Over 90% of Chinese People Have Lactose Intolerance? Why is Milk Coffee So Popular in China?

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The Truth About Lactose Intolerance in China

If we casually search online for "Chinese lactose intolerance," most articles will convey information such as: "Lactose intolerance is more common among Asians," "China has the highest number of people with lactose intolerance," and "Over 90% of Chinese people suffer from lactose intolerance." Then they'll show a map indicating global lactose intolerance prevalence rates:

This image originated from a foreign website studying lactose intolerance, but when examining the original article's cited sources, the academic article referenced (https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article-abstract/48/4/1142/4716179) contains data about the global proportion of people with lactose malabsorption, with prevalence rates ranging between 15-100% in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

Well, it seems this data was then "forcefully distorted" by lactose intolerance websites... So what's the difference between lactose intolerance and lactose malabsorption? Let's first look at the current medical definitions for both conditions:

Lactose Intolerance – A clinical syndrome where patients experience related symptoms (abdominal pain, bloating, flatulence, nausea, diarrhea) after consuming lactose or lactose-containing foods. Lactose intolerance is not necessarily related to lactose malabsorption.

Lactose Malabsorption – Due to lactase deficiency, ingested lactose cannot be absorbed by the small intestine. Lactose malabsorption is not necessarily accompanied by lactose intolerance symptoms.

From these definitions, we can see that lactose intolerance and lactose malabsorption don't necessarily correlate. Lactose intolerance causes varying degrees of gastrointestinal discomfort, while lactose malabsorption merely refers to inefficient lactose absorption by the small intestine without causing gastrointestinal discomfort symptoms.

If we look at the data this way, the vast majority of Chinese people would have lactose malabsorption, but the number of people actually suffering from lactose intolerance is not as high as widely promoted online suggests.

So why do so many articles claim that China has the highest number of lactose intolerance sufferers globally? We can't rule out that some brands are paving the way and promoting specific products, nor can we exclude the possibility that they want to raise awareness about lactose intolerance symptoms.

If the numbers were truly that high, and so many people experienced gastrointestinal discomfort after drinking milk, then milk tea and milk coffee would never have become so popular in China. As the saying goes: existence is rational.

At this moment, a voice emerges: "That's not right! I always need to use the bathroom after drinking milk coffee!"

Well... this is mainly because the acidity in coffee promotes gastrin secretion, which accelerates gastrointestinal peristalsis. Since coffee's acidity stimulates the gastrointestinal tract, it's not recommended to drink coffee on an empty stomach! If friends with already sensitive digestive systems drink coffee on an empty stomach, they're more likely to experience stomach pain, diarrhea, and other symptoms.

Of course, we can't rule out that this is caused by lactose, since lactose intolerance symptoms vary from person to person – some might indeed just experience mild stimulation of intestinal peristalsis, giving you the urge to use the bathroom. If you want to know whether it's because of milk, try drinking a glass of milk on an empty stomach next time you wake up.

Why Do Chinese People Love Milk Coffee So Much?

Regardless, from various merchants' new product recommendations and development, we can see that Chinese people truly love products containing milk. Although milk tea has gradually reduced milk content to become refreshing tea-based beverages, in coffee, more and more milk is being added.

Whole milk, fresh milk, skim milk, purified milk, evaporated milk, cream... The dairy options are truly diverse! The main reason coffee beverages have so many dairy choices is that coffee's flavor profile is actually quite limited!

At this point, another voice emerges: "Coffee has so many flavors! How can it be monotonous?!"

People's ability to identify tastes varies greatly. Most people can only taste the acidity and bitterness in coffee, unable to discern those cranberry, cedar, or 97% dark chocolate notes...

Therefore, from the perspective of most coffee consumers, coffee really does taste quite monotonous. Without adding milk, flavored syrups, or other ingredients, it simply can't attract people's attention to coffee.

When Did Chinese People Become Addicted to Milk Coffee?

Perhaps it began when various types of coffee were first introduced to China. At that time, people continuously drank canned or instant coffees made mainly from Robusta beans... To make coffee taste more palatable, most products added non-dairy creamer, milk powder, etc. Therefore, many people's first cup of coffee started with instant coffee containing milk.

Following instant and canned coffees, Starbucks – the pioneer of China's coffee shop trend – further reinforced people's habit of pairing coffee with milk. Although freshly ground coffee has richer aroma and flavor, the intensity and strength of espresso, even when diluted with water, still feels bitter to many.

Therefore, people would choose freshly ground coffee with milk. To better cater to global consumers' taste preferences, Starbucks continuously introduced various flavored syrups for seasoning, pushing freshly ground coffee, milk coffee, and flavored coffee to their peak.

Such marketing naturally led consumers to form this understanding: if you want better-tasting coffee with more different flavors, choosing coffee with milk is the right approach! As the new generation of coffee consumers pursues novel flavors, highly adaptable milk coffee naturally became key to driving traffic for various brands.

Milk Coffee VS Black Coffee

With the prevalence of specialty coffee culture, coffee bean quality has gained increasing attention over the past decade or two. People have gradually begun pursuing coffee's original flavors, and light roast, high-ratio drip coffee – brewing methods that showcase the most refined and original coffee flavors – have started to be valued and appreciated.

But in reality, whether black coffee or milk coffee, both are members of the specialty coffee family. Specialty coffee emphasizes professionalism from cultivation to presentation to consumers. As long as coffee consumers are satisfied with the entire service and final product, then it is a cup of specialty coffee.

There's no right or wrong, only personal preference. The development of specialty coffee requires continuous innovation to create more products that the masses can accept. Whether it's continuously improving the quality of coffee beans themselves or the creation and innovation of milk coffee, the fundamental meaning is to help more people get to know coffee and fall in love with coffee.

Image source: Internet

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