[1] Panela is sold in many forms, including liquid, granulated, and solid blocks, and is used in the canning of foods, as well as in confectionery, soft drinks, baking, and vinegar, beer, and winemaking.

Panela is also produced in Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico,[4] Panama, Peru, Chile, Venezuela, Brazil, and Bolivia (where it is called chankaka or empanizao).

To the extent it is a low-cost sweetener with important contributions of minerals and trace amounts of vitamins, high intake occurs mainly in strata.

A very common use of panela in Colombia is for aguapanela, one of its most widely consumed beverages, and an important source of calories for working people, especially in rural areas.

In the Philippines, panocha or in Tagalog panutsá, is traditionally used as an ingredient for latík and kalamay, as well as a comfort food eaten straight.

In Venezuela, it is an essential ingredient for many typical recipes,[citation needed] although production of panela in the country dropped precipitously across the 20th century.

[5] Panela manufacturers and advocates claim the substance to be healthier than refined sugar, suggesting it has immunological benefits, a lower glycemic index, and higher micronutrient content.