Why Ghee is a Delicious and Medicinal Food

Ghee

An Ayurvedic text dating back more than a century called the Charaka Samhita, states that “Out of all the oils fit for human consumption, ghee is the best to eat.”

Ghee is purified butter and is commonly consumed in India.  While the modern western world has been convinced that fat is unhealthy and should be avoided as much as possible, it’s safe to say that people in India have been reaping the benefits for thousands of years.

The Benefits of Ghee

Ghee is a very safe and protective fat to consume due to its high saturation content, and it can be used to nourish the brain and body, cleanse toxins, lower cholesterol, boost the immune system and increase overall health.

Ghee can also be used to detoxify the body of toxins such as heavy metals, pesticides, or estrogen-mimmicing plastics like Bisphenol-a.  An Ayurvedic practice called oleation involves increasing the amounts of ghee ingested daily to pull fat-soluble toxins from deep within the cells.

Since Indian restaurants primarily use Ghee as their source of fat, their dishes are both flavorful, and can be a healthier choice if you’re going to dine out at a restaurant.

Ghee can be purchased as many supermarkets, or it can be made at home simply and inexpensively.

Rich in Healthy Fats and Vitamins

Being pure, clarified butter, ghee is extremely rich in healthy fats and vitamins.  There are certain vitamins which are fat-soluable, meaning in nature they exist only within fats.  Therefore if you’re not eating sufficient quantities of fats containing these vital nutrients, you will be deficient in them and your health will suffer.  Ghee is an extremely abundant source of fat-soluable Vitamins A,D, E and K.  Here is the nutritional breakdown:

  • One serving (56 grams) of ghee contains 46 grams of pure fat, of which 29 grams are saturated.
  • One serving of ghee contains approximately 1,418 IU of Vitamin A
  • One serving of ghee contains about 42 micrograms of Vitamin D
  • One serving of ghee contains 1.3 milligrams of Vitamin E
  • One serving of ghee contains 4 micrograms of Vitamin K

How to Make your Own Ghee

Here is a simple method to make Ghee from our friends over at mindbodygreen.com:

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. unsalted organic butter
  • 1 clean, airtight glass container
  • 1 clean white cotton handkerchief or cheesecloth
  • 1 sieve

Directions:

Place one pound of unsalted organic butter in a deep stainless steel pot over a medium heat — stay close at all times! Have a sieve lined with the cheesecloth and the clean glass container ready.

In a couple of minutes, the butter will come to a boil. Let it continue to boil over a medium-low heat. It will make a satisfying bubbling sound and your kitchen will fill with the smell of popcorn. A foam will appear on top of the ghee, which will cook off.

In 7-10 minutes (times vary depending on stove and thickness of pan), the bubbling sound will change distinctly to an occasional crackle. The ghee will be golden and at the bottom of the pan you will see brown solids forming at the bottom of the pot.

Immediately remove the ghee from the heat and pour it through the cheesecloth into the glass container. Allow it to cool, screw on the lid, and store at room temperature or refrigerate. Use it as a cooking oil, spread it on toast, or even add a scoop to your steamed veggies to ensure every meal has a healthy fat component.

Resources Used:
Mindbodygreen.com