What are the benefits of Ghee: Nutrients, Fat, Protein and Calories

Ghee, or clarified butter, is an essential ingredient in Indian kitchens. I am sure everyone can relate to how our grandmothers emphasized eating ghee daily in some form.

While most thought that this clarified butter can make you fat, the truth is this golden ingredient has many benefits to offer. Beneath its rich buttery flavour is a wealth of health advantages that will enhance your culinary creations and nourish your body.

Whether you add it to your rotis, add it to your dals, or cook your favourite recipe with it, this versatile ingredient will have a long-lasting impact on your overall health.

What’s more exciting is this nourishing ingredient can be used to cook sweet, savoury, Indian, and even fusion recipes. In India, you will see your mothers calling it a superfood and an essential element in your daily routine.

Ghee has been used for ages – as traditional medicines in Ayurveda and religious rituals. However, people have started to acknowledge many advantages of consuming it daily.

Let’s find out everything about this amazing superfood in this article.

How is Ghee Made?

Clarified butter is made by using cow milk butter. It is treated on low heat until all the water is evaporated and only milk solids are left behind. These solids are later skimmed or strained as required.

After straining, the liquid that is collected is known as clarified butter or ghee.

Nutritional Profile of Ghee

In one tablespoon of ghee, you will get the below nutrients ^[1]:

• Energy – 123 kcal
• Protein – 0.039 grams
• Fat – 13.9 grams
• Calcium – 0.56 mg
• Phosphorus – 0.42 mg
• Potassium – 0.7 mg
• Sodium – 0.28 mg
• Choline – 3.12 mg
• Vitamin E – 0.39 mg

Health Benefits of Ghee

Clarified butter contains many antioxidants, minerals and vitamins that support the holistic health of our bodies. Let’s investigate further in the parts below.

#1. Digestive Health

Butyric acid, a short-chain fatty acid found in ghee, is essential for maintaining intestinal health. The intestinal lining cells use butyric acid as a fuel source to support their growth and repair.

Ghee enhances the general health of the digestive system, which maximizes the benefits of our diet by facilitating the best possible absorption of nutrients from the food we eat.

The stomach’s production of gastric juices is stimulated when you eat clarified butter. These fluids are vital for breaking down food and starting the digestive process because they include stomach acid and enzymes.

Clarified butter also helps the body absorb nutrients from complex foods by increasing the production of gastric secretions, which aids in the digestive process.

Ghee is advantageous for people who are constipated or have irregular bowel motions since it functions as a natural lubricant for the intestines.

Its consumption promotes regularity and reduces discomfort by softening the stool and facilitating its passage through the digestive system. For better results, drink milk with one tablespoon of ghee at bedtime ^[2].

While we are talking about digestive health, you must understand how well it is performing. You can take a small Digestive Quotient Test by Aashirvaad Atta and determine whether your tummy is a happy tummy or not.

#2. Promotes Immunity

Do you recall your elders telling you to add ghee to your meals? There was always a reason behind it, however, those days, we thought the opposite.

Consuming clarified butter regularly can help in improving metabolic rate and overall health. Besides, it also builds immunity and helps our bodies fight flu, allergies, coughs, and colds ^[3].

In actuality, clarified butter may perform miracles when applied to burns.

#3. Healthy Nutrients

Clarified butter is full of vitamins, such as A, D, E, and K, and healthy fats. This composition helps in improving the heart and bone health. It also contains Omega-3 fatty acids that are considered excellent for brain functioning ^[4].

#4. Reducing Inflammation

You will be surprised to know that this clarified butter also has an adequate amount of anti-inflammatory properties. These properties support our body against inflammation and also help in reducing body pain ^[5].

#5. Skin Health

Since it is loaded with healthy nutrients and antioxidants, eating on an empty stomach can keep your body hydrated. It can also prevent skin dryness, roughness, and reduce pimples, wrinkles, and acnes ^[6].

You can even use it on your skin as a natural moisturiser. Your skin will become luminous, silky, and soft as a result. Its abundance of vitamins and vital fatty acids helps to fight dryness and increase the suppleness of the skin.

It is also a natural and gentle way to have a lighter complexion. You must have seen on social media people going crazy about DIY ghee moisturiser or 100 times washed ghee—for a reason now! It can help with skin whitening as well. Its organic emollient qualities give you that desired healthy, young glow by balancing your skin tone and minimising the appearance of blemishes.

#6. Eye Health

This may come as a surprise since not many know that including clarified butter in your diet can also help improve your eyesight.

It is because this ingredient is loaded with fatty acids and vitamin A that are needed for good and healthy eyesight. Moreover, these properties also prevent eyes from catching certain diseases ^[7].

#7. Good for Lactose Intolerant

Do you know clarified butter is excellent and suitable even for lactose intolerant people? Yes, it is true. Even though it is made from milk, it can be easily consumed by people with milk intolerance.

