The Millennial Medicine Show

Her post reflects a growing attitude among younger Chinese, particularly overworked millennials, who are dealing with health issues brought on by stress, late nights, fast food and other common pitfalls of modern life. 　

To address these problems, many are taking a mish-mash approach called “punk yangsheng.” The term derives from yangsheng, an ancient concept in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) that promotes living in harmony with one’s environment, the seasons and balancing the body’s yin and yang. 　

“Punk” suggests a dirty fix – a sort of TCM for those on the go. 　

The result is an elixir of popular remedies, pseudo-science and compromise. Punk yangsheng attempts to strike a balance between ancient wellness practice and unhealthy habits – like drinking chrysanthemum tea after binging on greasy hot pot or plopping goji berries into a pint of beer – that many young people are reluctant, or cannot afford, to give up. 　

Food companies and pharmacy chains are cashing in, offering a mix of tonics, snacks and beverages featuring functional foods – health food that purport to go beyond general nutrition and claim myriad health benefits. The market has extended to candies and sugary snacks with additives that claim to counter insomnia, obesity and premature hair loss, common health issues among China’s overworked millennials. 　

“The popularity of punk yangsheng and functional foods reflects the helplessness young people feel about being stuck between surviving in society and maintaining health,” Zhu Yi, a food-safety expert and associate professor at China Agricultural University in Beijing, told NewsChina. 

A report in August 2020 from Tmall, Alibaba’s e-commerce marketplace estimates the functional foods market will reach 500 billion yuan (US$77b) in a few years, among which snacks will grow to 150 billion yuan (US$23b). 　

Younger people in China are spending more on staying healthy than ever before. According to a 2017 report on the over 1-trillion-yuan (US$154.7b) health industry published by research platform ChinaIRN. com, urbanites spent an average of 1,000 yuan (US$154) per month on health-related products or services, with those between the ages of 18 and 35 making up 83.7 percent of its total consumers. 　

This increased awareness has a lot to do with overall poorer health. A report by research firm Analysys in 2019 shows that 54 percent of people born in the 1990s (around 20-30 years old) suffer from hair loss and 51 percent have a degree of visual impairment. In addition, 35-45 percent reported weakened immune systems, obesity and lack of physical exercise. For 64 percent, late nights are routine, and 43 percent work overtime at least once a week. 

　

“Young people are under tremendous pressure both at work and home. From time to time, there’s news about someone dropping dead from overwork,” said Chenchenzi, adding that younger people are also more willing to spend on their general health and appearance than previous generations. 　

However for many, slowing down, resting and making lifestyle changes are not realistic. Punk yangsheng offers a quick fix, and functional foods sold with promises of having instant effect without sacrificing their habits. “Eat whatever you want, and let me handle the consequences,” reads an ad for a food product that claims it prevents the body from absorbing calories. “Suited for those who don’t get to sleep until 1-2am,” reads another for a product that claims to help improve sleep. 　

A popular punk yangsheng product is candy to be eaten 30 minutes before a large meal that claims to block the absorption of carbohydrates and burn fat. After long sessions in front of a screen, some choose to eat flavored gelatins containing xanthophyll, carotene pigments found in plants (some give carrots their orange color), which is marketed to promote healthier eyes. 

　

Sleep aids are even more common. Sarah Yin, 32, said she relies on such products to deal with her insomnia. She tried imported candies with added melatonin and has moved on to homegrown products. “I’m going to try a new sweet that does not contain melatonin but calms the nerves,” she said. 　

Dietary supplements that claim to provide a meal’s worth of nutrients without sugar or calories and snack foods believed to treat specific ailments are also popular. Helen, 34, who works in a foreign-funded investment company in Shanghai, said she started to buy snacks containing sesame seeds recently after discovering a few white hairs, as TCM prescribes sesame for healthier, darker hair. “Anxious about staying healthy and keeping up their appearance, many of my colleagues are on the lookout for new functional products, and they sometimes try them out,” she said. 　

