Forget low-calorie food, Chinese youth turn to tasteless, chewy snacks to lose weight
Por Fran Lu — South China Morning Post – News feed
Advertisement Trending in China People & Culture Trending in China Forget low-calorie food, Chinese youth turn to tasteless, chewy snacks to lose weight
One individual even admits to chewing on dog chew sticks to help alleviate severe exam anxiety
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Fran Lu in Beijing Published: 2:16pm, 13 Sep 2026
Young dieters in China are increasingly turning away from low-calorie foods in favour of a new trend: chewy snacks.
On social media, they are sharing their new-found favourites, including beef jerky, frozen buns, and even baby teething biscuits – each characterised by their toughness and chewiness.
Many prefer chewy foods as a way to keep their mouths busy and trick their brains into feeling satisfied, reducing the urge to eat more.
For these dieters, taste is not the top priority; instead, the focus is on the toughness of the snacks. The harder to chew, the more effective they believe it is.
One 37-year-old netizen from Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, using the handle @yigexiangmujingli, has taken to munching on dangshena root thought to bolster the spleen and lung in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) – as her chewy snack of choice.
She shared with the SCMP that while she maintains a workout routine, she struggles with self-control around food. Hence, she seeks chewy snacks that keep her focused at work without adding weight to her body.
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