Chun Tang in 2022, offers herbal infusions tailored to the season. Branch manager He Jing said the drinks there were developed on the principle that food and medicine come from the same source.
“It tastes like milk tea, but also offers health and fitness benefits,” He Jing said, as quoted by China Daily. One of the most sought-after menus is ginseng milk tea and astragalus.
Not far from there, Tong Ren Tang’s Zhima Health also offers herbal coffees such as goji berry latte and dried tangerine peel latte. The menu also includes cold brewed herbal tea made from dates, red dates, and lilies.
One of its best-selling products is “goodnight water”, a cold drink containing poria mushrooms and prickly dates that are known to have a calming effect and help sleep. Meanwhile, for those who want to stay fresh, there is “stay-up water” with American ginseng and monk fruit or lo han kuo, an herbal fruit believed to help restore energy and relieve heat within.
According to a China Daily report, the popularity of herbal drink shops reflects the increasing interest of young Chinese consumers in caffeine-free and low-calorie drinks. In the United States, Chinese-style herbal drinks have also emerged through the “Chinamaxxing” trend on TikTok.
Chinese-American TikTok creator Sherry Zhu has promoted drinks such as ginger tea and boiled apple water linked to digestion and body energy. Her content has garnered millions of likes, with many viewers asking for recipes.
Beverage brands are also starting to sell ready-to-drink herbal infusions in bottles, such as barley water and red bean water. According to He Jing, Tea of Seasons also offers portable herbal sachets arranged according to the 24 solar terms in the traditional Chinese calendar. One example is a chrysanthemum and bamboo leaf infusion that is recommended to be drunk during the spring transition in the traditional Chinese calendar to help relieve heat.
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