Category Archives: Uncategorized

Innovative Cheese Snacks Designed for Children

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Cheese consumption has been increasing at an incredible speed in China during the past few years, considering that not so long ago, almost all Chinese were abhorred about the smell of cheese. Cheese supply volume in China has surged from 140,000 tons to 270,000 tons during the period 2017-2022. This figure is expected to maintain double-digit growth, far above the world average for the coming years.

Although the average cheese consumption in China is far below many Western countries as well as Japan and Korea, it has significantly increased from 80g/person/year in 2017 to 130g/person/year in 2021. At the 2022 China Cheese Development Summit Forum, the Dairy Association of China released an action plan, proposing that the national cheese production would reach 500,000 tons by 2025. Much of the cheese sold in China is processed, but non-processed is increasing.

A uniquely Chinese development is that Chinese cheese producers are focusing their own R&D on developing one-bite cheese snacks, for all ages, but in particular for children. This is partly a result of the pressure of the Chinese authorities to increase dairy consumption among children. Such products include cheese sticks, cheese slices, cheese strips, etc. Cheese sticks form the most popular type, which was first launched by Milkana, but was popularized by Milkground. Presently, driven by the increasingly intensive market competition, dairy enterprises have rolled out a wide range of cheese sticks with distinctive features. Apart from various funny shapes, including ‘cheese lollies’, they are also experimenting with flavours. A good example are Milkana’s strawberry flavoured cheese sticks.

This ad by Milkground presents their range of cheese sticks in various flavors: coconut, grape and natural. It promises a calcium content 7 times that of liquid milk. It has added Vitamin D. The animals indicate how fast your child will grow, if you let them snack on Milkground cheese sticks.

The current trend towards more nutritious snacks is also influencing the design of cheese sticks. Dr Cheese has launched a cheese stick sandwiched between two layers of dried seaweed.

Cheespirit has launched a series of innovative products in 2023: ‘Vegetable & Fruit Growing Up Cheese Sticks’. The company claims to have selected 8 kinds of ‘super vegetables and fruits’ to create high-calcium and high-VC cheese sticks, containing 3% dietary fibre. The calcium is 100% milk calcium, with a 1.8:1 calcium-phosphorus ratio. The product contains 40% whey protein, as well as algal oil DHA and various trace elements derived from vegetables and fruits, providing nutrients such as protein, dietary fibre, vitamins and other basic nutrients needed by children. It contains no preservatives. It uses two innovative two-colour-flavours: Lele orange (tomato, carrot and apple compound flavour) that contains β-carotene; and absolute purple (purple sweet potato, purple cabbage blueberry complex flavour) containing anthocyanins to help the children’s growth.

If this post is of interest to you, you may also want to read:

Cheese in China – a gargantuan challenge

Peter Peverelli is active in and with China since 1975 and regularly travels to the remotest corners of that vast nation. He is a co-author of a major book introducing the cultural drivers behind China’s economic success. Peter has been involved with the Chinese food and beverage industries since 1985.

Understanding China’s Maternal and Infant Water Market

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China’s new generation of parents has become extremely finicky about the quality of any product used for or by their newborns. Many posts in this blog already reflect the growing concern for healthy food among young Chinese consumers. This concern only multiplies, when they are starting a family. One innovative product that has come from this development is special purified water for infants. As a drinking water designed for infants and pregnant women, maternal and infant water has many advantages. First of all, it undergoes strict purification and filtration treatment to ensure that the water quality is pollution-free, and can provide a safe and reliable drinking water source for infants and pregnant women. Secondly, maternal and infant water is enriched with a variety of minerals and trace elements, which are essential for the growth and development of infants and young children and the health of pregnant women. According to recent data, China’s maternal and infant water production has increased to 228 mio bottles in 2023; Demand grew to 224.75 mio bottles.

