Ghee, or clarified butter, has been used for natural healing for thousands of years across many cultures. In Ayurveda, fresh homemade ghee is a highly revered ingredient, which helps to build immunity, muscle, strength, nerves, reproductive health, brain health, and more. Ghee is an Ayurvedic powerhouse and nutritious fat source that you can easily incorporate into your daily cooking to get its benefits! Store-bought ghee can be very expensive, as well. Learn how to make ghee by following the easy steps below!
The ¨Fat¨Stigma
“Isn’t fat bad for you?” you might be thinking. It is fat which has fueled the human body’s strength and immunity for centuries. The prized ¨Mediterranean diet,¨ for example, has become recognized in modern research as a diet of longevity, precisely because it is rich in high-quality fat content. Japanese cuisine is also a high-quality fat-focused diet and is home to one of the healthiest aging populations in the world.
Ghee is Ayurveda’s “healthy fat.” Dairy products today, due to their infusion with antibiotics, hormones, pesticide and GMO cow feed, do not digest the same way they used to. Milk today is much heavier to digest and can cause sensitivities in the digestive system. Ghee, however, has the milk solids boiled out of it, making it lactose free. What is left is the pure butter fat. You may find that even if you have trouble digesting dairy normally, ghee may produce a soothing effect for you.
What is Ghee used for?
In Ayurveda, ghee is the pillar of longevity. It is used both internally and externally and has many health benefits. Here are some of the them:
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- It builds up strength and reduces fatigue.
- It stimulates the digestion, lubricates the intestines, and helps to regulate bowel movement.
- It reduces arthritis and pain with dryness.
- It counteracts oiliness and acne in the skin by reducing inflammation.
- It helps to reduce symptoms of scoliosis, spasms, constipation, heart palpitations, and more.
- It has a soothing, grounding effect on the body and is high in Earth energy.
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Ghee is also an “anupana” which means a carrier of herbs, in Ayurveda. When you take ghee with herbs, especially if you are a Vata or Pitta constitution, it helps to deliver herbs into your cells more effectively. Your cellular walls are made up of fat. By taking your herbs with an easily digestible fat, this allows the herbs to penetrate deeply into your system!
Finding a Good Source
All food carries a certain energy with it. If your fruits and vegetables were raised organically, in good soil, without the use of chemicals, that food will have a higher, pure energy which will transfer directly to you. When we consume animal products, we often do not think about how the energy stored within them can affect our health.
In the past, dairy was a very nourishing, healthy food. Cows were raised on free-range grasses without the use of pesticides or hormones, and they were not overbred or kept in confined spaces. The modern factory farming processes has introduced so much stress to these animals. In Ayurveda, there is a definite link between consuming animals which are highly stressed and an INCREASE in your OWN stress, anger, and anxiety. There is a reason why meat consumption and general unhappiness are both on the rise in Western countries.
When choosing a dairy product, it is best to find a local farmer if possible. You can see how they take care of their animals. You can make sure they aren’t consuming genetically-modified, pesticide-filled corn and soy. You can make sure that mother cows are not taken away from their babies, which is how factory farms produce veal. You can make sure it is a small, local operation, where profits are not put before the cows’ health and happiness. This positive energy and peace will transfer directly to you if the cows are raised properly.
Guideline to taking Ghee
No more than two tablespoons a day is recommended in Ayurveda. It can be taken with food to ease digestion. Ghee has a high smoke point and is one of the best cooking fats you can use since it does not go rancid when cooking. Use 1 tsp of ghee on a hot pan and put in your spices. Toast for 15 seconds to infuse your spices with the ghee. Use spices like cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, and cardamom with ghee to improve digestive imbalance. Once your spices are toasted, you can add in your vegetables with a tablespoon of water and cook until finished.
When taking ghee with herbs, be sure to have a 1/4 cup of warm water as well. This will help with the effectiveness of your herbs.
Ready to learn how to make ghee? Follow the instructions below.
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