In this blog, I am going to share with you the story of Golden butter oil called Ghee. All about Ghee.
How in India it was once revered more than just food?
How negative marketing and the stigmas floating from the West termed it fattening and super unhealthy?
And how many of us got manipulated with this Western jargon?
But the truth triumphs then. Now Ghee has found a premium place on the shelves of the supermarket of the West with the name Clarified butter.
Today, we will discuss the astonishing and the most unexpected benefits of ghee and how including this Indian superfood in your diet will take your fitness to the next level.
GHEE
We Indians have been consuming Ghee for centuries.
When butter is simmered a golden yellow liquid is left behind, this liquid is called ghee.
Ghee is a goldmine of nutrients, has therapeutic values and can be used internally or externally.
Due to its plethora of benefits, ghee is considered sacred in India.
No matter what region of India you come from, Ghee was always being used in our delicacies.
However, it’s happened in the 1970s-80s when these foreign refined oil companies in order to sell their so-called heart-healthy oils, intensively bad-publicized the ghee calling it fattening and unhealthy for the heart.
Manipulated by such marketing strategies we changed our household cooking medium to refined oil.
While the health-conscious opted for Western olive oils at 5X prices.
Modern doctors warned you against eating Ghee.
Your nutritionists omitted Ghee from your diet.
And those, so-called heart-healthy oils, for which we had left our ghee, have now been proven by numerous studies to be nothing else but a colourless, odourless, tasteless and nutrition-less liquids produced after so much refining that they readily become toxic when heated.
Using refined oils has become the #1 reason for increased heart attacks in the country.
Well, the truth cannot be hidden for long and here is ghee which is now been recognized by modern science as the healthiest form of fat.
Do you know that ghee is trending in the U.S.?
Just as you find olive oils on the shelves of the Indian supermarkets these days, in the West ghee is being sold as a premium cooking oil.
Why So Special?
What makes ghee so special? Isn’t it high in saturated fats?
Yes, it is, but the four letters that spell a miracle, SCFA.
SCFA to be precise Short-Chain Fatty Acid is a unique type of saturated fat found in ghee.
SCFA are produced when dietary fibre is fermented in the colon. Short chain fatty acids are readily utilised by the body for energy. SCFA help in digestion.
Unlike the long-chain fatty acids found in the animal saturated fat, short-chain need not be broken down in the small intestine and are immediately used by the body for energy.
Due to this unique short-chain fatty acid profile, ghee is not fattening.
But actually cuts the fat from the most stubborn parts of the body.
Being one of the highest sources of CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid), it mobilizes the fat cells to shrink down to their original size.
So, if your goal is fat loss, start eating ghee right away.
Another big plus point of using ghee for cooking is that it has a very high smoke point of over 250 degree Celsius, Way more than any other cooking oil.
The smoke point of an oil is the temperature at which the fatty acid bonds tend to break and the oil becomes unfit for consumption.
This makes ghee ideal for all types of cooking including deep-frying.
Did you know that every time you add ghee to your meals you are reducing the glycemic index of the meal?
A major chunk of Indian population being diabetic, ghee is a saviour.
This slow and steady climb of the blood sugar levels also makes it easy for the body to effectively assimilate the micronutrients from the meal.
If you are facing any kind of digestion issues, there are high chances that ghee is missing in your diet.
Ghee is packed with butyric acid.
Now, what’s up with this Butyric acid?
Well, our body converts fibre into butyric acid.
Since ghee already has it, it makes the body’s job easier.
So, as compared to any other oil, meals cooked in ghee are lighter on the stomach.
Moreover, the SCFA in ghee is now recognized as a pre-biotic, something which creates an optimal environment for the gut-friendly bacteria to prosper.
Ghee, because it is high in omega-3s, contrary to the popular belief actually reduces the bad cholesterol.
Rich in antioxidants, CLA, and fat-soluble vitamins like A, D and E ghee is heart-healthy in true sense.
Many studies are proving to you this today.
So, if your cardiologist stops you from eating ghee, it’s time to change him.
Apart from this, if you feel low on energy, if you want to build muscle mass or have joint pains, skin problems, hormonal issues, fertility issues, or you want your brain to function at its optimum level, you should start adding ghee to your diet.
And did you know that purity does not come with an expiry date? Yes, if ghee is properly stored in an airtight container, kept in a cool dark place, it never goes bad.
The ancient texts mentioned to this extent that the older the ghee is, the more beneficial for health it becomes.
How to Consume Ghee?
How to have ghee? Ghee is the purest form of fat, free from milk solids, and impurities.
So, it is absolutely lactose-free.
It is one food on the planet, which suits all body types.
Irrespective of your fitness level, age, or gender you can include two to four teaspoons of ghee daily without any guilt.
Ghee can be put on top of Rotis, rice, curries or dals.
And because it has a very high smoking point it is even ideal for sorting and deep-frying.
Not only will it add a medicinal touch to your food, but also greatly enhance its flavour.
Ghee is revered as divine in our culture since ages.
Its versatility is nothing short of miraculous with its uses being not just internal but also external.
It is said that, if one regularly puts a drop of ghee in nostrils, all the parts of the body above the collarbone like the neck, face skin, eyes, ears, hair and brain stay nourished.
Doing this daily you can assure yourself of glowing skin, lustrous black hair, improved eyesight, hearing ability, and sharp intellect.
Applying just a few drops of ghee and massaging the naval daily lubricates the joints, improves the immunity, helps digestion, and stops acne breakouts.
Truly, ghee is a superfood.
Although this does not mean that you hop on ghee sweets every other day.
These sweets are so high in sugar, that if you start eating them regularly, even ghee won’t be able to save you from putting on extra weight.
Moreover, ghee should not be combined with curd or any food which has curd in it.
The mixture of the equal amount of ghee and honey has been referred to as poisonous in Ayurveda.
So, make sure that you keep this in mind.
Which Ghee Should You Use?
Ghee can be extracted from the milk of cow, buffalo or goat.
However, it is a desi cow ghee which is considered the best.
If you can make ghee at home, nothing like it.
You can even look for Gau Shalas near you, to get desi cow ghee.
There are quite a few Indian brands which are making desi cow ghee, you can buy them too.
You might have to pay a little extra to get desi cow ghee, but then our ancient texts say that as long as you live, live happily and even if you have to take a loan ensure that you drink ghee.
I hope you found this article to be helpful.
Reading this blog, I hope you will start including ghee to your daily diet.
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