Overview of the maternal and infant water industry

Maternal and infant water is a pure natural mineral drinking water specially for pregnant women and infants to drink, with rich mineral ions, strong antioxidant capacity, good nutrient absorption, low soluble total solids and other characteristics. Maternal and infant water is the ‘natural mineral water’ that meets or exceeds the national standard of the Chinese Nutrition Association. Maternal and infant water must be high-quality raw water derived from nature, without any pollution in the water intake area, and retain the natural mineral elements in the water under the premise of safety and cleanliness; Filling must be carried out close to the water source with special hygienic protection.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the number of births in China reached 9.02 mio in 2023, a decrease of 540,000 from 9.56 mio in 2022. On the whole, the number of births in China is showing a downward trend, but considering the large size of China’s population, the number of births still remains at a relatively high level. Moreover, with the implementation of a series of policies and regulations and supporting measures to actively support childbirth, the decline in the number of births in China is expected to decrease in the future. This is expected to usher in development opportunities for the maternal and infant market.

The value chain

The upstream of the value chain is mainly mineral water resources and packaging materials, among which mineral water resources directly determine the output and quality of the products; The midstream refers to the production and manufacturing of maternal and infant water, represented by brands such as Nongfu Spring, which have won the trust of consumers with strict quality control and unique market positioning; The downstream link refers to the consumption of maternal and infant water, and its sales channels mainly include shopping malls, supermarkets, convenience stores, e-commerce, etc., and the development level of these channels directly affects the market demand for maternal and infant aquatic products.

The development of the industry

The data shows that from 2015 to 2023, the scale of China’s maternal and infant water market has continued to grow, and the scale of China’s maternal and infant water market reached RMB 1.043 billion in 2023. However, it is worth noting that in 2023, the size of China’s packaged drinking water market has exceeded 200 billion, so maternal and infant water accounts for less than five thousandths. It is expected that with the continuous development of the maternal and infant water market in the future, more and more brands and manufacturers will begin to increase the publicity and promotion of maternal and infant water, improve consumers’ awareness and acceptance of maternal and infant water, and thus stimulate the growth of industry demand. In addition, the expansion of sales channels has further promoted the development of the maternal and infant market. In addition to traditional supermarkets and baby stores, more and more e-commerce platforms and social media have also started to sell and promote baby water.

There are four main producers of infant water, with Nongfu Spring, already market leader in the Chinese mineral water market, ranking first place. Contact me for an in-depth market study.

If you are interested in this post, you may also want to read:

Infant formulae in China – a showcase of Chinese food policy

Peter Peverelli is active in and with China since 1975 and regularly travels to the remotest corners of that vast nation. He is a co-author of a major book introducing the cultural drivers behind China’s economic success. Peter has been involved with the Chinese food and beverage industries since 1985.

Why Young Chinese Consumers Prefer Online Bakeries

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In Shanghai, bread has become an indispensable part of young people’s lives, whether it’s gathering with friends, exploring every corner of the city on a City Walk, or at various social events, bread has become a must-have food companion.

With the popularity of the Internet and changes in lifestyle, young people in Shanghai are revolutionizing the way they buy bread. From queuing up in physical stores to buying bread online, this shift not only reflects the change in consumption patterns, but also drives the innovation and development of the entire baking industry.
Bread has always been loved by the public as a quick and delicious breakfast and snack, and more and more young people are no longer satisfied with buying bread in traditional offline bakeries, but choose to buy bread online.

Metropolis

In the fast-paced metropolis of Shanghai, traditional bakeries seem to be losing favour with younger consumers. According to Winshang Big Data, although Shanghai has more than 1,300 bakery shops, ranking first in the country, young people are more inclined to buy bread online.

Left-overs

Driven by the wave of digitalization, online shopping has become an important part of modern life. For busy young people in Shanghai, buying bread online is not only convenient and fast, but also enjoys more discounts and choices. Recently, a method of food sales called ‘leftover blind boxes’ has quietly emerged, which is highly sought after by young people because it is labelled as money-saving, fun, and environmentally friendly. In addition, bakery accounts on social media platforms have become a new front to attract customers. Through the release of activities such as ‘Discount Blind Box’ and ‘Free Tasting’, it has successfully attracted the attention and participation of a large number of young users. This seems to be the next step after the appearance of good boxes in previous years.

