Sugarcane: The Refreshing "Blood-Tonic Fruit" of Winter
Sugarcane: The Refreshing "Blood-Tonic Fruit" of Winter
Sugarcane is one of the beloved winter fruits, with a high sugar content of approximately 18–20%. Notably, sugarcane’s sugars consist of sucrose, fructose, and glucose—easily absorbed and utilized by the human body. Sugarcane also contains abundant iron, calcium, phosphorus, manganese, zinc, and other essential trace elements. Iron content is particularly high—up to 9 mg per kilogram—ranking first among fruits—earning sugarcane the nickname “Blood-Tonic Fruit.”
Sugarcane is not only a winter delicacy but also a beneficial medicine for disease prevention and health maintenance. According to traditional Chinese medicine, sugarcane is sweet and cold in nature. Sweetness nourishes and enriches blood, while coldness clears heat and generates body fluids—thus possessing nourishing and moisturizing effects. It treats conditions such as hypoglycemia, cardiac weakness, insufficient body fluids, sore throat, constipation, and dry cough. In folk remedies, mixing 50 grams of sugarcane juice with 50 grams of red wine, taken twice daily (morning and evening), shows excellent efficacy for chronic gastritis and nausea/vomiting.
Sugarcane acts as a natural oral cleaner. Its high fiber content, when chewed repeatedly, functions like brushing teeth—effectively removing debris and plaque trapped in the mouth and between teeth—thereby enhancing self-cleaning and anti-cavity abilities of teeth. Chewing sugarcane also serves as good exercise for teeth and oral muscles, contributing to facial beauty.
However, due to its cold nature, sugarcane is unsuitable for those with weak spleen and stomach, abdominal cold pain, or cold-related digestive issues. Additionally, if sugarcane is infested with worms, spoiled, or contaminated by fungi (smelling like fermented wine), it must not be consumed—risking vomiting, unconsciousness, and poisoning.