Ghee for Goodness
Ghee or clarified butter is back on the ‘good foods’ list thanks to its amazing benefits
Nutritional information
- Ghee or clarified butter is lactose and casein free.
- Ghee is free of carbohydrates, protein, sugar, fiber and sodium.
- Ghee has a higher smoking point than butter and vegetable oils and is a stable fat for cooking.
- Ghee is a chiefly saturated fat and is highly heat-stable for sautéing and baking.
- One tablespoon or 15 grams of ghee has 15 grams of total fat and 9 grams of saturated fat or 45% of the recommended daily value; 45 mg of cholesterol or 15% of the recommended daily value. It has around 135 calories.
- Ghee imparts a delicious flavor to foods. One tablespoon of ghee can replace up to three tablespoons of oil or butter in your recipe.
Health benefits of ghee
- Ghee helps in digestion by stimulating stomach acids.
- It increases body resistance to various infections and diseases by boosting the immune system.
- Ghee is rich in healthy, fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K and antioxidants.
- Ghee lowers bad cholesterol and increases good cholesterol levels in the blood.
- The fat content of ghee is helpful in weight loss due to satiation quality.
- Ghee nourishes the skin and keeps it radiant.
- The cholesterol from ghee helps reduce body inflammation and prevents depression, dementia, Alzheimer’s and aggression caused by low blood cholesterol levels.
- Ghee contains the rare vitamin K2 that transports calcium to the bones.
- The butyric acid in ghee is an anti-carcinogenic fatty acid and inhibits the growth of mammary tumors.
How much ghee is right for you?
Ghee is entirely made of fat. Hence it is best to have an idea of how much ghee is good for you depending on your age, health, activity level and calorie requirements.
One gram of fat contains 9 calories. Roughly 25% to 35% of your total calorie requirement a day can come from fats including natural fats in dairy products, poultry, meat, nuts, fruits and vegetables and vegetable oils.
The American Heart Association recommends 140 calories or 16 grams from saturated fats for 2,000 calories a day, which can come entirely from ghee, considering its health benefits.
Smart ways to include ghee in your daily diet
- Ghee is best used as part of our daily menu in rotis, parathas, dal and vegetables. Add a dash of ghee to your sambhar or rasam rice.
- Use ghee for sautéing, baking and tossing over steamed vegetables.
- You can use a smaller quantity of ghee to replace vegetable oils in recipes.
Adding the right amount of ghee to a balanced and healthy diet will give your rich dividends!