Since all the milk proteins are removed during the process, ghee is suitable for people who cannot consume milk or milk products ^[8].

#8. Weight Management

If you are seeking manage your weight, you should combine warm water and ghee and drink it for a beautiful result. Despite what the general public believes, it has beneficial fats that also help promote weight loss.

Ghee’s medium-chain fatty acids facilitate easy absorption and energy conversion, which speeds up metabolism. This helps release energy continuously throughout the day and also helps burn calories.

Warm water also helps with weight management by encouraging satiety, which lowers the chance of overindulging in following meals. Hence, mixing two can be a good option for weight loss.

#9. Brain Health

Ayurveda says that the bilona ghee is considered a medhya rasayana. It is a collection of nootropic (cognition-boosting) herbs with several advantages.

It particularly aids in strengthening mental alertness, cognition, memory, intelligence, and even the capacity for retention and learning. The necessary fatty acids found in ghee are crucial for maintaining brain function.

These fats support the growth and upkeep of brain tissue, enhancing concentration, memory, and cognitive function. Frequent use of ghee has also been linked to a lower risk of neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s ^[10].

Side Effects of Clarified Butter

Even though ghee is considered a superfood, there are a few things one must always think about before including this ingredient in their diet.

Ghee consumption might increase LDL levels in the blood. It can also cause vomiting in some with intolerance. High blood levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) lead to clogged artery walls, also called plaques or atheromas. It is not given to people with disturbed liver test values, jaundice, etc.

How to Include Ghee in Your Diet?

Clarified butter can instantly make anything tasty. You can use it in multiple ways and include it in your family’s diet. Here are a few ways:

• Cooking your favourite Indian dish
• Spreading on paranthas made of Aashirvaad Multigrain Atta, which is loaded with the goodness of six whole grains.
• Drizzling on the dal-chawal combination.

Ayurveda and Ghee

Clarified butter has been given massive importance in Ayurvedic culture. Ayurveda says to drink it on an empty stomach with a cup of lukewarm water first thing in the morning. Do you want to know why? Let’s find out.

According to Ayurveda, clarified butter creates Rasa, the first nourishing tonic in the morning. This juice is believed to strengthen the seven tissues of your body.

It aids in lubricating joints and stopping cracking and popping joints by removing extra Vata. It also supports removing skin dryness and keeping it hydrated from within.

Ayurveda advises waiting at least half an hour before consuming any food or liquids after consuming clarified butter on an empty stomach. You should drink around 5-10 ml after consulting or as advised by the doctor.

This superfood is said to have unique properties that can lubricate the digestive tract and tissues and remove Ama, the toxins as per Ayurveda ^[9].

As per Ayurveda, storing ghee in an air-tight container for at least one year or more is called Purana ghrita. Purana means old, and ghrita means ghee, and this ghee has many benefits, such as treating psychological and neurological disorders.

This ghee also helps in holistic wellness, such as improving metabolism, digestion, skin health, detoxification, improving energy, and much more ^[12].

How to Store Ghee?

Clarified butter is prepared by heating the milk; hence, most milk properties are removed during this process. What is left behind is this golden superfood, which does not require refrigeration.

You can easily store this excellent ingredient at room temperature, and it won’t get spoiled. The shelf life is about 16 months.

5 Tips to Identify If You Are Using Pure or Impure Ghee

Let’s look at the five tips that help you identify whether the ghee you use in your everyday routine is pure or impure.

#1. Salt

Take two tablespoons of ghee in a bowl. Mix hydrochloric acid and salt in it. Leave it for 20 minutes and check whether the ghee’s colour has changed. If it changes, it is impure.

#2. Water

In a glass of water, pour some ghee. If it starts to float, it is pure, and if it sinks to the bottom, it is impure.

#3. Smell

Rub some ghee on your palm. Smell it. If you can detect a smell, it is pure. It is adulterated if there is no smell, as ghee is known for its aroma.

#4. Boil

Boil 4-5 spoons of ghee in a pan and leave it for 24 hours. If you find it smelly and grainy the next day, it is pure; otherwise, it is impure.

#5. Melt

Place a plan on a medium heat. After heating it for some time, add one teaspoon of ghee. If it melts and changes to dark brown, it is pure. It is impure if it takes time to melt and only changes to light

Conclusion

In summary, ghee’s advantages go well beyond just its delicious flavour. It is a culinary wonder that can be used to make a wide variety of foods and improve your general health.

Its rich nutritional profile makes it a golden elixir. Let the flavour and health benefits of clarified butter serve as a reminder that sometimes the best cooking comes from sticking to the tried-and-true.

Let the golden glow of it guide you towards a healthier and tastier life, whether you use it in your regular culinary routines or as a hidden ingredient in gourmet dishes.

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