Buying bread is crazier than buying clothes

In Shanghai, the fashion capital, young people are just as crazy about food. Compared to traditional bakeries, online bakeries are more diverse in styles and flavours. Shanghai’s bakeries have a variety of cake styles, so many that they may be more than you can imagine: from classic baguettes to creative matcha breads, from healthy breads with low sugar and fat to rich sandwiches. From classic French desserts to innovative varieties infused with Chinese flavours, Shanghai’s bakeries cater to every taste. There is a wide range of styles to make people dazzled.

Blind boxes

In recent years, the blind box economy has risen rapidly in China, and major businesses have launched blind box products to attract consumers.  Blind boxes, as an emerging marketing method, have found its place in the food industry. The bread blind box packages launched by major merchants not only increase the fun of shopping, but also provide consumers with more opportunities to try unknown flavours. And under this trend, the bread industry is not to be outdone by launching the bread blind box. These mystery boxes often contain a variety of random styles of bread, making every opening full of surprises. Consumers don’t know exactly what styles and flavours of bread they will get when they buy it, and this sense of mystery and anticipation makes young people want to stop. For young consumers who are looking for novelty and curiosity, this way of buying has an irresistible appeal.

Recommended other posts:

Bread in China – from snack to staple, though still for the young urban

Some Chinese bakery statistics

Uncle and Aunty Xiong, French bakers in Beijing

 

Peter Peverelli is active in and with China since 1975 and regularly travels to the remotest corners of that vast nation. He is a co-author of a major book introducing the cultural drivers behind China’s economic success. Peter has been involved with the Chinese food and beverage industries since 1985.

Understanding China’s Tomato Paste Production Chain

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Introduction

The industrial chain of tomato paste production mainly includes tomato planting, harvesting, processing, packaging and sales. Its upstream industries include tomato planting, pesticides, fertilizers, agricultural machinery, etc.; The midstream link is the production and processing of tomato paste, including cleaning, crushing, deseeding, concentration, seasoning and other steps, which require advanced processing equipment and technical support; The tomato paste produced by midstream production enterprises is packaged and sold through downstream sales channels, and is widely used in ready-to-eat fast food, pizza, snack food, canned food, beverages/juices, soups and other fields. As a commonly used condiment, tomato paste is widely used in Western cuisine. In Chinese cooking, it is mainly used to prepare sweet and sour flavours, such as squirrel mandarin fish, sweet and sour pork, etc.

Nutrition

Tomato paste contains lycopene, B vitamins, dietary fibre, minerals, protein and natural pectin, etc. Compared with fresh tomatoes, the nutrients in tomato sauce are more easily absorbed by the body.

Industry

In recent years, the scale of China’s tomato paste market has continued to expand, and the market capacity has been growing. However, at present, China’s tomato paste market is mainly occupied by leading enterprises, which have become industry leaders by virtue of their brand advantages, production scale and sales channels. However, some small and medium-sized enterprises compete with large enterprises through cooperation with farmers, production cost advantages, and flexible marketing strategies. In addition, some cross-industry enterprises have also entered the ketchup market, and these enterprises usually have strong financial strength and advanced production technology, which has a certain impact on the market competition pattern.

Ketchup

Ketchup is tomato paste with various added ingredients. In fact, ketchup is derived from the pronunciation of the Chinese term qiezhi (tomato juice) in southern dialects, spoken by Chinese in Southeast Asian countries. Ketchup is mainly divided into basic ketchup, Italian ketchup, jam-based ketchup, chili ketchup, sweet ketchup, sugar-free/low-sugar ketchup, organic or natural ketchup. The most common type of base ketchup is made from fresh or processed tomatoes, onions, garlic, herbs, spices, etc. It is often a versatile sauce that can be used to make a variety of dishes.

Industrial chain

The industrial chain of tomato paste production mainly includes tomato planting, harvesting, processing, packaging, sales and other links, and its upstream industries mainly include tomato planting, pesticides, fertilizers, agricultural machinery, etc., and tomato planting enterprises mainly provide raw materials for the midstream, so its output and quality will directly affect the quality and cost of tomato paste. The midstream link is the production and processing of tomato paste, including cleaning, crushing, deseeding, concentration, seasoning and other steps, which require advanced processing equipment and technical support. Leading enterprises are: COFCO Sugar Holdings Co., Ltd., Xinjiang Guannong Co., Ltd., Zhongji Health Industry Co., Ltd., Xinjiang Tianye Co., Ltd.

