Is Ghee a Healthy Fat?

Ghee is having a surge in popularity across the globe right now. But do you know what it is?

If not, don’t panic. Until fairly recently, ghee was almost exclusively used in India and Middle Eastern countries — but has since taken off in Western countries too.

Ghee is a type of clarified butter. This is butter which has had all of the water removed, through a simmering and straining process. Ghee is touted for its numerous benefits and is sometimes even praised as a healthier alternative to butter.

But is that true? Is ghee really a healthy fat?

Let’s dive in…

What is Ghee?

There are a few traditional ways to make ghee. Generally, though, the process involves heating butter made from cow’s milk over a low heat. Once all of the water in the butter has evaporated away, just the milk solids and clarified butter are left behind.

The milk solids are then drained away — and the liquid left behind is ghee.

Ghee originates from India, and has been around for thousands of years.

It’s still used in many Indian recipes and dishes today. But it was actually originally invented as a solution to the problem of storing butter in a hot climate.

So, how did ghee solve this issue?

Well, by clarifying butter, the final product has a much longer shelf life than traditional butter — and doesn’t even need to be refrigerated!

But that’s not the only benefit of ghee. In today’s world, ghee is popular with consumers for a whole host of reasons.

Here are just a few:

• It doesn’t contain any lactose, so it’s a great choice for consumers with a lactose intolerance
• It can be used to give food a rich, nutty flavor — which is much more distinctive than traditional butter
• It contains lots of great vitamins
• It contains lots of Omega-3s, which are great for keeping your heart healthy!

Is Ghee a healthy fat?

With so many benefits, it’s no surprise that ghee is often praised as a healthier alternative to butter. But how much evidence is there to prove this? 

Well, here are the facts…

It can boost your vitamin intake

As mentioned earlier, ghee is full of lots of great vitamins — all of which are super important to a healthy diet.

Ghee is a great source of Vitamin A, C, D, K and E, so adding it into your diet is a good way to boost your intake of all of these.

In particular, vitamin E is really important to keeping your body healthy. Research has shown that this vitamin is high in antioxidants — which have been linked to a lower risk of cancer, arthritis and cataracts.

Making sure that you get your recommended daily intake of Vitamin A is also really important to your body.

This vitamin helps to keep your eyes, skin and immune system healthy — and ghee is rich in it!

So, if ghee can boost your intake of these vitamins, it’s certainly worth considering as part of your healthy diet.

It has been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects

As well as all of those lovely vitamins, ghee also contains butyrate.

Butyrate is a fatty acid which is known for its powerful anti-inflammatory properties!

Research has shown that because this acid is found in ghee, consuming ghee products could help to soothe inflammation in the body.

Butyrate can even help to improve your digestive health — so it’s really a no brainer to include it in your diet!

It can support a healthy heart

As we spoke about earlier, ghee is rich in omega-3 acids.

These fatty acids are really important for a healthy heart and cardiovascular system, as they can help to lower cholesterol levels in your body. This in turn can help to protect against heart disease — and generally keep your heart healthy.

On the other hand, it’s still a saturated fat, so it’s important that ghee is consumed in moderation if you want to maintain a healthy, balanced diet. In fact, fat is key to any balanced diet — and humans actually need a small amount every day!

It’s not necessarily better than other fats

Ghee does offer lots of benefits, so it’s easy to see why it’s often thought of as a healthy fat.

But there isn’t actually much evidence to suggest it’s more or less healthy than other fats. So don’t throw away the traditional butter right away. Both fats have their own benefits, and one isn’t necessarily healthier than the other.

Are you thinking of producing and selling ghee or butter products?                                                                                                 

Here at Buffalo Market, we can help you to distribute your ghee or butter products to the best retailers.

We deliver premium frozen, refrigerated, and dry products to major retailers across the country up to 7 days a week. Our direct store delivery and merchandising services have been proven to have a dramatic impact on the sales of the brands we represent.

Need help with distributing your ghee or butter products? Request a distribution evaluation today.