What is ghee?

Ghee is a healthy, shelf-stable alternative to plain butter or other cooking oils. Indian ghee is used as an ingredient in traditional dishes, as an ideal fat for frying, and even in Ayurvedic supplements! Golden colored Ghee is prepared by melting and simmering unsalted butter until all the water evaporates and the milk solids settle at the bottom. The remaining butter oil is very stable, giving it a high smoke point which makes it an excellent choice to use for frying and sautéing and it can be stored without refrigeration for several months. Ghee is also known as Indian Clarified Butter, Seafood Butter, Drawn Butter, Butter Oil, or Ghee Butter. In India and other South Asian countries, it is also known as Desi Ghee, Pure Ghee, Asli Ghee or Ghritam. Ghee is a dairy product and as such it is gluten-free.

 

This information applies to all of our ghee products, which includes ghee, cultured ghee, coconut ghee, spiced ghee, and Coffee++, unless stated otherwise.

Pure Indian Foods produces certified organic ghee using milk sourced from grass-fed, ethically raised cows. This ensures that the ghee has a healthy ratio of Omega fatty acids and that it tastes better than non-grassfed ghee as well! Pure Indian Foods’ ghee is truly pure. We make no unnecessary additions to the ghee – no salt, no preservatives, and no flavor enhancers. Just milk.

Our ghee products are Whole30® approved, and are suitable for a paleo/primal diet.

Let’s understand Organic
Organic foods are produced without the use of artificial fertilizers, conventional pesticides, human waste, or sewage sludge. They are processed without the use of ionizing radiation or food additives. Organic dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones.

What is Grass-fed?
Grass-fed cows are pasture-raised and eat what nature intended them to eat: Grass.

Grass-fed Benefits

More Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA)
Pasture-grazed cows have more CLA in their milk than grain fed cows and our lab tests show our ghee has more CLA than plain butter. CLA is an essential fatty acid that has been getting a lot of attention lately.

Ratio of Omega-6 and Omega-3 Fats
Research indicates that if the ratio of Omega-6/Omega-3 in your food exceeds 4:1 then it may not be good for you. This ratio is around 3:1 for grass-fed animals and over 20:1 for grain-fed animals, since grass is rich in Omega-3 and grains have higher Omega-6. So eating more grass-fed products helps you maintain the right balance of Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acids.

Are Grassfed Products Safer?
Most of the conventional cows are fed large amounts of grains (primarily corn), soy and other supplements to increase milk production and decrease cost. They are kept in crowded feedlots and don’t get the opportunity to roam freely and peacefully in the sun and eat high-fiber green grass. This makes them vulnerable to various diseases, so they are often given antibiotics in their daily feed to prevent this. Read more here.

Go Green
Grass-fed dairies are generally small. They promote harmony between the land and the animals. They support biodiversity and reduce waste. They work in a sustainable manner and are good for our environment.

Ghee Benefits

Best for cooking
Ghee is one of the best oils for cooking. It stimulates digestive fire (or Agni) according to Ayurveda. It has a very high smoke point (~485 degrees F) and its chemical structure does not change at high heat. When you cook with ghee, there is no hissing, popping or splattering. It produces sweet aroma when heated. You use less than half of other oils and it enhances the flavor of food.

Sattvic Food
Cow Ghee is considered a sattvic food in Ayurveda. Cow milk has the essence of the grass and plants, and cow ghee possesses the essence of cow milk.

Food for Optimum Health
Ghee is a nutrient dense food and contains healthy fat soluble vitamins which aids in the absorption of nutrients in foods and are essential for good health.

No Harmful Trans Fats
Ghee does not contain harmful trans fats or hydrogenated oils which can cause heart disease and many other serious health problems.

Ghee vs. Butter

Great for cooking
Ghee does not contain milk solids and it is very stable at high heat. Because of its high smoke point (~485 degrees F), it is considered one of the best oils for baking, sauteing and deep fat frying. When you saute with butter, the milk solids precipitate to the bottom of the pan and they can burn causing an unpleasant odor, appearance and taste. When you saute and fry with ghee, there is no hissing, popping or splattering. It also has a sweet aroma and actually becomes richer in flavor as well.

On the other hand, vegetable oils burn when cooked. There is now developing controversy in medical science about which oils are better for us. Traditional cooking oils in all cultures have been ghee, coconut oil, or lard. The saturated fats hold up under heating, and ghee has been used for thousands of years. Proper use of food is a cultural achievement that takes thousands of years to perfect, whereas medical science changes its ideas of what is important every couple of decades.

Casein and Lactose
During the clarification process, milk solids are removed, leaving the healthy butter fats behind. Small, trace amounts of casein and lactose can possibly remain in the ghee, but unless a person is extremely sensitive, consuming ghee will be fine, even if dairy is not. Please discuss this with your doctor if you have any concerns about triggering an allergic response. We work hard to bring a very pure ghee to you!. Read more …

Shelf Stable
A well-prepared ghee has very little moisture content and is very shelf-stable. You do not need to refrigerate it for 2-3 months if you keep it in an airtight container. When kept in a refrigerator, ghee can last up to a year. In India, aged ghee is considered to have healing properties and some families have ghee that is over 100-years old. Ghee such as this is rare and very expensive. Aged ghee is not used as a food. For food purposes, eating only fresh ghee is recommended.

Rich Flavor
Ghee has a rich, sweet and deliciously nutty flavor. A little amount of ghee adds a lot of flavor to the food.

Ayurvedic Usage
A ghee which has been properly washed accordingly to Ayurvedic specifications is very beneficial in healing the skin. A small amount of ghee applied to belly button nourishes the entire body and is especially helpful is healing dried lips. Ghee has slightly alkalizing effect on the body whereas butter has a slightly acidifying effect. Ghee is widely used in Ayurvedic massages and supplements. Ghee keeps skin soft, smooth and lubricated. Ghee is sattvic food whereas butter is tamasic. Also, butter increases Kapha whereas ghee is suitable for all the 3 doshas when consumed in moderation.