This café’s coffee with child urine eggs is going viral – and people are shocked

A café in Dongyang City, eastern China, recently caught attention for a very unusual coffee. The shop began serving Americano coffee topped with eggs brewed in the urine of young boys. Locals say the drink is healthy and treat it as a traditional delicacy.

The coffee is priced at 28 yuan, about 4 US dollars. On weekends, the café reportedly sells more than 100 cups, as reported by the South China Morning Post.

The story behind child urine eggs

Eggs brewed in child urine are a special food in Dongyang. People believe that urine from boys under 10 can help them stay awake in the spring and avoid heatstroke in the summer.

As mentioned in the report, the tradition dates back to the Song dynasty, between 960 and 1279. According to local stories, a general once asked an old man to boil eggs. The old man found the jar full of a child’s urine. When the general got angry, the man explained that the urine was a great tonic, and eating one such egg could prevent leg pain for a year.

In the past, child urine was also used in some traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions.

How the café serves the drink

At the café, the eggs are roasted before being placed on the Americano. This gives the eggs a crispy texture. Customers can either eat the egg separately or mix it into the coffee. Medical experts, however, warn against eating it.

“Urine is human waste that contains nothing beneficial to us,” Huang Jian, a nephrologist at the Jinhua Municipal Central Hospital, said as quoted.

Reactions from people

The unusual coffee went viral on social media. After the buzz, the café removed the drink from its menu.

Some people expressed concerns about hygiene. As quoted in the report, one online observer asked, “Can the hygiene of the child's urine eggs be guaranteed?” Another local said, “I am local, but I have never tried child urine eggs before. It feels too scary for me.”

Disclaimer: This article is based on media reports and online discussions. The Times of India has not independently verified the claims. The content is for informational purposes only and does not endorse or promote the consumption of any such practices. It is not intended to hurt the sentiments of any individual, community, or cultural group. Readers are advised to exercise discretion.Thumb image: Canva (for representative purposes only)