Can sugar be added to traditional Chinese medicine?

Everyone should be familiar with Chinese medicine. Many people will choose to see a Chinese doctor when they have some diseases, because compared with Western medicine, Chinese medicine is more stable and has fewer side effects. However, Chinese medicine generally tastes very bitter, and many people can't stand it when taking it, so they will choose to add some sugar to it. So, can you add sugar to Chinese medicine?

Generally, Chinese medicine practitioners will add licorice as a seasoning when prescribing Chinese medicine. But for some children, the sweetness of licorice alone is not enough to make them accept the pungent and bitter taste of traditional Chinese medicine. At this time, it is actually a good choice for parents to add some honey to the traditional Chinese medicine to make it taste better. The main components of honey are fructose and glucose, which are easily absorbed by children's stomachs. They are rich in nutrients and have medicinal value such as moistening the lungs and intestines. However, it should also be noted that the various trace elements in honey may change the efficacy of the medicine, so you need to follow the doctor's advice.

If white sugar is added to traditional Chinese medicine, that is another matter. Traditional Chinese medicine has four properties: cold, hot, warm, and cool, and five flavors: pungent, sweet, sour, bitter, and salty. Chinese medicines with different tastes have different medicinal effects. White sugar is hot in nature, so some Chinese herbal decoctions add white sugar, which will change the medicinal properties and affect the efficacy. Even if you add sugar to traditional Chinese medicine for flavoring, you should pay attention to the amount. It is unnecessary to make a bowl of traditional Chinese medicine too sweet.

After drinking a large bowl of Chinese medicine, eat something else immediately to dilute the bitter taste remaining in your mouth. However, in fact, it is not suitable to eat spicy, greasy, fishy or other irritating foods after taking Chinese medicine. For example, eating seafood after taking Chinese medicine will stimulate the dilation of blood vessels and easily cause side effects.

After taking Chinese medicine, if you feel a very bitter taste in your mouth, you can eat some food to change the taste. Hawthorn is recommended, or you can eat a piece of candy. However, it is best to ask a Chinese medicine practitioner before eating, otherwise it is likely to affect the medicinal properties of the medicine, so you should still pay proper attention.