The topic of Ghee has been coming up a lot – perhaps because I’ve been sharing a lot of recipes where I use it so I want to share what it is and why I prefer using it over regular butter. Ghee isn’t new, it has been used in traditional Indian cooking for years and really became popular when it became is a staple in Paleo diets (think bulletproof coffee). Ghee is clarified butter that is made by heating butter just long enough for the water to evaporate which removes the casein and lactose, leaving only the fat making it easier to digest, especially for those who have lactose sensitivities like me. Besides being more tolerable than regular butter ghee has been linked to having many health benefits and healing powers like the ones below…
Ghee promotes flexibility because it helps to lubricate connective tissues, which increases your flexibility range.
Ghee has a higher smoke point than butter (450 degrees versus 350 degrees) which means it can withstand higher temperatures when cooking, where butter may burn.
Casein and Lactose-Free - As mentioned above Ghee is a great alternative to regular butter that contains lactose, because it’s stripped from milk solids during the clarification process, leaving only healthy butter fats behind.
Vitamin-Rich - By using ghee for cooking as a replacement for butter you can increase your intake of Vitamin A, plus it’s also a good source of Vitamin D and E, which helps maintain a healthy metabolism and hormonal balance. Grass-fed ghee is also a rich source of vitamin K2, which is essential for the body to utilize minerals including calcium. Vitamin K2 helps to protect against tooth decay, supports proper growth and development of bones, and protects against the calcification of the arteries, also known as atherosclerosis.
Ghee contains an essential short-chain fatty acid called Butyrate, which helps support a healthy digestive tract in many ways. It works by stimulating the conversion of fiber into more butyric acid, which is essential for detoxing and elimination of other fats and toxins, improving colon health. Butyrate has been shown to support healthy insulin levels and may be helpful for individuals suffering from IBS, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Butyrate plays a roll in reducing inflammation in the digestive tract, and throughout the body. It helps create a more alkaline system by reducing the leukotriene secretion and reducing prostaglandin in the body. Additionally, ghee helps to increase gastric acid, helping with digestion.
Ghee supports weight loss like coconut oil. Energy from medium-chain fatty acids in ghee and coconut actually burns other fats in our system, leading to weight loss. The belief is that ghee actually attracts other fats and removes toxins that are traditionally difficult to eliminate.
So now you know all the amazing benefits of using ghee so swap out regular butter for ghee with my most favorite sweet, savory and incredibly delicious Thanksgiving Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan crumble topping!