Clarified butter, or ghee, has been used for thousands of years and is a staple in Ayurveda practices. Some consider ghee to be one of the most potent healing foods around, as it’s been used for both religious ceremonies and cooking. While ghee is made of butter, it’s different than the butter blocks you buy at the supermarket. Ghee actually undergoes a clarification process that strips away some of the elements that make regular butter hard to digest, such as whey proteins, lactose, and casein. While ghee is still technically a dairy product, it is one that many with lactose or casein sensitivities can eat. Best of all, ghee still tastes like butter! Well, there is a slightly different taste, but many prefer the taste of ghee’s delicious, smooth taste over the taste of regular butter.
Once you taste the creamy flavor of ghee, you may never go back to regular butter. If that wasn’t enough, there are numerous health benefits of ghee to take note of. It’s no wonder the ancient Vedic’s viewed ghee to be more than a food substance! Learn more about this healthy fat and why you should add it to your pantry.
Rich in Vitamins
Did you know that one tablespoon of ghee can provide roughly 15% of your daily requirements of vitamin A? In addition to being rich in vitamin A, ghee is chock full of fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamins D, E, and K.
It’s Good for Your Digestive System
Inflammation is a condition that can have many adverse effects on the body. Luckily, ghee is rich in butyrate, which is a short-chain fatty acid that plays a critical role in reducing inflammation. With the decrease in inflammation, it helps improve the digestive system as a result.
Benefits Your Skin
In ancient Ayurveda practices, ghee was often rubbed externally on the skin to help decrease inflammation. With its ability for reducing skin swelling, ghee can be used as a natural way to treat burns.
Contains Conjugated Linoleic Acid
Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a beneficial fatty acid that has many health benefits, and ghee is packed full of it. CLA is sourced from grass-fed cows, and it is an antioxidant that contains anti-viral properties. While further research is still needed, in animal studies CLA is linked to improving insulin resistance and could potentially help fight against cancer.
Has a High Smoke Point
When you heat an oil past its smoke point, phytonutrients break down, and harmful free radicals are formed. However, with the smoke point of ghee being 485 degrees Fahrenheit, you can use clarified butter for sautéing, baking, and roasting without having to worry about running the risk of destroying the essential nutrients that are contained in ghee.
