The way we cook our food has changed dramatically over the past several decades, with cheap vegetable oils like soy and canola taking over the top spots among chefs and restaurants alike.
This change has been devastating to public health according to some institutions and researchers.
Meanwhile, a growing holistic health trend has continued ever since among people who prefer cooking the old fashioned way: with products that are high in saturated fat like butter and coconut oil.
What many people don’t realize is that there is a type of butter with a higher smoke point that regular butter that has been used for culinary purposes for centuries.
This type of butter also has lower amounts of a common chemical byproduct of cooking that gives it a leg up on other cooking oils.
Clarified Butter aka Ghee is One of the Healthiest Cooking Oils
Used for centuries in the Indian culinary arts, ghee is just now catching on among health and taste conscious American consumers.
Ghee is also called clarified butter.
Some of the advantages of ghee for cooking include the following:
-Has a higher smoke point than regular butter at 480 degrees Fahrenheit. Regular butter can smoke and burn at just 350 degrees.
-Produces less of the toxin acrylamide compared to other cooking oils.
Acrylamide is a toxic byproduct of high heat cooking and is most highly concentrated in canola, peanut, and olive oil (which is better for salads or cooking at low temperatures)
-Is excellent for sautéing or frying at high temperatures
-Is lactose-free, making it an excellent substitute for people who want the health benefits of butter but are sensitive to dairy
Ghee is gluten-free and suitable for paleo diets.
In my experience it’s an even better cooking oil all-around than coconut and butter.
Butter tends to melt way too quickly while ghee imparts a more savory flavor than coconut oil.
Ghee has a fairly similar nutritional profile to regular butter.
Ghee contains high concentrations of monounsaturated Omega-3 fatty acids, which are crucial to help balance out the high levels of Omega-6 fatty acids most Americans get in their diet from vegetable oils.
It is also rich in butyric acid, a short-chain fatty acid with benefits for gastrointestinal health, and is a favorite cooking oil among chefs and foodies alike.
Ghee is a rich source of vitamins A, C, K, and D as well.
It is recommended by mainstream health sites like WebMD to consume in moderation, although followers of paleo style diets tend to consume more than what is recommended.
As always, consult a doctor if you have any questions.
Final Thoughts on the Health Benefits of Ghee
I agree with the chefs and foodies on this one: ghee is one of if not the best cooking oils on the market.
It has a light, buttery flavor that goes well with just about any dish and it maintains its integrity even at high temperatures.
I personally have bought and used ghee from health food stores for years, but I don’t use it as often as coconut oil or butter because it’s slightly more expensive.
When buying ghee, always look for one that is organic and sourced from pasture-raised, grass fed cows.