Sweet Remedies: The Healing Powers of Brown Sugar, Rock Sugar, and Maltose

Not all sugars have the same effect in the body—many can be healing in the right amounts and with the right preparation.

Different types of sugar and natural sweeteners. Zhane Luk/Shutterstock

A little sweetness doesn’t just lift the mood—it can also heal. In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), sugar is more than a treat; it’s a tool for wellness. While modern diets warn against sugar, certain traditional sweeteners are considered medicinal when used wisely. Brown sugar, rock sugar, and maltose each carry unique health benefits, making them powerful allies in the kitchen and the clinic.

The TCM Take on Sugar

In TCM, sweet flavors are thought to harmonize the body, relieve tension, and nourish vital organs. But not all sugars are created equal—what matters is their source, processing, and energetic nature.

Sugar is divided into natural and refined sugar. Natural sugars are found in fruits, honey, and milk. Refined sugars, such as white sugar, brown sugar, and rock sugar, are mostly extracted from sugarcane. They are very sweet and provide a wide range of nutrient varieties depending on their degree of refining.

Brown sugar retains much of its mineral content and has high nutritional value. Rock sugar is recrystallized white sugar. It is mild in nature. Maltose is made from fermented grains and has the effect of moisturizing the lungs. In comparison, refined sugars such as high-fructose corn syrup are complicated to process and should be used less.

Let’s explore the unique healing roles of three time-honored sweeteners in TCM.

Brown Sugar

Brown sugar. Hanasaki/Shutterstock

What kind of sugar is the healthiest? In general, the rougher and closer to natural sugar it is, the better. I therefore would recommend brown sugar as the best. The “roughness” of brown sugar is made by boiling, concentrating, and cooling sugarcane juice without multiple rounds of refining or filtering. Therefore, it retains more minerals and nutrients, especially for children or patients with anemia.

Brown sugar is also called red sugar. Studies have found that minimally refined brown sugar contains a variety of antioxidants and trace elements such as selenium.

In TCM, brown sugar is more than just a sweetener—it’s considered a warming tonic. The classic Chinese herbal text “Compendium of Materia Medica” praises brown sugar for its ability to “nourish the blood and dispel cold.”

This is particularly important in TCM, according to which “cold” is not only a temperature, but also a state of imbalance in the body that can cause stagnation, pain, or fatigue, especially in women. Brown sugar ginger tea, for example, is a time-honored remedy for menstrual cramps, helping to warm the body, boost circulation, and ease discomfort.

For older people recovering from a serious illness, eating brown sugar can replenish the body, promote smooth bowel movements, and help the body recover faster.

Brown Sugar Ginger Tea

Ingredients:

• 10 to 15 grams (about 1 to 2 inches) fresh ginger, thinly sliced, shredded, or minced
• 2 cups water
• 1 to 2 tablespoons brown sugar, or to taste

Preparation (Boiled Method):

• Boil the ginger: Place shredded or minced ginger into a small pot with 2 cups of water.
• Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, allowing the ginger to fully infuse the water.
• Add brown sugar: Stir in brown sugar until dissolved.
• Strain (optional) and serve hot.

Rock Sugar

litchima/Shutterstock

Rock sugar is made by dissolving white sugar and then recrystallizing it. Rapid crystallization forms tiny sugar particles, while slow crystallization forms larger, transparent particles. When purchasing rock sugar, choose the transparent or slightly yellowish varieties and avoid choosing those that are too white, because they may have been bleached.

Rock sugar has a moisturizing effect on the lungs and is excellent for relieving coughs. In childhood, whenever I had a cough or sore throat, my mother would mix some rock sugar with puffed tamarind, brew it with hot water, and let me drink it after it had cooled down a little. It was highly effective.

Sterculia lychnophora is the fruit of a plant in the Sterculiaceae family. It contains a variety of anti-inflammatory ingredients and is often used to treat pharyngitis. It can also be prepared with rock sugar:

Rock Sugar With Sterculia Lychnophora

Ingredients:

• 2 to 3 pieces Sterculia lychnophora
• 10 to 15 grams rock sugar

Preparation:

• Place the Sterculia lychnophora and rock sugar in a teacup or teapot.
• Add approximately 10 ounces of boiling water.
• Let it steep for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the Sterculia lychnophora expands and the sugar dissolves.
• Stir gently and enjoy warm or at room temperature.