Tomato growing

In recent years, China’s tomato planting area has stabilized between 1.2 and 1.3 mln hectares, ranking the fourth largest vegetable variety in the country and has become an important part of the agricultural industry. The planting area is an important factor affecting the yield of tomatoes, so its stability will ensure the yield of tomatoes to a certain extent. The data shows that in China’s tomato production continued to rise during the past few years reaching more than 70 mln mt.

Xinjiang is blessed with unique natural conditions, including long sunlight hours, large temperature difference between day and night, dry climate and little rainfall. Xinjiang tomatoes have a high content of red pigment, high soluble solids, a high yield, as well as less pests and diseases. These characteristics greatly reduce the occurrence of fruit cracking and mouldy rot, and improve the overall quality of tomatoes. Therefore, Xinjiang is the main area of tomato cultivation in China. From the perspective of development history, Xinjiang first began to plant tomatoes on a large scale after the founding of the People’s Republic of China. After the first tomato paste production line was built in Xinjiang in 1984, the tomato industry began to embark on a fast track. From a national perspective, Xinjiang’s tomato production accounts for more than 80% of the country’s total.

Unstable

A good development of tomato production and marketing requires the a stable foundation for different parties in the value chain such as breeders, seedling dealers, growers, vegetable wholesalers, and consumers in the whole industry chain. In tomato production, wholesalers dominate market prices, so producers are at a disadvantage, unable to obtain stable and considerable income The low and unstable income have accelerated the transfer and loss of growers to other industries. The data show that from January 2022 to May 2024, the wholesale price of tomatoes in China has shown a downward trend. However, from the perspective of the production of tomato sauce in the midstream, the decline in the wholesale price of tomatoes will directly reduce the production costs of tomato sauce manufacturers, which is conducive to the rapid development of tomato sauce production enterprises.

Paste production

In recent years, the scale of China’s tomato sauce market has been growing. At present, China’s tomato sauce market is dominated by a few leading enterprises, which have become industry leaders by virtue of their brand advantages, production scale and sales channels. However, some small and medium-sized enterprises compete with large enterprises through cooperation with farmers, production cost advantages, and flexible marketing strategies. In addition, some cross-industry enterprises have also entered the tomato paste market, and these enterprises usually have strong financial strength and advanced production technology, which is beginning to impact the market competition pattern.

Related posts:

Tomatoes in the Chinese kitchen and even more for export

Peter Peverelli is active in and with China since 1975 and regularly travels to the remotest corners of that vast nation. He is a co-author of a major book introducing the cultural drivers behind China’s economic success. Peter has been involved with the Chinese food and beverage industries since 1985.

Exploring China’s Milk Tea Craze: Brands and Growth

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A rapidly growing beverage category in China are the milk teas. They are a combination of the bubble teas that originated in Vietnam and based and traditional milk or butter teas drunk by Mongolians and Tibetans.

In the course of 2018, China’s tea aficionados have embraced a new trend, one that is encapsulated in the growing popularity of the milk tea brand, Heytea. Originally sold in a tiny alleyway in Jiangmen, southern China’s Guangdong province, the brand went viral on social media because of its signature “cream cheese” series — a cup of hot sweet tea topped with a spoonful of savoury cream cheese. Since then, Heytea has developed into a franchise with more than 80 outlets in 13 cities across the country. There are also outlets in North America.

Milk tea now has many brands and more are still being added. Some are already established brands: for example, Naixue, Chagee, Mixue Ice Cream & Tea and Chabaidao.

This table shows the number of new outlets opened per year.

The penetration of chains has been steadily increasing in this business.

The following table lists the turnover and profit for a number of major players in this market for 2024.

This positive trend can be expected to continue, as the total turnover of this business is expected to grow, at least during the coming few years.

