As consumers increasingly seek out foods that are both safe and health-conscious, bakeries are responding by blending the symbolic pastry with herbs like ginseng and astragalus. This innovative fusion is proving wildly popular, transforming the classic Mid-Autumn treat into a functional delicacy that promises not just family reunion, but also a dose of rejuvenation.

"I came to line up for the mooncake as it's quite different from others. I heard that there are ingredients like ginseng, astragalus and ginger in it, which is good for our health. So I’m here to buy some for my family," said a local.

The pastry maker says it's working with a local traditional Chinese medicine hospital to introduce the mooncakes. When choosing TCM ingredients for the mooncakes, experts determine their effects to avoid drug reactions and make the best use of them, while ingredients such as pine nut and almond are added to increase the flavor.

"We found many children like pork-filled mooncakes. Adding things like ginseng and astragalus into it can help them prevent respiratory and digestive diseases during the cold seasons. It's also good for older people. As for another one, we add saffron and dried orange peel in the filling. Those ingredients will promote blood circulation, which will also solve the digestive system problems after you eat mooncakes," said Zhou Chan, deputy director of the Disease Preventive Treatment Department at Shanghai Xiangshan TCM Hospital.

To date, the National Health Commission and the State Administration for Market Regulation have recognized 106 types of traditional Chinese herbs as nutritional supplements, allowing them to be used in food preparation.