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All about Ghee

Writer's picture: SujathaSujatha

Small batch, Grass-fed  cultured homemade ghee

Growing up in an Indian kitchen, a childhood pleasure was eating freshly puffed phulka s* coming off the flame, smeared with ghee and rolled up.

Each bite of caramel yumminess satisfying all the senses.




Home-made phulka with ghee
Home-made phulka with ghee



Ghee is one of those rare ingredients that effortlessly strides the boundary between what is considered 'ordinary' and 'special' when it comes to food in India.


It carries a whole spectrum of meaning- love, generosity, devotion, purity, luxury.

Ghee is at the very heart of Indian food and hospitality.

Stirred lovingly into daal just before serving, Added everyday onto hot steamed rice or roti, used extensively in dessert making, used to soften & heal the skin, make ceremonial offerings, comprising the first solid food a baby is given in Hindu culture**, ghee is woven intricately into the fabric of life.


In the realm of food, it is reminder of how the mundane and the spiritual are interwoven, not separate.


Ayurveda and Ghee

Ayurveda considers ghee supremely nourishing for the body & mind.

The Ayurvedic texts describe cultured ghee from cow milk as having more than 700 medicinal benefits.

Ghee is said to -


Nourish all the tissues in the body (Rasayana)

Kindle and maintain digestive fire (Agni dipana)

Benefit the eyes (ghee is used in external eye treatments like netra tarpana. Kajal (natural kohl) is also made in a base of pure ghee) (Chakshushya)

Pacifies excess Vata and Pitta (Vata-pittahara)

Bring lustre to the skin and directly feeds Ojas*** (Ojaskara)

Improve memory and cognitive function( Medhya)

Has a naturally occurring 'sweet taste' and therefore builds strength and stability in the body (Balya)

Increases fertlity and libido (Vrishya)

Increases life-span (Ayushkara)

Catalytic medium that carries the medicinal benefits of other herbs deep into the body tissues (Yogavahi)


Health benefits of ghee

The health benefits of ghee as revealed through contemporary scientific research echo these.

Here are some of them-


Nutrition- Ghee is rich in fat soluble vitamins A,D, E and K. These are key in calcium regulation, helping build strong bones& teeth.

Gut health- Cultured ghee is a powerhouse of Butyric acid. Butyric acid heals the gut lining, supports a healthy microbiome, nourishes the colon, lowers inflammation and boosts immunity.

Bone health- Ghee's Short chain fatty acids benefit bone density, joint lubrication and promote cartilage health.

Fatty acids & their health benefits- Ghee contains a full spectrum of short, medium and long chain fatty acids. Grass -fed cultured ghee has a significantly higher amount of CLAs- Conjugated Linoleic acids (a polyunsaturated fatty acid that protects heart health, liver health, weight regulation , blood sugar and improved antioxidant activity.

The more recently discovered 'super-fat' in ghee, Pentadecanoic acid C15 supports healthy cellular aging, mood regulation, sleep and cognitive function.


Lactose and Casein free - Traditionally made cultured ghee has been shown zero or close to zero levels of lactose and casein, making it a good source of nutrition for those who can't handle most forms of dairy.


High smoke point-With its high smoke point of 485F, ghee can safely be used for sauteeing, deep fat frying and baking.


Pure ghee has no trans-fats and has been approved for Paleo, Keto, Whole30 and FODMAP diets.



So What IS ghee?

Ghee is a highly shelf-stable form of clarified butter made from gradually cooking down the milk solids in butter.




How is it traditionally made?


Traditionally ghee is always made from making cultured butter.


You boil whole milk. When it cools down, the layer of cream that forms on the top is collected and set aside. This is done for several days until there's enough cream. This cream is cultured with yogurt &allowed to set.

Once set, it is churned to separate the butter.

This cultured butter is heated on a low flame to slowly evaporate its water content, completely cook down the milk solids ,finally yielding the clarity of pure golden ghee.

Traditionally made ghee with its stages of boiling, cooling, culturing cream, churning butter and then cooking it down, breaks down the hard to digest milk proteins& sugars in multiple stages.



What is the difference between grass fed cultured ghee and conventional ghee?


Benefits of Grass-fed vs Grain fed-

Grass fed milk is shown to have much more CLAs than that from grain-fed cows.

Grass fed dairy also has a better ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3 fatty acids which is key for metabolic health.

Grass fed dairies tend to be smaller, kinder to animals, and support biodiversity.

