What are the functions and benefits of rock sugar?

Sep 12, 2025 Source: Cainiu Health

Dr. Yu Yongchao

Introduction

Under normal circumstances, the main functions and benefits of rock sugar include providing energy, moistening the lungs and relieving cough, harmonizing flavors, nourishing the throat, and assisting in stewing or cooking. When consuming rock sugar, it is important to control the amount, as it contains a high level of sugar; excessive intake may lead to excessive sugar consumption and increase the burden on the body. Diabetic patients should consume it under the guidance of a doctor or nutritionist to avoid affecting blood sugar stability.

Generally speaking, the main functions and benefits of rock sugar include energy supplementation, moistening the lungs and relieving cough, harmonizing flavors, nourishing the throat, and assisting in stewing dishes. The detailed explanation is as follows:

1. Energy Supplementation

Rock sugar primarily consists of sucrose, which breaks down into glucose and fructose in the human body and quickly converts into energy. When experiencing excessive physical exertion, hunger, or fatigue, moderate consumption of rock sugar can rapidly alleviate feelings of exhaustion, provide immediate energy support, help restore physical strength, and serve as a temporary energy source.

2. Moistening the Lungs and Relieving Cough

With its sweet and neutral nature, rock sugar has the characteristic of moistening the lungs and can alleviate discomfort caused by lung dryness. For symptoms such as dry cough with little phlegm and dry, itchy throat caused by lung dryness, combining rock sugar with pears, tremella fungus, and other ingredients for stewing and consumption can moisturize the lungs, reduce coughing frequency, soothe the respiratory tract, and relieve discomfort associated with the lungs.

3. Harmonizing Flavors

Rock sugar has a mild and sweet flavor without obvious irritation, capable of neutralizing bitterness or acidity in ingredients. When preparing soups, desserts, or stewed medicinal herbs, adding an appropriate amount of rock sugar can improve the overall taste, making the food or beverage more palatable while enhancing flavor complexity, making it a commonly used seasoning ingredient.

4. Nourishing the Throat

The moisture and sugar content in rock sugar can provide hydration and nourishment to the throat mucosa. When the throat experiences mild swelling, pain, or a foreign body sensation due to excessive voice use or dryness, sucking on a small amount of rock sugar or drinking rock sugar water can relieve throat dryness and tightness, helping maintain a comfortable throat condition and reducing discomfort.

5. Assisting in Stewing

When stewing ingredients, rock sugar not only serves as a seasoning but also helps ingredients better release their nutrients and flavors. For example, when stewing nourishing ingredients like tremella fungus or bird's nest, adding rock sugar can promote softening of the ingredients, allowing nutrients to dissolve more easily into the broth while enhancing the sweetness and smoothness of the final dish, improving the overall eating experience.

When consuming rock sugar, attention should be paid to controlling the amount, as excessive consumption may lead to excessive sugar intake, increasing the burden on the body due to its high sugar content. Diabetic patients should consume it under the guidance of a doctor or nutritionist to avoid affecting blood sugar stability.

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