Mishri/ Rock Candy is a crystallized and unrefined form of sugar. Though Mishri and sugar are both derived from sugarcane, the processes adopted in making them are different.
Bhura Sugar is made by evaporating sugarcane juice. Raw sugar is combined with milk and water and then poured into huge drums where threads are placed. This is where the Mishri crystallizes on the threads after the solution dries out. Sugar, on the contrary, is refined with chemicals to give us table sugar, making it a less healthy sweetener.
Five noteworthy differences between Mishri and Sugar we must know-
- Mishri is alkaline, and hence it is easier to digest. Sugar on the contrary, is acidic and takes more time to digest.
- Mishri has a cooling effect on the body, while sugar heats the body.
- Ayurveda reiterates the long-term health benefits of Mishri as it balances the Vata and pitta doshas present in the body. But sugar is devoid of these benefits.
- Mishri is unprocessed and hence rich in vitamins and minerals. On the other hand, such nutrients are absent in the table sugar we most commonly consume.
- This tiny candy known as Mishri has healing and medicinal properties, unlike sugar.