Tag: Lactose intolerance china

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 one study, over 90% of adults in some East Asian communities may be lactose intolerant, yet China has become a global leader in dairy consumption, confounding this biological predisposition. So, can the Chinese drink milk? The answer is a complex story of genetics, history, and a modern dietary revolution.

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.