443133 Thu Sep 20 10:24:31 -0700 2007 6 46 China 0 2959566 Someone, anybody, please tell me there is a chance of finding some healthfood in Beijing. I know there are a ton of traditional Chinese foods and snacks that are healthy, and those suggestions are welcome. But what I'm really looking for is raw peanut or almond butter, nuts, dried fruit. A Whole Foods? I was kidding about that, but who knows maybe there is something like that. Any ideas? Thu Sep 20 10:24:31 -0700 2007 42336 I eat a lot 1 3796960 I don't know if you are still in Beijing, but if you go up to the northern outskirts of the city, near a housing area called Hong Fu Yuan, there is an upscale single-home development being built. In what looks like some kind of large central building for the area, there is a big banner that is either a blatant replica of the Whole Foods brand, or really is Whole Foods. There's nothing inside yet, but it may be coming. I just Googled it and haven't turned anything up yet, but if you Google it, there is a listing for a health food store in the Chaoyang district, so that's something, anyway. I think it's called Lohao. May be useless to you, but there you go. Fri Jun 20 06:27:54 -0700 2008 2959566 202406 timkat222 1 3828580 there are several branches of Lohao City in Beijing http://www.lohaocity.com:8080/EN/index.jsp also, try Mrs Shanen's Bagels in Shunyi - among other things, you can grind your own peanut butter there. lastly, several of the organic farms have retail outlets - join this group and download the files for locations: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/beijing_organic_consumers/ Mon Jun 30 20:48:57 -0700 2008 2959566 113472 leonleebaoyan 1 3861690 Haha... Having lived in Shanghai for 5 months, your request prompted from me a bitter amused laugh and a good bit of empathy...have not been to Beijing recently, but in SH, there isn't even a single decent bookstore, let alone somewhere to buy organic almond butter...(i miss both when i am there)...i eat copious quantities of almonds, walnuts, pecans, etc when available, and living in SH's Xuhui district, i found myself choosing between raw nuts of highly questionable cleanliness or convenience store stuff saturated w/ artificial flavors and MSG... But i'm interested to hear of developments and suggestions in both cities... Fri Jul 11 21:18:38 -0700 2008 2959566 11077 Simon 2 3862696 You could try the Western style grocery in the lower level basement of Oriental Plaza ... it at least looks like a Whole Foods and it does have a lot of international products that are tough to find elsewhere. Sat Jul 12 12:12:35 -0700 2008 3861690 15082 repete 3 3896082 I think the store in Oriental Plaza is called Green Dot. It's a Hong Kong-based company. You can find natural fruit juices, organic berries and nuts, and packaged grained like quinoa, lentils, etc. The grains are also at almost every Western supermarket in town. This is not a place to really go grocery shopping though; it's just good for picking up dry goods and snacks. But I would agree...Beijing doesn't have much in terms of organic-type foods. Lohao City is probably your only source and it's expensive. Carrefour carries organic pork, but that's about it. There is an organic farm in Beijing (Agrilandia), but you have to travel out to the north 6th ring road. And De Run Wu Farm, run by Buddhists, has a store in Shunyi, though I have never been. Wed Jul 23 19:31:18 -0700 2008 3862696 186521 AppetiteforChina 1 3899022 i'm sure you're not that interested in sugared dry fruits - but a beijing specialty (which you used to be able to get here) is "dried fruit" more glaceed fruits. APples, pears, apricots, melons etc. YEARS ago there was a big store in the Eastwind market off of wangfujing that sold all kinds of these fruits. they are sugared but if you rinse them with boiling water - but why bother... they are quite good, they are moisted than western dried fruits and i REALLY miss them .the chinese characters for it are (水) 果脯 (shui) guofǔ ex. preserved apples - 蘋果脯 pingguofu (simp.) 苹果脯 The pears are great this way. And for some reason, they don't export them as readily as years back. Enjoy. (also, sunflower seeds are plentiful as are gourd and pumpkin seeds in beijing. Ask for dzurr, guo-dzurr etc.) 葵花子 - kuihua zir, Thu Jul 24 16:53:01 -0700 2008 2959566 10366 Jerome