The 2023 New Tea Drink Research Report, released by the China Chain Store and Franchise Association and Meituan New Catering Research Institute, predicts that by the end of 2025, the market size of Chinese-style tea drinks will reach RMB 242.5 billion.

Related earlier posts:

Chinese milk tea brands cover their sins with artificial sweeteners

Drinks galore – the Chinese typology of beverages

Peter Peverelli is active in and with China since 1975 and regularly travels to the remotest corners of that vast nation. He is a co-author of a major book introducing the cultural drivers behind China’s economic success. Peter has been involved with the Chinese food and beverage industries since 1985.

Exploring China’s Growing Market for Meal Replacers

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Food is a core aspect of Chinese culture. Although Chinese are spending less and less time in the kitchen, they still have the same high expectations for flavour, texture, nutrition, etc., of their meals. This makes the Chinese market for meal replacers very different from that in most Western nations.

The Chinese market for meal replacers is therefore even more promising in terms of profits. Chinese customers expect the highest quality ingredients and they want them fresh. They also like to be regularly triggered by new flavours.

This mini-blog shows the historic and projected growth of this market (unit RMB 100 mln): double digits for several years to come, with interesting niche segments.

Peter Peverelli is active in and with China since 1975 and regularly travels to the remotest corners of that vast nation. He is a co-author of a major book introducing the cultural drivers behind China’s economic success. Peter has been involved with the Chinese food and beverage industries since 1985.

Exploring China’s Bakery Ingredient Market Trends

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The Chinese bakery business is booming, but the market is also extremely volatile. There is no better moment to enter the Chinese market for suppliers of any bakery ingredient than now.

I have collated a few statistics that are recent enough to give a rough impression of the size of the market.

The first table indicates the development of the value of the market and the projection of the near future.

Some interesting details about consumer behaviour:

  • Whether online or offline, women are still the main consumers of baked goods in China.
  • In terms of age, 70% of consumers are between the ages of 21 and 40.
  • In terms of price, consumers spending RMB 20 – 40 in a single consumption constitute the largest segment (35. 8%).

The next table shows the number of bakery shops in a selected group of major cities. This tells something about the geographic distribution. However, the smaller provincial cities currently show the highest growth.

We should not forget the focus issue of this blog: food ingredients. This graph shows the major cream suppliers to the Chinese baking industry. As you can see, the market still consists of a few major brands and a large number of small suppliers.

You can find more information in earlier posts, e.g. about flour (improvers), baking enzymes, leading bakery Holiland, a small private bakery in Beijing, bread, and you can find more by using the search function in this blog (try pastry, cake, biscuit, etc.). Contact me for proprietary studies.

Peter Peverelli is active in and with China since 1975 and regularly travels to the remotest corners of that vast nation. He is a co-author of a major book introducing the cultural drivers behind China’s economic success. Peter has been involved with the Chinese food and beverage industries since 1985.

A new trend in China: grading low-fat and sugar-free drinks

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In the turbulent and increasingly diversified Chinese beverage market, sugar-free and low-fat have become the choices of more and more consumers. The following picture is taken from an influencer promoting ‘clean label’ products. However, official food and beverage labelling has only just started in China. As you can see, this influencer follows international practice.

Black bean milk

Origin: Ganquan; Brand: 8000 Miles (Baqianli) Price: RMB 1.70/200 ml; shelf life: 90 days.

Nutrition information (100 gr): energy 174 kjoules; protein: 4.4 gr; fat: 1.4 r; carbohydrates: 2.8 gr; sodium: 7 mg.

Ingredients: potable water, black beans, black rice, sesame.

According a recent survey, the market size of China’s sugar-free beverage industry has increased from RMB 2.26 billion in 2015 to 19.96 billion in 2022, and is expected to reach RMB 61.56 billion in 2025. In addition, according another survey, 75% of consumers believe that health is a focus issue in choosing which beverages to buy. In addition to taste, ingredients have become one of the most important beverage purchase considerations for consumers.

