The Fitness and weight loss industry has shunned ghee (clarified butter) for a long long time and the rest has been done by the marketing industry. Be it your dietitian, doctors or the numerous so-called health-centric commercials promoting low-fat “healthy snacks” everyone is after you to avoid ghee. It’s saturated fat !!! you should not eat it !!! You have heard it for so long that it has become the unquestionable truth.

But Ghee has been a trusted source of good health for thousands of years. Ghee or Clarified Butter has been long used as a therapeutic agent in Ayurveda. If you are an Indian you must have grown up eating ghee on your chapatis and veggies. In ancient India, ghee has been the preferred cooking medium. But the moment we reach our 20’s we just don’t want to eat it !!

What Is Ghee?

Ghee is a type of clarified butter, however, there is a slight difference. It is produced by heating butter slowly to remove milk solids and water. Ghee is a much superior version of clarified butter in terms of purity. It is dense in healthy fats. And for those who are going Ewww!! by the name of fat, wake up fat is no longer the arch-enemy it has always been. With growing awareness, even dieticians have started recommending daily inclusion of ghee in our diet.

Top 11 Benefits Of Ghee

#1. It Helps Lose Weight

Most of us have that stubborn fat on some or the other part of our body. No matter what we do, how much we exercise or diet that stubborn fat won’t nudge!! I have heard so many people saying “I am perfect but just need to lose a little bit from here”

Ever wondered why this happens? Even if we are dieting and keeping a tab on everything we eat, we miss out on our daily essential “healthy” fat requirement.

How does ghee help?

Ghee contains MCTs (Medium Chain Triglycerides)  which help boost weight loss. A 2015 review which included 13 trials found out that MCT may result in negative energy balance and weight loss through increased energy expenditure. (1)

Simply said, ghee or MCT makes your body spend more energy for the same work and creates energy in and energy out deficit which leads to weight loss.

Not just MCTs but ghee also contains CLA (Conjugated Linolenic Acid) which is an omega-6 fatty acid and is known to change the body composition, reduce body fat levels and weight.

Also Read: The Scam Behind Zero And Low-Calorie Products

#2. It Is A Good Saturated Fat

There has been a lot about saturated fats in the news for long. The American Heart Association recommends just 6-7% of your dietary intake should be from saturated fats. In fact, it recommends replacing these saturated fats with healthier options like veggies and low-fat dairy products.

But what we ignore while reading these guidelines is that ghee is not a part of the American traditional diet. There is a huge difference between the saturated fats from lamb, pork, butter or cheese than those from ghee.

One tbsp of butter gives 100 calories and 11 gm of fat ( 7 of which are saturated fat). Ghee, on the other hand, gives 90 calories and 10 gm of fat ( 6 of which are saturated fat).

Not a huge difference right?

But if you compare the structure of ghee with other saturated fats it contains 25% of short and medium fatty acids compared to other saturated fats which contain only 12-15% of them.

A 2013 research shows that short-chain fatty acids improve our metabolism and help utilize our food intake more efficiently.

Also Read: What Is Moringa And Why Is It Good For Your Health?

#3. It Is Ideal For Keto And Paleo Diets

Gone are the days when fat was considered a big no-no on diets. With diets like keto and paleo gaining popularity fat has become an essential source of energy.

MCTs in Ghee are fat chains containing carbon molecules attached to hydrogen atoms. The shorter this chain the faster MCTs turn into ketones which are a healthy source of fuel for the body. (2)

In keto diet, your body is slowly moved towards fat as the main source of fuel. Keto requires the body to enter the state of ketosis.

When you reduce the net carb intake, your body switches from carbs to fat as the main source of energy. The fat stored is then converted to ketones which provide more energy per unit than carbs.

Ghee is, therefore, an excellent source of fat which is readily converted to ketones.

#4. It Is Great For Your Skin And Lips

Looking for a great beauty product, ghee is your answer. A healthy diet and good digestion can give you flawless skin. Daily intake of 1-2 tbsp of ghee improves the complexion and gives you glowing skin. Not just eating ghee but mixing ghee in some of your homemade beauty face packs can leave your skin radiant and hydrated.

If you have dry and chapped lips apply a drop of ghee on your belly button and lips every night to make them soft and smooth.

Also Read: Are You Suffering From Eating Disorder?

