Benefits of Desi Cow Ghee

Ghee is 100% butterfat… golden, flavorful, nutrient-rich butterfat. Butter contains primarily butterfat, but also milk proteins and water.

Ghee is an essence of milk, which has been shimmered and stained from impurities to get the golden goodness. Ghee is actually butter oil because milk is transformed to curd and then the curd is churned to get the organic unsalted butter. This unsalted butter gets heated on high flame to separate the impurities and to get butter oil. It is being obtained by clarifying butter that is why it is also called Clarified butter.

Ghee traces its roots to the ancient tradition of Ayurveda where it was considered a sacred, medicinal, cleansing, and nourishing food. Modern science now verifies what Ayurvedic health science has said for thousands of years. Ghee has a host of health and cooking benefits and is good for the mind and spirit.

I consider ghee—a form of clarified butter—an essential superfood. Here are a few benefits I’ve found through my years of using ghee.

Great For Cooking and Taste

1. Ghee has a high smoke point (250 °C or 482 °F).
   A set temperature when the oil begins to burn is called smoke point. Not only does heating a cooking fat above its smoke point put it at a greater risk of hitting its flash point and causing a fire, but it also breaks down important phytonutrients and causes the fat to oxidize and form harmful free radicals.
   
   Ghee, on the other hand, is an excellent choice for cooking because of its high smoke point and beneficial effects on health. The smoke point of ghee is 485 degrees Fahrenheit, which is much higher than the smoke point of butter at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. This means that you can easily use ghee for baking, sautéing and roasting without the risk of destroying the important nutrients that it contains that provide all these wonderful ghee benefits.

2. Ghee does not spoil easily so it does not need refrigeration.
   Some ghee mixtures last up to 100 years. Ghee can be stored, unopened, in a cool, dark, not-necessarily-refrigerated place for 9 months. Once opened, a jar can be kept on your countertop for 3 months. Beyond that, the open jar can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 year.
3. Ghee is not likely to affect people with a dairy or casein intolerance.
   Technically, ghee is not dairy-free because it’s butterfat. However, it’s lactose-free because all of the milk solids are completely removed during production. So if you’re avoiding dairy because you’re lactose intolerant, ghee is a safe option for you.
4. Ghee is excellent for cooking and sautéing or stir-frying. With a smoke point of 485° F, ghee can be ideal for roasting or even frying at high temps without burning (like regular butter or olive oil). Ghee is wonderful to use for sautéing vegetables, adding to roasted vegetables, and also to top toast

 High Nutrition:

1. Ghee is rich in the fat-soluble vitamins A and E.
2. Ghee is rich in K2 and CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid) – an antioxidant with anti-viral properties if it is sourced from grass-fed cows.
3. Ghee is Nutritionally Rich Like Coconut Oil: Ghee is rich in medium-chain fatty acids, which are absorbed directly by the liver (like carbs) and burned as energy. Athletes can use ghee as a consistent energy source.
4. Weight   The energy from these medium-chain fatty acids can be used to burn other fats in the system and lose weight.

Nutrition Information

One teaspoon of ghee enriched with: 

• Calories: 42
• Protein: 0 grams
• Fat: 5 grams
• Carbohydrates: 0 grams
• Fiber: 0 grams
• Sugar: 0 grams

Ghee is a rich source of: 

•  Vitamin A
•  Vitamin C
•  Vitamin D
•  Vitamin K

• Vitamin A : Pivotal for normal vision, improves the immune system, and reproduction. Vitamin A plays an important role in enhancing the functions of the heart, lungs, kidneys, and other organs.
• Vitamin D : Source of nutrient that is required for health and to develop strong bones by supporting the body to absorb calcium from food and supplements. 
• Vitamin E : Plays an active role as an antioxidant, supports to protect cells from the damage led by the toxic substance or free radicals. Such free radicals are a type of compound formed when our bodies transform the food we consume into energy.
• Vitamin K : Necessary for blood clotting and stronger bones, significantly for those receiving blood thinners. 

Ghee produced from the milk obtained from Grass-fed cows consist of heart-healthy CLA.

Such grass-fed dairy products consist of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a heart-healthy fatty acid. According to research, grass-fed, pasture-raised dairy products consist of up to five times more CLA as compared to their grain-fed counterparts. 

Furthermore, research shows that CLA enhances the immune system and has anti-inflammatory effects to support your body to resist infections, inflammatory disorders, autoimmune disease and even allergies or infections.