To meet the needs of consumers and guide them to make healthier decisions, projects for beverage grading have been proposed. Recently, Shanghai has started the first batch of pilot projects for the grading of ‘nutritional choice’ for beverages, and mainstream brands such as Naixue tea and Bawang Chagee tea have been selected as the first objects for testing, which has caused heated discussions in the industry.

Beverage grading

As the name suggests, beverage grading is the classification and rating of beverages based on certain criteria. These criteria usually include the ingredients, texture, taste, etc., of the beverage. The ‘Nutritional Choice’ grading piloted in Shanghai is based on the content of non-dairy sugar, saturated fat, transfat and non-sugar sweeteners in beverages, and comprehensively classifies beverages through four grades from A to D, in decreasing order. This allows consumers to make more rational consumption choices.

According to Shanghai Centre of Disease Control, the ‘Nutritional Choice’ beverage classification method mainly refers to domestic and foreign standards, and the full indication ‘Nutritional Choice’ can be used in various contexts, such as beverage packaging, ordering procedures, and menus. The classification of a beverage’s grade depends on its ‘shortcomings’. For example, if a beverage has a sugar content of C, saturated fat and transfat of A and no added non-sugar sweeteners, the beverage will be classified as C.

Singapore as example

In December 2022, the Singaporian government began to officially implement a classification policy for prepackaged beverages in the retail market, which also used four grades according to the sugar content and saturated fat content: A, B, C, and D. ‘A class (dark green)’, ‘B class (light green)’, ‘C class (yellow)’, ‘D class (red)’. Grade A means that sugar content and saturated fat are the lowest, and grade D represents the highest content. In addition to packaged beverages, all kinds of handmade beverages such as freshly squeezed juice and milk tea will also be labeled in this way soon. The labeling is the responsibility of the manufacturer, importer or distributor.

Milk tea first

It is understood that milk tea brands like Nai Xue, Bawang Chagee, Happy Lemon, and Hangzhou Leyuan are the first batch of brands to try out the ‘nutritional choice’ classification. On March 27, Naixue’s Shanghai stores and ordering outlets fully implemented the ‘Nutritional Choice’ logo, and Naixue’s ready-to-drink (RTD) products were also superscripted with the ‘Nutritional Choice’ logo. The data show that Naixue’s tea freshly made drinks and RTD bottled beverage products are mostly concentrated in the A and B grade ranges, with obvious health attributes and high recommended values. It is worth mentioning that after the introduction of the ‘Nutritional Choice’ label, the number of consumers choosing grades A and B has increased significantly.

As for Bawang Chagee, the medium-sized cup with less sugar is classified as B-grade, and the Oriental Iced Tea as A-grade. Bawang Chagee also emphasizes healthy sugar, promoting the choice of low GI foods (glycemic index less than 55), food GI value less than or equal to 55, are good choices, but this does not mean that the lower the GI value, the better. Tea lovers also need to choose according to their own situation to avoid falling into knowledge misunderstandings.

More beverages

In addition, Zerup Zero Sugar Drink, Watsons Soda, Suntory Sugar-Free Oolong Tea, etc., are classified as Grade A, F&N Ice Cream Soda, Wahaha AD Calcium Milk are classified as Grade B, FairPrice Whole Milk, Nongfu Spring Brand Tea, Green Oolong Tea, Yuzu Green Tea, Coconut Palm Coconut Water, Benasong Coffee and other products are all classified as Grade C.

Future

The ‘Nutritional Choice’ classification has enabled the beverage industry to move towards a more professional and refined business. With the continuous promotion of the ‘grading system’, more brands may join the ranks in the future. This will also be extended to food. Compared to beverages, there are more types of foods, and the content and proportion of nutrients are more complex. For example, a food can be evaluated based on the content of key nutrients such as protein, fat, carbohydrates, dietary fibre, vitamins and minerals in the food. At the same time, the content of nutrients such as sodium and sugar that are not conducive to health in food can also be considered, so as to evaluate the nutritional value of food more comprehensively.

Peter Peverelli is active in and with China since 1975 and regularly travels to the remotest corners of that vast nation. He is a co-author of a major book introducing the cultural drivers behind China’s economic success. Peter has been involved with the Chinese food and beverage industries since 1985.