Cultured versus Uncultured

Difference in butyric acid levels- Cultured ghee has significantly higher butyric acid levels than conventional ghee.


Difference in CLA levels- In the culturing process the linoleic acids from the cream are converted into into beneficial Conjugated Linoleic acids which help regulate body fat deposits, improve immune function among a long list of other health benefits. Cultured ghee has much higher CLAs than conventional ghee.


Difference in lactose and casein content- In the first step of culturing cream, the fermentation process breaks down milk sugars resulting in lowered lactose levels. During this process, casein is also converted into more easily digestible peptides.

In the second step when the butter is cooked down into ghee, the milk solids, are separated, foam is skimmed and you are left with purified ghee which is very nearly (if not totally) lactose and casein free.


Difference in taste-

Small batch, Grass fed cultured ghee has a deeper flavor than mass-produced ghee or ghee made with sweet cream butter.

The latter taste bland in comparison.

Well-made cultured ghee has a subtle sweetness & tang that's hard to describe.



Is ghee healthier than butter?

Ghee is more stable with a higher smoke point than butter.

Ghee in moderation balances all three doshas. It has an alkalizing effect on the body while butter increases kapha & has a slightly acidifying effect.



Does ghee need to be refrigerated? -

As long as you use a clean dry spoon & keep the jar well-closed when not in use, You don't need to refrigerate it. In cold climates like the Northeast, ghee will keep perfectly well for a year on the shelf.

In warmer weather, refrigerate the ghee if you're keeping it past 6 months.

But ghee doesn't last long once you start using it!


What are some ways you can use ghee?

  • Top warm grain bowls with it

  • Spread it like butter on warm breads

  • Stir it into soups, curries, dals, stews, khichdi, oatmeal etc.

  • Use it as a cooking and baking medium

  • Blend it into your morning coffee

  • The possibilities are many...


While it elevates any dish, really good ghee doesn't need embellishment.

Much like the simplicity of a beautiful olive oil with good bread,

A steaming bowl of rice with a teaspoon of ghee needs nothing else.



Notes


*Phulka or phulka roti is a light, homestyle wholewheat flatbread made in parts of Central, West and North India.


** In Hindu culture, the introduction of solid foods to a child is marked by a special ceremony called Annaprasanam. A significant moment, as this is the first ever solid meal, the 6 month old baby is fed rice cooked with jaggery and ghee.


*** Ojas is an important concept in Ayurveda. It has a tangible yet also complex meaning. Ojas refers to the super refined essence of all the bodily tissues. The quality of Ojas determines a person's overall 'glow', strength& immunity. Depletion of Ojas leads to imbalance and diseases, so it is important to nourish and protect it.



Select references


Maryam Falahatzadeh, Kianoosh Najafi, Kaveh Bashti,

From tradition to science: Possible mechanisms of ghee in supporting bone and joint health,

Prostaglandins & Other Lipid Mediators,Volume 175, 2024, 106902, ISSN 1098-8823,

(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1098882324000960)


Detman, A., Mielecki, D., Chojnacka, A. et al. Cell factories converting lactate and acetate to butyrate: Clostridium butyricum and microbial communities from dark fermentation bioreactors. Microb Cell Fact 18, 36 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12934-019-1085-1


Kataria D, Singh G. Health benefits of ghee: Review of Ayurveda and modern science perspectives. J Ayurveda Integr Med. 2024 Jan-Feb;15(1):100819. doi: 10.1016/j.jaim.2023.100819. Epub 2024 Jan 5. PMID: 38181707; PMCID: PMC10789628.


Ogawa J, Kishino S, Ando A, Sugimoto S, Mihara K, Shimizu S. Production of conjugated fatty acids by lactic acid bacteria. J Biosci Bioeng. 2005 Oct;100(4):355-64. doi: 10.1263/jbb.100.355. PMID: 16310724.


Froyen E, Burns-Whitmore B. The Effects of Linoleic Acid Consumption on Lipid Risk Markers for Cardiovascular Disease in Healthy Individuals: A Review of Human Intervention Trials. Nutrients. 2020 Aug 4;12(8):2329. doi: 10.3390/nu12082329. PMID: 32759714; PMCID: PMC7469037.


Venn-Watson, S., Reiner, J. & Jensen, E.D. Pentadecanoylcarnitine is a newly discovered endocannabinoid with pleiotropic activities relevant to supporting physical and mental health. Sci Rep 12, 13717 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-18266-w



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