Ghee is an excellent source of vitamin E. Vitamin E has been linked to antioxidant properties. Antioxidants like vitamin E are significant in lowering the risk of cancer, arthritis, and cataracts. vitamin E can also help to reduce the chances of heart disease. 

Potential health benefits of ghee

Ghee is an incredible source of vitamins, antioxidants, and healthy fats. While fat should be consumed in moderation, the consumption of fatty foods such as ghee can enhance the body’s absorption of some essential vitamins and minerals. Cooking healthy foods and vegetables with ghee may increase the absorption of nutrients.

• Anti-inflammatory effects

In alternative Ayurvedic medicine, ghee has been used many times to treat burns and swelling. While this is not scientifically proven, ghee does contain butyrate, a fatty acid that possesses anti-inflammatory properties. The butyrate present in ghee helps soothe inflammation within the body.

• Combat obesity

Ghee contains the source of conjugated linoleic acid or CLA. It may promote combat obesity. It indicates that the CLA found in ghee may help to control excessive weight gain. It may also be advantageous to reduce the mass of body fat. CLA resists the growth of breast cancer. The supply of CLA causes fat loss and improved body structure in humans.

Digestion and Immune Strengthening

Ghee (unlike other oils) is rich in butyric acid, a short-chain fatty acid. Beneficial intestinal bacteria convert fiber into butyric acid and then use that for energy and intestinal wall support. A healthy body, therefore, makes its own form of ‘ghee’ but you can aid that greatly by consuming it.

1. Healthy Digestive Tract
   Research shows that people with unhealthy digestive tracts do not produce butyric acid.
2. Healthy Immune System
   Research shows that adequate production of butyric acid supports the production of killer T cells in the gut and thus a strong immune system.
3. Positive Food
   Within Ayurveda, ghee is considered one of the most sattvic foods. Satvic foods promote positivity, growth, and expansion of consciousness.

Other Benefits of Ghee

1. In India, it is said that if a few drops of ghee are placed in the nostrils then nosebleed can be checked. If this is done twice in a day, then headache can be relieved.
2. Ghee is excellent for a gargle-gandush, to improve the health of the teeth and gums.
3. Ghee can be used as a bath oil. Take two tablespoons of Ghee and mix with several drops of essential oil of your choice.
4. Ghee is excellent for scrapes and both chemical and heat or fire burns. Ghee can be used in the eyes for tiredness or fatigue.
5. Ghee is an exquisite facial moisturizer.
6. For Body Massage – Abhyanga. Apply ghee all over the body, rubbing into the head, chest, limbs, joints, and orifices. This will bypass the digestive system and allow the qualities of Ghee to penetrate directly into the deeper tissues. It is said that 60% of what is placed on the skin is absorbed into the body. We literally “eat” what we put on our skin. 
   
   Western science has discovered that massaging the skin creates endorphins or peptides, which enhance the body’s immune system. Peptides are thought to be the vehicle that the mind and body use to communicate with each other, literal chemistry of emotion. According to the Charak Samhita, regular Abhyanga slows the ageing process.

History of Cow Ghee:

Ghee has been used for thousands of years in India and a few Asian countries. The first known use of butter was back in 2000 B.C. It became very popular in the cooler northern parts of India but didn’t survive well in the southern warmer regions. It’s believed that the southerners started to clarify butter in order to keep it from spoiling. 

Ghee quickly was integrated into the diet, into ceremonial practice, and into Ayurvedic medicine. It’s believed to promote both mental purification and physical purification through its ability to cleanse and support wellness. Ghee benefits the body both inside and outside and is actually used topically as well. Ghee benefits for the skin include treating burns and rashes and moisturizing the skin and scalp. Much like coconut oil, it’s a multi-use fat that is healthy in many ways.

Although ghee originates in India, it is also commonly found in South Asian and Middle Eastern cuisines and is used now around the world.

To sum-up – Ghee Benefits not limited to, but are:- 

1. Ghee is made by heating butter to remove the milk solids and water. However, it is heated longer than clarified butter to bring out the butter’s inherent nutty flavor.
2. It has a high smoke point, is free of lactose and casein, and is high in beneficial compounds like CLA and butyrate. It also contains several fat-soluble vitamins, including vitamins A, E and K.
3. Ghee benefits include improving digestion, reducing inflammation, promoting weight loss and strengthening the bones.
4. Compared to butter, it has a higher smoke point, more intense flavor, and a greater amount of short- and medium-chain fatty acids — not to mention a host of ghee benefits.
5. Incredibly versatile and easy to use, ghee can replace other fats in your diet and can be used for roasting, sautéing or baking a variety of dishes.