Exploring China’s Anti-Fatigue Foods: Insights and Innovations

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With this post, I am adding a new feature to this blog: posts adapted from Chinese media that I believe have long-term value. This is taken from China Food News of 10-4-2024.

A supplement marketed for people who keep working late at night; combing iron and b-vitamins

Good food makes you feel good and should therefore always alleviate fatigue to a certain extent. However, in the world of functional foods, anti-fatigue food is one of major categories in China. This article summarises current thinking about fighting fatigue through nutrition in China. It offers insight in what aspects are regarded important in China and in what ways Chinese food scientists are formulating these foods and drinks.

The following table shows the development of the Chinese health supplement market and the estimates for the next few years.

Types of fatigue

Fatigue is mainly divided into motoric fatigue and chronic fatigue. Motoric fatigue is a phenomenon caused by the temporary decline of the body’s function caused by exercise or hard work, which can be alleviated by supplementing amino acids, traditional Chinese medicine or vitamin-like functional foods. Chronic fatigue will not be alleviated by supplementing the body’s function and rest, but is accompanied by sore throat, headache, muscle and joint pain, lack of concentration and failing memory. Symptoms such as decreased strength, repeated attacks, long duration, high incidence. The cause of the ailment is not clear, but it can be related to exercise fatigue.

Also see the post on the increasing habit of working through the night among young Chinese.

Overview of fatigue

According to the definition proposed by sports biochemists at the 1982 International Sports Biochemistry Academic Conference (5th), fatigue is the decrease or interruption of the physiological supply of the body and the inability to maintain or reach the expected intensity of action. So far, there are different opinions on the mechanism of motoric fatigue, and there is no very specific and accurate theory to confirm its cause. At present, there are mainly nine explanation, namely: free radical theory, mutation theory, protective inhibition theory, ion metabolism disorder theory, immune disfunction theory, endocrine mediation disorder theory, metabolite accumulation theory and energy exhaustion theory. Fatigue is actually a protective reaction of the body, to avoid life-threatening failure of the body’s functions, thus reminding athletes or workers to reduce the intensity of exercise and work to prevent damage to the body.

Pace of life

The pace of modern life is getting faster and faster. In recent years, people’s fatigue has continued to increase. The number of people with exercise fatigue is large, and the incidence of chronic fatigue is gradually increasing. Therefore, timely alleviation of exercise fatigue and attention to food therapy and health care are of great significance for the prevention of chronic fatigue. This article reports on the analysis of functional foods and ingredients that relieve exercise fatigue, hoping to analyse the characteristics and benefits of functional foods and improve people’s quality of life.

Vitamins

Enzyme systems and non-enzyme systems in the body can remove free radicals. In the enzyme system, GPX (glutathione hydrogenase) can remove lipid peroxides, SOD (superoxide dismutase) can remove peroxides and superoxide free radicals, and CAT (catalase) can remove hydrogen peroxide; non-enzyme systems include coenzyme Q, reduced glutathione, β-carotene, and vitamins C and vitamin E, etc. A variety of antioxidants in the cells of the body maintain a relatively balanced level, reduce the oxidative stress in the body, and remove large molecules such as free radicals, proteins, nuclear fermentation and protective lipids in time to protect the body from the attack by free radicals. Therefore, supplementing the body with vitamins can effectively relieve fatigue.

The more common vitamins with an anti-fatigue function are: vitamin E, vitamin C, vitamin A and vitamin B.

  • Vitamin E is an antioxidant, which can act on cell membranes and subcellular structural membranes to prevent free radicals from oxidising unsaturated fatty acids in biological membranes;
  • Vitamin C can not only provide the body with hydrogen atoms, but also help the body remove free radicals and convert oxidised glutathione into a reduced glutathione;
  • Vitamin A can improve the body’s antioxidant status, inhibit the production of oxygen free radicals during exercise, reduce the body’s oxidative stress damage, delay the body’s fatigue, and thus improve the body’s ability to exercise;
  • Vitamin B1 and vitamin B2 in the vitamin B group have anti-fatigue effects. Under vitamin B1 deficiency, the body will accumulate a large amount of lactic acid and pyruvate. Vitamin B2 in the body can participate in the oxidation and energy generation as a coenzyme in the trihydroxy acid cycle.

