My first time tasting ghee was at a Whole Foods Ayurveda cooking class. The taste was so delicious and satisfying that I took home a jar of ghee that day and began cooking with it. It was mid winter and a few days later I was surprised to notice that my chronically chapped lips had suddenly healed.
I had just discovered two of ghee’s great benefits: combatting dryness and enhancing satisfaction.
Ghee is made from butter that has been heated to evaporate the water content and also remove the milk solids. Ghee has no lactose or casein (proteins) and is a pure fat.
Ghee’s delicious flavor has been described as “more buttery than butter”. It has a nutty and rich yet clean flavor that enhances the palatability of any dish.
Western medicine finds very little difference between ghee and butter. Nutritionally they both contain the same Vitamins A, D, E, and K and have very similar saturated fat and short and medium chain fatty acid content. Ghee does have a much higher smoke point and is stable at room temp so does not need to be refrigerated like butter.
However in Ayurveda ghee is very highly regarded compared to butter. This is due to its vastly different qualities. Let’s take a look at these qualities.
Ghee is a pure fat and much more unctuous than butter. This oily quality means it has the ability to lubricate and combat dryness both internally and externally. Internally ghee is known for its ability to lubricate the joints and also the lining of the gut. Ghee also makes for easy elimination. Externally ghee is used to treat dry skin and eyes.
Unlike most fats, ghee actually improves digestion. Not only is it the best fat for people who are lactose intolerant, it improves digestion for everyone. Strong digestion is the foundation of good health, so ghee also enhances immunity and general vitality.
Compared to butter ghee is more easily absorbed and assimilated by the body. That means ghee can carry its nutrients more deeply into the cells than butter. In Ayurveda herbs are often cooked with ghee to increase their absorption and effectiveness. Ghee can also penetrate deep into the cells and remove toxins.
Since ghee has no milk solids, it is also less clogging than butter. We know that too much butter can raise cholesterol but ghee is less likely to do so.
Ghee and butter do have a similar saturated fat content. Both the USA and WHO recommend limiting daily saturated fat intake to no more than 10% of daily calories or about 3 Tablespoons daily (for 2000 calorie diet). Ayurveda also recommends up to 3 T of ghee daily for those with signs of dryness such as dry skin or hair or stiff joints. On the other hand if you have a tendency to gain weight or have excess mucus, Ayurveda recommends up to 1 T of ghee daily.
The best ghee is organic and grass fed from happy cows. Ghee from grass fed cows has 25% more medium and short chain fatty acids. These are the fatty acids that help lower inflammation, absorb minerals, and improve metabolism.
Ghee can be purchased or made at home (here is a link for a good recipe from my teacher Dr. Claudia Welch https://drclaudiawelch.com/ghee/). If you purchase ghee look for cultured ghee (this ghee is made from butter that has first been cultured into yogurt). This extra step creates a ghee with the highest therapeutic value and the best taste!
I hope this information helps you feel comfortable giving ghee a try! Ghee is not just delicious — it’s also great for your overall health, vitality and longevity.
