Ghee: Better Than Butter?

Have you ever wondered about ghee, also known as clarified butter? Well Franziska Spritzler, RD, CDE gives you the lowdown!

"Ghee has become quite popular in certain circles lately. It’s been praised as an alternative to butter that provides additional benefits. However, some people have questioned whether ghee is superior to regular butter, or may even pose health risks. This article takes a detailed look at ghee and how it compares to butter.

What Is Ghee?

Ghee is a type of clarified butter. It’s more concentrated in fat than butter because its water and milk solids have been removed. It has been used in Indian and Pakistani cultures for thousands of years. The term comes from the Sanskrit word meaning “sprinkled.” Ghee was originally created to prevent butter from spoiling during warm weather.

In addition to cooking, it’s used in the Indian alternative medicine system Ayurveda, where it’s known as ghrita. Because its milk solids have been removed, it does not require refrigeration and can be kept at room temperature for several weeks. In fact, like coconut oil, it may become solid when kept at cold temperatures.

Bottom Line: Ghee is a type of clarified butter that is stable at room temperature. It has been used in Indian cooking and Ayurvedic medicine since ancient times.

How Is It Made?
Ghee is made by heating butter to separate the liquid and milk solid portions from the fat. First, butter is boiled until its liquid evaporates and milk solids settle at the bottom of the pan and turn golden to dark brown. Next, the remaining oil (the ghee) is allowed to cool until it becomes warm. It’s then strained before being transferred to jars or containers. It can easily be made at home using grass-fed butter, as shown in this recipe.

Bottom Line: Ghee can be made by heating butter to remove water and milk solids from the fat.

How Does It Compare to Butter?
Ghee and butter have similar nutritional compositions and culinary properties, although there are a few differences."

There is a lot more to read in Franziska's article, including:
The nutrition comparison data for one tablespoon (14 grams) of ghee and butter, its use in cooking and food preparation, its potential health benefits and any potential adverse effects.

Take Home Message
"Ghee is a natural food with a long history of medicinal and culinary uses. It provides certain cooking advantages over butter and is definitely preferable if you have a dairy allergy or intolerance. However, at this point, there isn’t any evidence suggesting that it’s healthier than butter overall. Both can be enjoyed in moderation as part of a healthy diet."

Please do go and read Franziska's full article, you will find it here

Readers - you will find a variety of articles and recipe ideas, are within this blog. It is important to note, not all may be suitable for you. If you may have any food allergies, or underlying health issues these must always be taken into account. If you are a diabetic and not sure how certain foods may affect your blood sugars, test is best, i.e. use your meter.

As always thanks for reading.

All the best Jan