Popularly known as clarified butter in the West, ghee is the most ancient source of dietary fat that is widely used in India and in Indian food. Yes, it’s rich and full of calories but with many benefits. The pros of this ingredient are many and if you didn’t know of them yet, here’s a list to convince you to include ghee in your intake.
1. Ghee is known to promote weight loss as it has healthy fats just like coconut and sesame oil.
2. It is a good source of energy as it contains medium-chain fatty acids which the liver can absorb directly and burn immediately, thereby converting it into a good source of energy.
3. Its benefits include reducing risks of cancer, heart disease and diabetes. Ghee is rich in conjugated linoleic acid (a fatty acid) that protects the body against diseases.
4. Ghee helps lower cholesterol level and also boosts the health of the heart, as it is rich in Omega-3 fatty acid.
5. Have troubles with dry skin or chapped lips? Ghee is your solution, thanks to its its greasy texture. Ghee can also be used to soothe inflammation and burnt skin.
6. It also helps in digestion as it has butyric acid which helps heal the digestive tract and keeps it healthy. It also triggers the release of gastric acid which helps improve digestion.
7. The gastric acid also works towards boosting the body’s immunity and lubricates the joints and tissues, making the body flexible.
8. Ghee is rich in fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. So just one tablespoon of ghee can provide approximately 15 per cent of your daily nutritional requirements.
9. Ghee absorbs the nutrients in Indian foods and makes sure they reach the correct parts in your body.
10. Unlike many oils which have a low-smoke point, which they break down and form free radicals, ghee has a high-smoke point (250 degree Celsius) and doesn’t break down. This makes it good to fry in.
11. Ghee can also be used as facial moisturiser for extremely dry skin. It is believed to be used traditionally by Indian women and can fight dry skin and enhance hair growth too when used on the scalp.
Ghee images via Yummyinmytumbly / Tumblr
