Oh Em Ghee!
I recently posted a picture of my breakfast which, like most days recently, was a cinnamon raisin Ezekiel english muffin toasted with ghee. I got a bunch of questions about it so I wanted to dedicate a post to discussing GHEE! What is this butter with a funny name? Is it good for us? How do we use it? Is butter a carb? (Had to)
Ghee has been used in Ayurvedic practices as a healing food for centuries. It’s created by heating grass-fed butter to remove the milk solids and water content.
Heating the butter boosts its natural nutrient profile, improves the taste giving it a nuttier/sweeter flavor and leaves it with a higher smoke point (485 degrees F vs 350) meaning it can be heated to a higher temperature before it starts to smoke and potentially create harmful free radicals. It is also lactose and casein free making it a great alternative for those with lactose intolerance (FYI approximately 65% of the world’s population is lactose intolerant).
Ghee’s nutrient profile includes your fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. These are important for a variety of reasons ranging from vision, healthy, glowing skin and strong bones.
It also contains conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) a fatty acid linked with lowering blood pressure, reducing body fat, preventing cancer and works as an anti-inflammatory agent. These benefits are quite different than what we’ve been hearing about butter this past decade!
Ghee contains butyrate, a short chain fatty acid that acts as a source of energy for colon cells aiding in gut health, especially for those with irritable bowel disorders. It can also provide relief from constipation.
Ghee has almost double the short and medium chain fatty acids as butter. These are the fatty acids that are not associated with heart disease and may actually help with weight loss. These are easily and quickly burned by the body for fuel, rather than being stored.
It’s important to acknowledge that 1 teaspoon of ghee is 45 calories and 5g of fat so we can’t go spreading spoonfuls of ghee on everything and expect to lose weight. A little goes a long way flavor wise so use sparingly!
I use ghee for cooking or just spread on my toast as shown in this pic! It adds an amazing, indulgent flavor to just about everything I cook. Swap out your oil and use it on roasted veggies or salmon and see what you think! I use Organic Valley brand as it’s pasture raised and organic :)