Spreading message of gluten-free to the culinary-conscious
Print Edition
Gluten-free products are a common sight along the aisles of supermarkets in countries such as the United States and Australia.
But unlike many other Wester-oriented health fads, the gluten-free craze has yet to gain traction in China.
Despite China鈥檚 increasing bread consumption and growing awareness of allergies, local entrepreneurs in the gluten-free scene have struggled to win over the culinary-conscious Chinese.
Liang Jiaxin, 40, is one such entrepreneur.
In 2017, Liang opened her first vegan and allergy-focused restaurant 鈥淏rasston鈥 in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province. The gluten-free diet, Liang said, helped her overcome severe migraines caused by allergies.
The restaurant, rebranded as Rainbow Light in 2018, initially attracted mostly foreign patrons, but over time, a select number of Chinese people began to frequent her restaurant to seek out gluten-free options.
鈥淭hrough word-of-mouth, some local Chinese customers found out about my restaurant,鈥 she said. 鈥淭hey would come for my gluten-free food because they told me they couldn鈥檛 find it anywhere else.鈥
Healthier, happier lives
But the number of Chinese regulars was not enough, and the restaurant closed earlier this year amid financial strain.
鈥淪ome people would come to try something new, but then not return,鈥 she said. 鈥淭here is a huge potential market for gluten-free food in China, but the awareness about its benefits is just not there yet.鈥
Wang Chudun, 25, visited the restaurant after hearing about it from a friend. Despite his enthusiasm for the clean-eating approach, Wang was not impressed by the novel food.
鈥淚 was not too fond of the taste,鈥 Wang said. 鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 purposely eat gluten-free food again since I鈥檓 not allergic to wheat.鈥
Studies have suggested that China is not exempt from gluten allergies. A survey conducted by the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University found 6.5 percent of 62 patients suffering from long-term diarrhea had coeliac disease, an autoimmune disorder that causes gluten intolerance.
As China embraces a double-digit annual growth in its bakery industry, this 鈥淲estern problem,鈥 as some observers call it, has begun to attract more attention.
For many Chinese, allergies to conventional foods that contain gluten like wheat and soy sauce remain hard to fathom.
Liang said she came across many skeptics when running the restaurant, some questioning whether it is merely a psychological issue.
Zou Lin, a physician at the dermatological department of the Southern Hospital of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine in Guangzhou, said she has seen more patients consulting about allergies in recent years. Misconceptions about the gluten allergy are common, Zou said, including the belief that it can be 鈥渞ectified鈥 through gradual exposure.
Liang鈥檚 restaurant may have been ahead of its time, but she remains optimistic that the awareness for food sensitivities and allergies is slowly emerging, especially among younger Chinese.
She is now establishing a studio to instruct local restaurants on how to prepare gluten-free dishes.
鈥淭here are many people out there who don鈥檛 know that the reason they might be sick is due to allergies,鈥 she said. 鈥淲e need support to spread the message to help people live healthier, happier lives.鈥
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