In India, ghee is considered more than a superfood. It's a veritable elixir of life and an essential Ayurvedic remedy for your kitchen. In the West, it's a mainstay for naturopaths, nutritionists, and ketogenic dieters. We're talking about ghee, the clarified butter that's been a cornerstone of Indian and Pakistani cuisine for thousands of years.
Ghee is becoming increasingly popular here due to its many health benefits. And for good reason – it's packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory substances that boost the immune system and aid digestion. High in Vitamin A and Omega-3 fatty acids, ghee is one of the best saturated fats available. Some even add a teaspoon to their coffee to make it “bulkiest coffee.” Ghee is said to make you feel full, improve focus and nourish the brain.
What is Ghee?
Ghee is a type of clarified butter. It originated in India, where the hot climate causes butter to spoil if stored for long periods of time. The way to make ghee into clarified butter is to boil it until the water evaporates and the milk solids separate. This method ensures that ghee will not spoil. Unlike traditional butter, it can be stored for long periods in a jar outside the refrigerator, similar to coconut oil. Ghee is used throughout South Asia and the Middle East, especially in India and Pakistan, where it is prized for its many therapeutic and nourishing properties. It is also used externally to moisturize hair and skin, promote wound healing, and soothe skin inflammation.
Ghee is a traditional superfood and Ayurvedic remedy
“Ghee to us Indians is what olive oil is to Italians,” explains Vasudha Rai, a journalist, podcaster, and author of Ritual, a book that explores traditional Indian health and beauty rituals. “India is an incredibly diverse country, with different languages, recipes, and tastes from state to state, but one thing is common: the use of ghee. We add ghee to literally everything: we drizzle it on lentil curries, mix it into rice, make sweets like halwa, and use it in many Ayurvedic medicinal concoctions,” she says. “In Ayurveda, ghee has the power to reach the nadis, which are energy pathways like the meridians in Chinese medicine. This is why many people in India take medicated ghee – ghee with certain spices and herbs in it. Ghee is a good anupama, or carrier of medicinal herbs, and it penetrates deep into the tissues. That's why in Panchakarma, the Ayurvedic detox, the first step is to drink medicated ghee that has been simmered for hours with herbs that reach deep into the tissues and detoxify the body at a cellular level. Ghee is also used in many other Ayurvedic rituals, such as the nightly foot massage and Nav Chikitsa, where a few drops of hot ghee are poured into the navel to nourish all the tissues.”
Modern research has established the effectiveness of several ghee-based treatments. “Ghee, its components, and the ghee-based multi-herbal blend, ghrita, may help strengthen the immune system and reduce the severity and likelihood of development of many diseases,” states a recent scientific review. “Studies have demonstrated that ghee and its individual components play a beneficial role in modulating the immune response…Ghee may be useful as a functional food in the prevention and treatment of a range of diseases, including tumors and cancer, skin disorders, eye health, and wound healing, and further research is warranted.”
What is the difference between ghee, clarified butter and regular butter?
Both ghee and clarified butter are the fattiest parts of traditional butter, but they are prepared differently (more on how to make homemade ghee below). Ghee has a stronger aroma and a more golden color than clarified butter.
In terms of cooking, ghee burns at a higher temperature than traditional butter, with a high smoke point of around 250 degrees, meaning it doesn't release toxic or carcinogenic substances even at very high temperatures, making it suitable for deep frying and pan-frying.
