Mooncakes using traditional Chinese medicine ingredients are gaining significant popularity ahead of next week's Mid-Autumn Festival, reflecting consumers' increasing interest in safer, healthier foods.随着本周中秋节的临近，采用中国传统中药成分的月饼越来越受欢迎， 这反映了消费者对更安全、更健康食品的兴趣日益浓厚。 TCM holds that many herbs can act as both nourishment and medicine, being as effective in disease prevention as pharmaceuticals. This theory, known as medicine food homology, forms the basis of food therapy.中医认为，许多草药既能滋养身体又能治病，在疾病预防方面与药物同样有效。这种被称为“药食同源”的理论构成了食疗的基础。 To date, the National Health Commission and the State Administration for Market Regulation have recognized 106 types of traditional Chinese herbs as nutritional supplements, allowing them to be used in food preparation.截至目前，国家卫生健康委员会和国家市场监督管理总局已认定106种中草药为营养补充剂， 允许其在食品制作中使用。 As consumers become more concerned with food safety and health, mooncakes — traditionally eaten during the Mid-Autumn Festival, which falls on Sept 17 this year — are being made with less sugar and oil to meet the needs of today's consumers.随着消费者对食品安全和健康的日益关注，月饼——这种传统上在中秋节食用的食品， （今年的中秋节是9月17日）——正在减少糖和油的含量，以满足现代消费者的需求。 For example, Tong Ren Tang, a time-honored TCM brand, has introduced a mooncake gift set containing traditional Chinese medicine ingredients such as danggui (female ginseng), dangshen (a type of bellflower) and shihu (the dendrobium flower). These mooncakes are designed in five colors, aligning with the TCM theory that "five colors nourish five organs".例如， 历史悠久的中药品牌同仁堂就推出了一款月饼礼盒， 内含当归（女参）、党参（一种风铃草）和石斛（兰花）等传统中药成分。这些月饼设计有五种颜色，与中医“五色养五脏”的理论相吻合。 Some traditional Chinese medicine hospitals have also started producing their own MFH mooncakes.一些中医院也开始生产自己的药膳月饼。 "Consumers are increasingly focused on food safety and health, preferring products with natural ingredients, no additives and reduced sugar and oil," said Han Lu, director of the Medicine Food Homology Research Institute, part of Beijing Tong Ren Tang Health Pharmaceutical Co. "Additionally, traditional Chinese culture, particularly TCM, has become more popular in recent years."北京同仁堂健康药业股份有限公司的“药食同源”研究所所长韩璐表示：“消费者越来越关注食品安全和健康， 更青睐天然成分、无添加剂、低糖低油的产品。此外，近年来，中国传统文化，特别是中医，越来越受欢迎。” When choosing TCM ingredients for the mooncakes, experts determine their effects to avoid drug reactions and make the best use of them, while ingredients such as grapes and coconuts are added to increase the flavor, Han said.韩璐说，在选择月饼中的中药成分时，专家会确定其功效，以避免药物反应并最大限度地利用它们， 同时还会添加葡萄和椰子等成分以增加风味。 "Herbal mooncakes don't have a strong taste of medicine but maintain the unique characteristics of medicinal cuisine," said a female consumer surnamed Li, a resident of Chengdu, Sichuan province, who has purchased such mooncakes.四川成都的李女士表示：“药膳月饼并没有强烈的药味，但保留了药膳的独特特性。” 她已经购买了这种月饼。 After learning that chenpi (mandarin orange peel) and shanyao (Chinese yam) can improve her weak spleen and stomach, she specifically chose to buy mooncakes with these ingredients this year.在了解到陈皮（橘子皮）和山药（淮山）可以改善她虚弱的脾胃后， 她今年特意选择了含有这些成分的月饼。 Despite the incorporation of TCM ingredients, some experts point out that they still remain high in oil and sugar and are often consumed more as a novelty than for their health benefits.尽管加入了中药成分， 但一些专家指出，这些月饼的油脂和糖分仍然很高，而且往往更多是作为新奇之物来消费，而不是为了其健康益处。 Ma Xiaoju, director of the department of nutrition at the School of Public Health at the Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, cautioned that foods produced with MFH may contain only small amounts of herbs, which may not have significant health benefits.成都中医药大学公共卫生学院营养学系主任马晓菊提醒说， 药膳食品中可能只含有少量的草药，可能不会产生显著的健康益处。 Additionally, due to their high sugar and fat content, mooncakes are not recommended for people with high blood sugar levels, according to a report in Chuanguan News, a media company based in Sichuan.此外，据总部位于四川的传媒公司川观新闻的一份报告称， 由于月饼的糖分和脂肪含量高，因此不建议高血糖人群食用。 In recent years, food and beverages incorporating TCM ingredients have become increasingly popular across China. For many consumers, these new products are not intended for medicinal treatment but to support a healthier lifestyle, experts said.近年来，在中国各地，加入中药成分的食品和饮料越来越受欢迎。专家表示，对于许多消费者来说，这些新产品并不是为了治疗疾病，而是为了支持更健康的生活方式。 素材来源：iYuba 长按上方二维码，下载英语日报APP