Ghee is a traditional fat-rich dairy product, a.k.a clarified butter. The ghee preparation involves heating milk at 110-120 degrees Celsius for 10-20 minutes. It is consumed by many of the population, including all age categories. Ghee is generally used in the preparation of food, frying, sweets, medicinal purposes, and cosmetics.1 It also has several health benefits.
Health benefits
Ghee is an energy-rich food and includes essential fatty acids like linolenic acid and arachidonic acid, vitamins like A, B, D, K, E, and less water. Ghee is nutritionally more reliable than other oils/fats due to its medium chain fatty acids content, which are absorbed directly by the liver and burned to supply energy.2
It is an excellent base for preparing Ayurvedic medicines because ghee has a unique ability to reach each organ and tissue in a short period, allowing medicine to be transported without change, a process known as yogawahi in Ayurveda.2
When it comes to nutritive value, ghee is recognized as the healthiest alternative to edible fat, as it possesses beneficial properties that enable the positive effect of herbal drugs added to it in the preparation of medicated ghee. Digestion, absorption, and transport to the target organ system are critical for maximizing the benefit of any formulation.2
Cow ghee
Cow Ghee has been shown to digest 96% better than any other vegetable or animal fat.2 In addition to cancelling the effect of toxins in the body, cow ghee is known to delay the undesirable effects of drugs. It loosens and liquefies toxins while calming humour (Doshas) in the skin and blood (called the outer disease pathway) and opening the small channels for dislodging and removing heavy toxins. Toxins begin to drain from deeper tissues and flow into the gastrointestinal tract for elimination.3
General facts
- Great benefits for the colon (large intestine)
- Beneficial for people suffering from gastrointestinal (GI-tract) problems
- Increase secretion of bile.
- Consists of Omega 9 and omega 3, medium chain triglycerides (MCT), conjugated linolenic acid (CLA), and antioxidants
Weight loss
Ghee plays an important role in weight loss; it consists of unsaturated fatty acids like MCT and CLA, and both fatty acids play beneficial roles in weight loss. CLA helps to change the body composition by decreasing body fat mass (BFM) and increasing lean body mass (LBM).4
MCTs are transported via blood and deposits in adipose tissue. They increase fat oxidation and energy expenditure and reduce food intake. Some researchers claim that MCTs improve exercise improvements; it is also used to treat patients with fat malabsorption issues in both enteral and parenteral nutrition.5
Side effects and concerns
- Since ghee consists of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, saturated fats can be harmful to health and can cause atherosclerosis (heart disease, blockage in arteries), while unsaturated fatty acids act as anti-cancer properties6
- Atherosclerosis, due to fat deposition in the walls of arteries, causes blood flow to get affected (formation of blood clots), which can cause heart attack, and heart attack (cardiac arrest) is one of the leading diseases in the world
- Obesity, an increase in saturated fat intake, can affect the body mass composition and can lead to obesity (overweight). Obesity can also lead to mini heart attacks and cardiac arrests
Summary
Ghee is clarified butter; the preparation of ghee includes several important procedures. Ghee is used for cooking, in sweets, and for medicinal purposes. It provides important health benefits, as it consists of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids.
Saturated fatty acids can be harmful to the body and can lead to several problems such as atherosclerosis and obesity, whereas unsaturated fatty acids such as MCT and CLA help in providing nutrition to the body as well as being beneficial in fat oxidation, which maintains the body mass composition.
Therefore, ghee is an energy-rich component due to its vitamin (A, B, D, K, E) and unsaturated fatty acids (MCT, CLA) composition.
References
- Kumbhare S, Prasad W, Khamrui K, Wani AD, Sahu J. Recent innovations in functionality and shelf life enhancement of ghee, clarified butter fat. Journal of Food Science and Technology. 2021:1-13.
- Sindhuja S, Prakruthi M, Manasa R, Shivananjappa M. Health benefits of ghee (clarified butter)-A review from an ayurvedic perspective. IP Journal of Nutrition, Metabolism and Health Science. 2020;3(3):64-72.
- Mahakalkar A, Kashyap P, Bawankar R, Hatwar B, Id E. The versatility of cow ghee-an ayurveda perspective. American Journal of Drug Delivery and Therapeutics. 2014;1(1):028-34.
- Chen S-C, Lin Y-H, Huang H-P, Hsu W-L, Hong J-Y, Huang C-K. Effect of conjugated linoleic acid supplementation on weight loss and body fat composition in a Chinese population. Nutrition. 2012;28(5):559-65.
- Clegg ME. Medium-chain triglycerides are advantageous in promoting weight loss although not beneficial to exercise performance. International journal of food sciences and nutrition. 2010;61(7):653-79.6. Kwak H-S, Ganesan P, Mijan A. Butter, ghee, and cream products. Milk and Dairy Products in Human Nutrition: Production, Composition, and Health. 2013:390-411.
