In the Chinese capital, insect museum cafes sell cockroach coffee for 45 yuan ($6) per cup. A museum employee told the media: "We launched this type of coffee at the end of June, and it has recently gone viral online." He added: "As a museum dedicated to insects, it seemed fitting to offer appropriate beverages." The museum's coffee menu also included a limited-edition drink made from dried ants. An unnamed employee said the ant drink was only sold during Halloween. He added that all ingredients were purchased from a traditional Chinese medicine store to ensure their drinks were safe. Traditional Chinese medicine theories claim that cockroach powder can be used as a medicine to improve blood circulation. The website also quotes doctors believing that protein-rich yellow mealworms can help boost the immune system. The museum employee noted that the ant drink has a tart taste, adding: "It is mainly consumed by curious young people. Parents with small children don't like it because they hate cockroaches." He also mentioned that the store sells more than 10 cups of cockroach coffee daily. Unconventional coffee is popular in China and often makes headlines. Earlier this year, a cafe in southwestern China's Yunnan province shocked the public by mixing fried worms with coffee. Another cafe in eastern Jiangxi province adds fried chili and chili powder to its latte. A museum in Beijing launched a bizarre coffee flavored with crawling insects, which involves sprinkling dried and ground cockroach powder on top, also adding dried yellow worms. The newspaper "The Cover" reported that coffee lovers who tried it describe its taste as "burnt and a bit sour".
