Ghee: A Healing Food in Ayurveda
The famous final rule of Ayurveda is to eat slowly and mindfully.
This concept shows how Ayurveda fully embraces food as nourishment and a key to health and well-being. Ghee is a classic essential among the many valued ingredients in this old Indian health system. In the West, it's known as "clarified butter." But in Ayurveda, ghee is more than just for cooking; it's a healing food praised for its health benefits.
Ghee, loaded with essential fatty acids, vitamins, and antioxidants, is a sattvic food that helps with clarity, calmness, and balance in both body and mind. The perks range from making joint movements easier to improving digestion and nourishing the brain. Its role in boosting ojas, the essence of vitality, makes it a key player in Ayurvedic health practices.
In this blog, we will explore the profound healing benefits of ghee in Ayurveda, its significance in enhancing well-being, and how this golden elixir can become essential to your daily routine.
Ghee
Ghee, also known as clarified butter, is deeply rooted in Ayurvedic traditions and Indian culinary methods. It's made by heating butter to remove the milk solids and water, leaving behind a rich, aromatic fat. This process enhances its flavour and stability for both cooking and storage, as ghee's smoke point is higher than many other fats.
Ayurveda views ghee as a pure, sattvic food that is in harmony with a balanced, peaceful lifestyle. It is full of healthy fats, vitamins A, D, E, and K, and potent antioxidants that feed the body and support overall health.
Types of Ghee
Ghee is obtained from various sources of milk, and there are different varieties depending on the type of milk used:
Cow Ghee
Cow ghee is the most commonly used type, and owing to its several health benefits, it has already found a more prominent space in Ayurveda. It supports digestion, boosts immunity, and balances all three doshas: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha.
Buffalo Ghee
This ghee is thicker in consistency and contains more fats than cow ghee. It is used for making sweets and recipes that need a depth of flavour. Buffalo ghee is heavier on digestion and is usually recommended for those with a strong digestive system.
Healthy Benefits of Ghee
In Ayurveda, ghee has been promoted as a healthy superfood that nurtures the body, mind, and spirit. Its richness of components demarcates it as a staple of Ayurveda. At the same time, the wealth of benefits for digestion, detoxification, skin health, and cognitive function make it a requisite part of Ayurveda.
Let us explore this in detail, accounting for how ghee boosts one's health and well-being.
Digestive Health
Ayurveda values a healthy digestion system, which is key to total health. Ghee is vital for better digestion. It helps break down food well, ensuring your body can use more nutrients.
For instance, just a teaspoon of ghee added to warm rice or dal makes it taste better and helps your gut by making the insides of your intestines slippery, helping food slide through easily. This is why ghee is so good for people who often feel bloated, have heartburn, or get constipated. Its calming effect is also suitable for people with tender stomachs or issues like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Detoxification
Ghee is crucial for detoxification and is key to Ayurvedic methods like Panchakarma, a five-part cleaning and refreshing process. This treatment uses ghee in set amounts to remove deep-hidden toxins, or ama, from the body. Ghee's special molecular makeup allows it to penetrate the body, helping to remove these impurities.
For example, it's common to drink warm milk with a teaspoon of ghee early in the morning during detox to cleanse the digestive system and prepare the body for renewal. This process cleanses and rejuvenates the body, making you feel lighter and more energetic.
Skin and Beauty
Ghee is a natural help for skin health, whether you eat it or put it on your skin. Its fats and antioxidants give deep care to the skin, boosting moisture and stretchiness. For instance, a simple Ayurvedic fix for dry, flaky skin is to put warm ghee on the troubled spots, letting its softening effects do their work.
Also, eating ghee often can keep your skin looking bright by feeding it from the inside. In Ayurveda, beauty routines usually include ghee in face masks or lip balms, using its power to fight dryness and better the skin's feel.
Cognitive and Physical Health
Ayurveda considers ghee a media rasayana, a food that boosts brain power. Eating it regularly helps retain memories, sharpens focus, and lowers stress. Adding a teaspoon of ghee to herbal tea or milk before sleep is a known way to soothe the mind and enhance deep sleep.
Ghee's good fats provide ongoing energy, making it great for busy people. Athletes and fitness enthusiasts often use ghee to gain strength and boost stamina, as it helps repair muscle and maintain vitality.
Incorporating Ghee into Daily Life
Ghee boosts your health and adds depth and richness to your food. Here are five easy ways to use ghee in your everyday cooking:
Use Ghee as a Cooking Oil
Ghee is an excellent alternative to typical cooking oils and butter, especially when cooking on high heat. With a high smoke point of about 485°F (252°C), ghee retains its nutrients without forming bad compounds. This makes it ideal for frying, sautéing, or roasting vegetables and meats.
For example, you can use ghee to stir-fry spinach or pan-sear chicken, giving your food a unique nutty taste and a golden-brown look. Its handling of high temperatures ensures a healthier cooking process without losing flavour or quality.
Drizzle Ghee on Rice and Vegetables
Add warm ghee to steamed rice, quinoa, or roasted veggies to elevate basic meals to fancy treats. Just a teaspoon of ghee on hot basmati rice can enhance its smell and make the meal more filling and easy to digest.
In the same way, roasting carrots or broccoli with melted ghee before eating them makes them look shiny and taste rich. This method comes from Ayurveda, where ghee helps the body absorb fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K from food.
Spread Ghee on Rotis and Bread
Swap out your regular butter or margarine with ghee to spread on toast, rotis, or parathas. A light spread of ghee on whole-grain bread or fresh chapatis makes a tasty, healthy, and enjoyable snack. In Indian homes, putting ghee on parathas is a common tradition that enhances the flavour and provides the energy needed to kick-start the day. Ghee's smooth texture and full aroma make it an ideal choice for breakfasts and quick bites.
Ghee in Baking and Desserts
Adding a bit of ghee improves the taste of soups, stews, or curries. In Indian cooking, heating spices in ghee and pouring them over dal or sambar boosts the flavours, making a simple meal special. Ghee also thickens sauces, giving gravies a smooth texture. For instance, mixing a spoonful of ghee into lentil soup or creamy tomato curry before serving makes the meal richer and adds a warm, earthy smell.
Conclusion
Ghee is a key part of Ayurveda's focus on total health. It has been loved for ages and is not just for cooking; it's a source of healing and energy. It boosts digestion, cleanses the body, and strengthens mental and physical health. Ghee is still honoured in both old and new health practices.
Ghee, used in food, as a base for herbal treatments, or in Ayurvedic customs like Panchakarma, captures the spirit of harmony and renewal. Its pure benefits make it a vital element in the practice of Ayurveda.