"Traditional Health Food?" Coffee with Boiled Eggs in Children's Urine Sparks Controversy in China

Coffee Topped with "Tongzi Dan" Boiled in Children's Urine

A Regional Tradition, but Hygiene Sparks Debate on Social Media

A café in China has sparked controversy by launching an Americano topped with boiled eggs cooked in children's urine.

On March 19 (local time), the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that a café in Dongyang, Zhejiang Province in eastern China, released a unique Americano featuring boiled eggs prepared in children's urine.

The drink is priced at 28 yuan (about 6,000 won) per cup. The café served the beverage by placing a crispy, roasted egg on top of the Americano. The egg was boiled in children's urine. According to the café, the drink was so popular that it sold more than 100 cups in a single day over the weekend.

A café in China launched an Americano topped with eggs boiled in children's urine. SCMP

In the Dongyang region, eggs boiled in children's urine are considered a traditional food, also known as Tongzi Dan. Locals believe that urine from boys under the age of ten helps prevent drowsiness in spring and protects against the heat in summer.

The origins of this food reportedly date back to the Song Dynasty (960–1279). At that time, a general asked an old man to boil eggs. The general later discovered that the eggs had been taken from a jar that previously contained children's urine. When the general became angry, the old man explained that urine was good for health and that eating these eggs could prevent leg pain for a year. In the past, some forms of traditional Chinese medicine are also known to have used children's urine.

Tongzi Dan was included on Dongyang's list of intangible cultural heritage in 2008.

However, the medical community does not recommend consuming it, as it can be toxic and unsanitary. Huang Jian, a nephrologist at Jinhua Central Hospital in Zhejiang Province, stated, "Urine is a waste product of the body and contains no beneficial components for us," advising against its consumption. However, he added that he respects the food culture of the Dongyang region itself.

The beverage has also sparked debate on Chinese social networking services (SNS), with ongoing concerns about hygiene. One user questioned whether the hygiene of eggs boiled in children's urine could be guaranteed, while another, who identified as a local, commented, "I've never tried it and I'm too scared to." As the controversy grew, the café eventually removed the drink from its menu.

Recently, a number of coffees using unusual ingredients have appeared in China to attract customers' curiosity. There have been cases of coffee made with marinated duck heads, dried snakes, and even ground cockroaches.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.