Functional food ads surfaced several years ago as many food and beverage brands put out products containing herbal ingredients touting medicinal properties that target the health concerns of younger consumers. In December 2020, Coca-Cola launched a ginger-flavored cola made to be served warm, which not only capitalizes on a common Chinese home remedy for colds – cola heated up with added ginger – but also the belief in TCM that ginger helps increase energy levels during the winter months. 　

Last year, TCM brand Tong Ren Tang released coffee drinks containing herbal ingredients such as goji berries, believed to improve sleep, and motherwort, which according to TCM promotes circulation and helps menstrual flow. Other pharmacy chains and traditional healthcare product makers soon followed with their own herbal snack food lines. 　

Beverage brands have been aggressive in their advertising to health-conscious consumers, such as Coca-Cola and Sprite with dietary fiber, and flavored sparkling water brand Qingqi with added vitamin C and niacinamide, a form of vitamin B. 　

Snack brands like Three Squirrels have developed products containing sesame, date, goji and red bean – all touted in TCM as helpful in slowing hair loss, weight loss and improving skin quality. 　

As capital floods in, functional food brands mushroomed. Buffx, an herbal candymaker established in April 2020, saw three rounds of investment in a year. Two similar companies, Minayo and Nelo, each received tens of millions of yuan in financing in 2021. The brands quickly dominated the market through a combination of novel ideas, creative packaging and marketing to younger demographics. Advertised as having an instant effect in controlling sugar, carbohydrates and fat in the body, they quickly became highly visible on social networking sites such as Weibo, Douyin (China’s TikTok) and video platform Bilibili. 　

Minayo, which launched in August 2020, sold over two million pieces in its first month and has a monthly repurchase rate (return customers) of over 30 percent. Buffx sold over 20,000 boxes of “sleep gelatin cups” in two months after its product launch on Tmall. Nelo also boasts a repurchase rate of 20 percent for its jelly-based products that claim to promote liver health. Statistics from Taobao, Alibaba’s e-commerce platform, show that total sales of functional foods surpassed all other food categories during its annual Double-11 shopping event in November 2020. 　

“The domestic market for functional foods developed quickly. Its gross annual value surpassed 270 billion yuan (US$42b) in 2020,” Chen Wei, president of Jiangnan University and a food specialist, said at a forum on functional foods held in Jinan, Shandong Province in April. 

　

Compared to countries where functional foods have been popular for years, China’s market is nascent. A report released by market research supplier Forward Intelligence in 2020 showed that over 50 percent of people in the US buy functional foods, compared to only 20 percent in China. Per capita 　

consumption of functional foods in China hovered between one-sixth and one-eighth in 2018 compared to developed countries and regions. 　

Controversy abounds over the effects of functional foods in a health product market already under scrutiny for preying on elderly consumers. Many accuse brands of exaggerated claims and misleading packaging. Brands tout the positive effects of their products without disclosing their possible side effects, experts said. 　

“It [functional foods] appears to be an active response to issues, but it’s actually an evasion or placebo. It would be more accurate to say they [young people] are buying comfort or abating fear through their purchases,” Zhu Yi said. 　

The sector also suffers from loose regulation and definition. In China, health food manufacturers must apply for a special certificate for any product advertised as having functional or other health benefits. “But many companies are advertising the functionality of their products without the certificate, which is actually illegal,” Zhu Danpeng said. 　

Despite the increased willingness to invest in general health, Zhu Danpeng said many Chinese consumers are ill-informed and can be easily swindled by unscrupulous sellers and poor-quality products. “Getting them better informed is essential. I believe their understanding of functional foods will improve with time,” Zhu Danpeng said. 　

However, experts agree that market supervision is also essential. “While raising public awareness, authorities need to tighten supervision over the production, sale and promotion of products in this field to stop businesses from taking advantage of the system,” Zhu Yi added.