GHEE -Good or Bad???

      Ghee is  similar to clarified butter;but with complete elimination of milk solids ,unlike the clarified butter.It is  made by melting and boiling the butter constantly at a low temperature/medium flame until all the moisture content is eliminated and  milk proteins are crystallised and caramelised separating  the yellow liquid at the top.The crystallised solid portions are strained out and only the liquid portion is stored.A perfectly prepared ghee has a pleasant sweet aroma and light yellow color and sandy  consistency .

SOME FACTS:

• .Ghee does not contain Lactin and casein and so can be used by people who are allergic to milk products too (lactose intolerance)
• Ghee is free of harmful trans fats present in most hydrogenated oils which is a major predisposed factor for cardiovascular disease.
• Ghee aids in digestion by neutralising  the gastric acids  and also is easily absorbed by the intestine ;unlike the other oils and butter which further slow down the digestion.
• A longer shelf life ,and no need to refrigerate.
• High smoke temperature (around 480 degree F) unlike oils and butter (350 to 400 degree F),so doesn't get burnt very easily.So it could be an ideal substitute for frying your food ,unless price is a constrain.

SOME OF THE SPECIFIC MEDICINAL PROPERTIES WELL KNOWN IN AYURVEDA :

• Ghee has a very good penetrative ability into the skin and also deeper into the tissues and joints.It is well absorbed (90%)by the skin and tissues.Therefore, it is definitely proven to be a good medicine for alleviating  joint problems ,aids lubrication and flexibility and also a good moisturiser and helps nourishment and toning the skin.
• Ghee , due to credits of  absorptive and digestive ability could aid in bowel movements and clearing the bowel in the mornings and is an useful aid for people with constipation.:)
• Ghee has healing properties due to the presence of considerable amount of fatty acids and helps in healing of minor cuts,wounds,burns  and chaps or cracks on foot sole/lips.
• Ghee is the major base or carrier  for preparation of most medicines in Ayurveda .A lot of herbs or medicines are added and heated in the ghee and is stored as medicines for usage in different ailments.(gritha).These are only a few highlighted points ,there are a lot more to list.

      So after reading all this ,there is a major question.Eating ghee makes me fat.Should I eat it still? Any oil can have 2 types of fatty acids :saturated(long chain and short chain fatty acids) and unsaturated (has mono and poly unsaturated fatty acids ).Poly unsaturated fatty acids like trans fatty acids which increase the level of "LDL"/"bad cholesterol" are not considered ideal part of a diet. Researches have proven that ghee contains  medium and short chain fatty acids which are absorbed easily by the body and digested too ,unlike the other oils like sunflower /canola /palm oils and hydrogenated oils like Dalda.Also ghee contains 27% mono unsaturated   fatty acids which are good and 4 to 5% polyunsaturated fatty acids.So  consider using  ghee instead of other oils for your deep fry.Another exception here is Olive oil ,which also has the highest levels of mono unsaturated fatty acids and thus helps controlling the LDL levels and only causes increase in HDL cholesterol which isn't bad. Ghee  would not raise your cholesterol levels to the levels compared to what oils would cause.But anything in limits and moderation would always be better;because ghee still contains fat may it be mono saturated or short chain saturated,and would cause a significant increase in cholesterol.2 tea spoons of ghee in your daily diet  twice a day is the recommended  amount  and wont cost u much believe me ; rather it's beneficial !But anything beyond that is left up to you:);but still I could say better than the other oils.



PS:This is my lucky charm!I got it as a give away through my blogger friend .She has her blog which has preachings of the lord simplified in her own words ,which touches your heart.Here's the link:
http://coffee-with-jesus.blogspot.com/2011/01/how-to-take-our-burdens-to-him.html