Maltose

（ZCOOL HelloRF/Shutterstock）

Maltose is made from starchy ingredients such as sorghum, rice, barley, and corn through fermentation and saccharification. Maltose is more than just a treat—it’s also considered a healing food in Chinese medicine.

In TCM, maltose is believed to:

• Nourish the spleen and stomach: These organs are central to digestion and energy production in TCM. A weak spleen may lead to fatigue, poor appetite, or loose stools. Maltose provides a gentle source of nourishment and warmth, supporting digestive harmony.
• Moisten the lungs and relieve cough: Especially during cold weather or in dry climates, maltose helps soothe irritated airways, reduce coughing, and ease sore throats.
• Ease tension and improve vocal strain: Singers and speakers in ancient China often used maltose-based remedies to recover their voices.

If you’re struggling with a cold, sore throat, or nagging cough, TCM offers a simple, time-tested remedy: maltose radish juice.

White radish (daikon), known in TCM for dissolving phlegm and clearing heat, is paired with maltose to both cleanse and soothe. The radish clears excess mucus and supports digestion, while the maltose coats the throat and moistens dryness in the lungs. It’s a gentle, food-based remedy that’s perfect when your body feels a little out of balance.

Maltose Radish Juice

Ingredients:

• 1 medium-sized fresh white radish (daikon)
• 2 to 3 tablespoons maltose (adjust to taste)

Preparation:

• Wash and peel the white radish, then cut it into thin slices.
• Arrange the slices on a plate or in a deep bowl.
• Drizzle the maltose evenly over the radish slices.
• Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours. During this time, the radish will release a natural sweet juice as it interacts with the maltose.
• Pour the resulting radish juice into a glass. Drink the liquid to help relieve cough, reduce phlegm, and soothe the throat.

Beware of High-Fructose Corn Syrup

Moderate amounts of sugar can nourish the body, but today’s processed foods contain a lot of refined sugar, especially high-fructose corn syrup, which harms the body. Its name is deceiving, as it may imply that it is fructose and fruit sugar—but it is not. High-fructose corn syrup is not a natural fructose, but a processed product, made mainly from corn or tapioca starch.

In the past, I thought high-fructose corn syrup was very convenient. I just needed to open the package, pour it into coffee, stir it a little, and it would dissolve completely. I could also spread it on bread. However, after only one week of using it, I discovered something surprising: The color of my stool was no longer brown, but whitish. Later, I learned that this was because fructose affects the secretion of bile. After I stopped eating high-fructose syrup, my stool color returned to normal.

Studies have found that excessive fructose intake can damage the liver, cause nonalcoholic liver inflammation and other metabolic diseases, and increase the risk of cancer.

As for the fructose found in fruits, it is natural, so there is no need to worry if you eat it in moderation.

What Kind of Sugar Is Best for Diabetics?

Diabetics should eat less refined sugar or avoid it. For sweet tastes, choose the following two sugar substitutes:

1. Monk Fruit: Monk fruit sugar is a natural sweetener with no calories and minimal impact on blood sugar. It is suitable for making soup or tea and has a naturally sweet taste. For example, if you add a little monk fruit shell to Sterculia lychnophora, its sweetness can replace that of rock sugar and enhance the flavor.

2. Stevia: Stevia is extracted from the stevia plant and is a zero-calorie sweetener that does not affect blood sugar levels and is suitable for use in beverages or daily cooking. Studies have found that stevia can also lower blood sugar after meals. 

Sweetness That Heals

In TCM, the right kind of sugar isn’t just a flavor—it’s a form of nourishment. Brown sugar warms and restores, rock sugar soothes and cools, and maltose supports digestion and voice. Used wisely, these traditional sweeteners can enhance not only your meals, but also your health and well-being. So the next time you crave something sweet, reach for nature’s medicine—because in TCM, sweetness heals.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Epoch Health welcomes professional discussion and friendly debate. To submit an opinion piece, please follow these guidelines and submit through our form here.