Is Ghee More healthful than butter?

For Indians, it might be strange to know that most people do not even know what Ghee is. Ghee or clarified butter is a purer form of fat which is made by heating regular unsalted butter. It's obtained when the butter gets separated into the milk and oil portion. This oil portion is known as ghee. Surprisingly, many cultures outside India use ghee too. Samna in Egypt, Tesmi in Eritrea or the fancily named Manteiga-de-garrafa in northern Brazil some of the names for ghee from other cultures. The most famous ghee is the desi cow ghee which is used by many Indian households.

Composition of Ghee

The composition varies depending upon the source and type of milk used. Normally, for an amount of 100g units of ghee, the total fat content is 99.5g. This total fat is made up of 61.9 g of saturated fat, 28.7 g of monounsaturated fat, 3.7 g of polyunsaturated fat and 4g of trans fat. There are also traces of Omega fats in which the omega-9 fatty acids have a major portion. 

The composition of butter differs quite significantly. With just 81g of the total amount of fat, saturated fat content is merely 51 g. Butter is created from butterfat, milk solids and water. Whereas, ghee is made up of pure butterfat with all of the moisture removed. 

A Rise in Consumption of Ghee

Though people tend to avoid fat content, it is advisable to take food products which have fat content. For people living a healthy and active lifestyle, a newly trending keto diet is being recommended by many nutritionists. Keto diet focuses on cutting down carbohydrates and replacing them with fat. Many people have started using ghee for cooking purposes since it has a higher smoking point and doesn’t burn the food. Ghee is available in multiple variants, like pure cow ghee or organic cow ghee. The market for ghee was valued around INR 1,990 Billion in 2018 and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 15% till 2024. 

Benefits of Ghee

There are several benefits of ghee. Not only does it gives a better taste, but it also has many health benefits. There have been many arguments in the past few years regarding the risks of ghee, but 2018 reports suggest that it is a healthier substitute than other sources of fat. Some of the benefits of ghee are :

• It is rich in Vitamins like A, D, E and K. Also, ghee has antioxidants that play a role in disease prevention for the body. 

• Ghee contains butyrate which increases metabolism and encourages good digestion. Butyrate acid is responsible for anti-inflammatory effects.

• It can also be consumed by people who are sensitive to lactose or casein.

• It can be used in famous diet plans such as Whole30 and Keto diets.

• It contains cancer-fighting CLA. It is an abbreviation for Conjugated Linoleic Acid.

• Good amounts of Omega fats which are important for a healthy heart and cardiovascular system.

• Ghee also has medicinal significance too. It is used in Ayurveda practices as well.

• It has easy storage methods and does not require any refrigeration.

Though diet is always a personal choice for people, it is advisable to know the benefits of other available alternatives and find newer ways to a healthier lifestyle.