For some, it might be difficult to drink Traditional Chinese Medicine, or TCM. It often tastes extremely bitter. This tea and dessert store is owned by a centuries old TCM company, but the customers don't twist their faces after trying the food and drinks.

CAO CHUFENG Beijing "Here is the drinks menu. If you look at the menu here, you can see lots of ingredients, and also herbs, that are sometimes used in traditional Chinese medicine. I do wonder what these drinks taste like."

"Could you introduce and recommend a beverage to me?"

"Sure. For something suitable for autumn, I suggest trying this Lungs Tea with Momordica Grosvenori and Loquat. It helps to soothe coughs and moisturize the lungs."

"Emmm, nice, you can actually smell the herbs. It's not bitter at all, it's quite refreshing, and it's a little bit sweet."

The store also offers ice-cream, desserts and packed tea bags. According to TCM practitioners, food and medicine share the same origin. And as the store promises, they try to incorporate that concept into their products.

LIANG YING Manager, Red Building of Peking University Branch Tea of Seasons "We've drawn inspiration from many ancient texts and traditional medicinal prescriptions. But we've applied the concept that food and medicine share the same origins by using food ingredients to replace some of the medicinal herbs in the formulas."

Incorporating TCM into daily food and drinks isn't exactly new in China. In Guangdong Province, a tea called Liangcha has centuries of history, with medical herbs forming the main ingredients. And this store in Beijing tries to make traditional drinks more palatable for a wider range of customers.

YANG HUAQI Owner, Sanlitun Flagship Store Guangfudeji Traditional Handmade Tea Snack Shop "Come and try our Liangcha today."

"Xiaoxue, help her check her tongue coating."

TCM practitioners believe your tongue offers a window into your health. Apparently I have too much dampness in my body, but luckily there's a tea suitable for my condition.

CAO CHUFENG Beijing "It taste slightly bitter, but not as bitter as Traditional Chinese Medicine, and not as bitter as the Liangcha I tasted in Guangdong Province."

MR. LI Brand Manager, Guangfudeji Traditional Handmade Tea Snack Shop "It actually hasn't changed in terms of the formula or the ingredients compared to traditional Cantonese Liangcha. But the concentration has been diluted and the portion size has been increased. For those who are less tolerant of bitterness, it's easier to accept."

Customers in the two stores say they buy these products for health purposes, while still enjoying the taste.

While the products cannot cure sickness, they do serve as supplements to help maintain a healthier body. Cao Chufeng, CGTN, Beijing.