All about GHEE - Virginia Compton

Ghee is a type of clarified butter fat that has been produced and utilised in India for thousands of years. It is used in Ayurveda as food and with medicines. It is also for spiritual rituals. Ghee is considered a completely sacred food. Modern science has now verified what Ayurveda has said for thousands of years. Ghee is a health booster, offers amazing benefits and is good for the body, mind and spirit.

But why? And how is it made?

Ghee is made from butter that has been clarified, this means the butter has been slowly heated until the milk fats (lactose) separate. The golden ghee liquid is then poured off and kept separate in a jar. It can be stored at room temperature, there is no need for refrigeration. It is important to remember, as you read the methods and benefits here, that this has been done for thousands of years. Originally there was no medical science to back this up. The ancient people observed and knew the benefits because they witnessed them first hand.

Here are some ghee geek facts –

Ghee keeps for years even without refrigeration, this is because of its low moisture as well as natural antioxidant content.
Ghee has been generally accepted as superior fat to other fats, mainly because of its characteristic short chain fatty acids , which are responsible for its better digestibility and anti-cancer properties.
Ghee is an important carrier of fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) and essential fatty-acids.
Apart from having a rich and pleasant taste and smell, ghee is believed to be a coolant, capable of increasing mental power, physical appearance, plus curative of many diseases.
As above, ghee is an excellent source of Vitamin E. Studies have shown that Vitamin E has significant antioxidant properties. Antioxidants like Vitamin E have been linked to lowering the risk of cancer, arthritis, and cataracts. Vitamin E can also help reduce the risk of heart disease.
Ghee is a significant source of conjugated linoleic acid, or CLA. Studies show that CLA may help combat obesity. Research indicates that the CLA found in ghee may help reduce excessive weight gain.
Ghee contains butyrate, a fatty acid that has known anti-inflammatory properties. Studies show that the butyrate present in ghee can soothe inflammation within the body.
Though ghee is rich in fat, it contains a high concentration of monounsaturated Omega-3s. These healthy fatty acids support a healthy heart and cardiovascular system. Studies show that using ghee as a part of a balanced diet can help reduce unhealthy cholesterol levels.
Of course fat should be consumed in moderation, however eating some fatty foods such as ghee can help the body more easily absorb essential vitamins and minerals. Cooking healthy foods and vegetables with ghee helps you to absorb more nutrients.
Ghee has a very natural affinity with the body tissue, it therefore helps to efficiently and effectively transport both food (nutrients) and herbs (medicinal) across the blood brain barrier so they become more effective in their functions.
Ghee provides a gentle and natural probiotic effect to the gut.
It supports the whole nervous system. The fatty nature of ghee coats the myelin sheaths of the nerves, helping to keep the nervous system healthy and functioning. It also helps to maintain healthy brain tissue or ‘grey matter’. The insulating layer that covers the nerves and spine, the myelin sheath, is made of fats and proteins. Additionally, as your brain is 60% fat, it is obvious why good fats are so helpful for your brain.
Ghee is created by removing milk solids. Because of this, it contains only trace amounts of lactose and casein, which are milk sugars and proteins. Ghee is a good source of fat for people who are lactose intolerant or have dairy allergies.
Ghee is considered as ideal medium for deep frying because it possess high smoke point (250 °C) which is well above the normal cooking temperatures (180-200 °C) and also higher than most of the vegetable oils

Ghee is considered by Ayurveda as a medhya rasayana, which means that it enhances memory and brain health. Research shows the significance of omega-3 fatty acids in supporting brain health, and additional studies show that ghee made using the traditional method does have a greater omega 3 content than ghee produced using modern techniques.

Sourcing your Ghee

Where and how you source your ghee can literally be food for thought. If we have ghee that is sourced from cows who are intensively farmed or who have their calves removed, the stress of this will go into the milk and this eventually affects the quality and effectiveness of the ghee you are using. Often in the west we will see that the cows are ‘grass fed’ which is great, organic and antibiotic free, wonderful. But if they have their calves removed this creates a great deal of stress and this affects the end product.
I know it isn’t easy to source everything perfectly, but consider how this may then affect you as a consumer, and do some homework. Personally I now source some local cream, from which I make butter and then I make my ghee. The cream I source comes from cows with whom the calves live until they are adult enough to join the main dairy herd. (I make by own butter because I can’t get ready made butter from this source). This is how things were traditionally done in India. If you try the ghee from these cows, or make ghee from this butter, you will find that it is very different to the more mainstream ghee we find on commercial shop shelves. The cows who live within this ethos are known as A2 cows. I recommend looking at Taw River Dairy in Devon for a good example of this. (They also have a lovely description of how they farm on their website). I’m not suggesting we all need to be perfect but it is good to be aware of and to take some responsibility for what is going on with our food, especially with something as sacred as ghee.