Amino acids

Insufficient amino acids will lead to a shortage of raw materials for the synthesis of antioxidants and antioxidant enzymes, thus increasing free radicals. For example, fat oxidation is mitochondrial oxidation of carnitine with fatty acids as the carrier. Carnitine is mainly produced in the metabolic process of methionine and lysine. It can promote the oxidation of amino acids in the two keto acid branched chain and remove excess fatty acyl CoA. When you are tired, urination will excrete a large amount of botulinum toxin and seriously weaken the body’s ability to oxidise and utilise fatty acids, resulting in fatigue. Therefore, supplementing the human body with amino acids can effectively eliminate fatigue. Also see the post on creatine in this blog.

Trace elements

Magnesium is commonly found in a variety of foods, such as fish, meat, fruits, green vegetables and peas. If people are partial or picky about food, do not like fish or meat, love a certain kind of fruit or meat, or rarely eat fruits and green vegetables, this can lead to magnesium deficiency, which will lead to fatigue. Therefore, the supplementation of magnesium is of great significance to the finicky eater.

Protein

Protein is an indispensable part of functional food and an important source of nutrition for the human body. Protein deficiency will affect the physiological regulation of the body and cause fatigue. There are many foods containing protein, such as animal protein in fish, shrimp, eggs, milk, poultry and animal meat; vegetable protein like beans, dried fruit, nuts and seeds.

Traditional Chinese Medicine

There are many anti-fatigue medicinal materials in traditional Chinese medicine, such as barrenwort, pollen, ginkgo, aloe vera, gynostemma and golden root.

  • Barrenwort contains a large amount of MDA that can increase the SOD activity of red blood cells; pollen contains amino acids, proteins, trace elements and vitamins.
  • Ginkgo leaves contain diterpenolactone and flavonosides, which can remove free radicals, strengthen hypoxia resistance and improve heart and brain metabolism.
  • Aloe vera contains flavonoid antioxidants, a variety of amino acids and vitamins, and has a strong antioxidant ability.
  • Gynostemma has a wide range of pharmacological effects. The saponins it contains can improve free radical metabolism and delay the occurrence of fatigue.
  • Golden root contains muscle glycogen, which can improve the body’s tolerance to hypoxia.

Also read the post on sea cucumbers in this blog.

Concluding remarks

China has a rich and long history of food therapy and health care culture. The combination of functional food and diet therapy has unique advantages in the development of functional foods. The combination of TCM with western ingredients like vitamins, trace elements, etc, can lead to a wide range of innovative foods.

Peter Peverelli is active in and with China since 1975 and regularly travels to the remotest corners of that vast nation. He is a co-author of a major book introducing the cultural drivers behind China’s economic success. Peter has been involved with the Chinese food and beverage industries since 1985.

Weijixiong – a new craft beer in China

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The other day, we had lunch in a local restaurant in Beijing, when I saw an unknown beer on the menu: Weijixiong Craft Beer. I had to try it, obviously. The name alone is peculiar, because it resembles Beijixiong, polar beer.

It came in a can, indeed with a polar beer on the front, also indicating that is a beer with Russian flavour. Russian foods and drinks are popular in China, so that information sells.

On back you can read the ingredients:

Barley malt, wheat malt, yeast, water

So it used fewer cereals than Xibei’s craft beer that I reported on earlier, but at least it is a whole malt beer, rather than the average Chinese pilsner, that is brewed with a high ratio of unmalted grains.

Weijixiong is produced in Shandong. Another information channel claims that the production is supervised by Paulaner.

I goes well with Chinese food and it offers an attractive alternative that a restaurant can put on the menu next to the ‘safe’ choices like Yanjing or Qingdao.

Peter Peverelli is active in and with China since 1975 and regularly travels to the remotest corners of that vast nation. He is a co-author of a major book introducing the cultural drivers behind China’s economic success. Peter has been involved with the Chinese food and beverage industries since 1985.