#5. Good Source of Fat For Even Lactose Intolerant People

Milk consists of two types of proteins- whey and casein. Some people are lactose intolerant while some are allergic to casein. If taking milk or other dairy products make you feel bloated or you get diarrhoea and gas you are probably lactose intolerant. As we age our small intestine stops producing as much lactase (the enzyme needed to digest lactose). Lactose needs to be simplified before it can be absorbed by your body. If it's not digested, it remains in its complex state and enters the large intestine. In the colon, the lactose interacts with the bacteria and causes common symptoms.

The unique thing about ghee is despite being a dairy product it can be taken by both lactose intolerant and casein intolerant people too. (3)

Since it is produced by evaporating most of the milk solids and water it contains a minimal amount of lactose. This minimal amount of lactose will not produce any side-effects if taken in limited quantities.

However to identify the amount of ghee you can take, start by taking a small amount of ghee at first and then increase to see at what quantity does your body starts showing symptoms.

Also Read: Tabata Training- The 4 Minute Workout To A Leaner Body

#6. Ghee-The Brain Tonic

Traditionally ghee has been linked to mental alertness and sharp memory. However, the whole “saturated fat” drama made us quit ghee.

The traditional texts consider cow ghee as Medhya Rasayana which is beneficial for memory. Many Ayurvedic products used traditionally for memory enhancement are ghee based. Cow Ghee itself is used as a brain tonic to improve memory. It is said to promote all three aspects of mental functioning-learning, memory, and retention.

#7. It Increases Good Cholesterol And Reduces Bad Cholesterol

A study done to see the effects of ghee has shown that a 10% ghee supplemented diet fed for a period of 4 weeks had many positive effects. There was a dose-dependent decrease in total cholesterol levels when ghee was given at levels greater than 2.5% in the diet. Liver cholesterol and triglycerides were also decreased, and when ghee was the sole source of fat at a 10% level, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in the serum and liver lipids were significantly reduced.

In a rabbit study, ghee was found to increase HDL (good cholesterol), reducing fatty deposits in arteries and lowering blood sugar levels. In another study done on 206 healthy adults, ghee was linked to an increase in ApoA, a protein in HDL particles that reduces the risk of heart disease.

#8. Reduces Glycemic Index Of Food

Glycemic Index is nothing but the relative ranking of carbs according to their effect on our blood glucose level. A high GI carb will be digested and absorbed faster and give instant energy causing our blood sugar levels to rise suddenly. However, low GI food will be digested slowly and provide energy constantly over a longer duration of time. Thus, our blood sugar levels or insulin do not rise abruptly. It is always preferable to go for a low GI carb. (4)

Being an Indian our every meal is high on carbs be it chapati or rice we have to have it with our veggies and dal. Adding a spoonful of ghee on your daily source of carbs reduces the overall glycemic index of the food and makes it more easily digestible.

Also Read: 11 Common Food Additives You Should Keep Out Of Your Diet

#9. Cures Constipation

If you have suffered from constipation or always have prayed for a good bowel movement. Start taking your daily dose of ghee. It is one of the most effective treatments for constipation.

'The Complete Book of Home Remedies' by Dr. Vasant Lad recommends milk and ghee as a mild and effective remedy for constipation. "Taking 1 or 2 teaspoonfuls of ghee in a cup of hot milk at bedtime is an effective but gentle means of relieving constipation," notes the book.

#10. Source of Fat-Soluble Vitamins

There are certain vitamins like A, K, E and D which are fat-soluble and are linked to a healthy vision and glowing skin. Ghee itself is a source of vitamin E, K, and A. Even if you don’t depend on ghee for these vitamins, you do need fat to actually absorb these into your system. So, what could be better than ghee itself which not only helps absorb these vitamins but also boosts their intake. These vitamins help maintain a healthy metabolism and balance hormones. (5)

#11. Strengthens Bones

Daily incorporating ghee in our diet can help us meet our Vitamin K requirement. Vitamin K2 is good for both heart and bone health because it takes calcium from the arteries and fortifies bone with it – creating strong bones instead of hard arteries.

Ghee is a healthy fat to cook with and vitamin K is fat-soluble. Using ghee as the medium to cook vitamin K rich foods like kale, broccoli and spinach will help us get the vitamin K we need for longterm heart and bone health.

Bottomline

Ghee is a versatile source of healthy food. You can use it to replace your cooking oil or use it as a dressing over your carbs and veggies. There has been enough research to support ghee as a source of healthy weight loss and various other benefits. Even the thousands of year old Ayurveda supports it as a must-have. So, stop being a victim of the marketing gimmicks and start using your brain.