Tag: Chinese cuisine ingredients

Over 90% of China's population is believed to be lactose intolerant, which historically shaped a cuisine largely free of dairy products like milk, butter, and cheese. This provides a strong foundation for understanding whether Chinese food contains milk, though modern influences have introduced some exceptions.

According to archaeological evidence, wheat and barley arrived in what is now northern China around 4,600 years ago, eventually becoming a staple crop. While often associated with rice, Chinese cuisine, especially in northern regions, incorporates a wide variety of wheat-based products that can contain gluten, a protein found in wheat.

Over 90% of the Chinese population is lactose intolerant, a major historical and genetic factor explaining why traditional Chinese food is generally not made with milk. The historical reliance on agriculture over large-scale dairy farming also shaped the cuisine, favoring ingredients like soy milk and other plant-based proteins as alternatives. This has led to a widespread misconception that no Chinese food contains dairy, though modern and regional variations do exist.