It is found through research that nurungji is good for digestion and the chewy texture of nurungji makes one produce lots of saliva that has healthful benefits. Furthermore, eating nurungji is an exercise for the brain as it results in active jaw movement.

In Donguibogam, which is a book of principles and practices of eastern medicine, eating nurungji is effective for the condition called “yul-gyuk” which is when the food eaten does not enter the liver and is sent back to the mouth.