Mostly used in Indian dishes, ghee is 99.9 per cent fat and 1 per cent moisture with some fat-soluble vitamins and charred milk protein fractions. Ghee is prepared with saturated fat and thus it does not get spoiled when kept at room temperature
A study was conducted to understand the fatty acid composition in ghee. It was found that ghee is a good source of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). DHA is the most popular omega 3 fatty acid. Omega 3 is the essential fat that we need to consume from our diet as our body cannot make it. Walnuts, fish oil and flaxseeds are some good sources of omega 3 fatty acid.
DHA can help reduce the risk of certain conditions like cancer, heart attack, insulin resistance, arthritis and ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder).
Apart from that, it is believed that ghee nourishes and lubricates the joints and improves the absorption of fat-soluble nutrients.
Since ghee is rich in omega 3 fats (DHA) and omega 6 (CLA), it can be great for weight loss. Omega 6 fats have shown to increase the lean body mass while reducing the fat mass. Experts have also found that ghee helps in mobilizing fat cells to be burnt for energy.
Ghee is packed with essential amino acids that can shrink the size of fat cells. Adding ghee can be beneficial if your body accumulates fat quickly. Also, omega 3 fatty acid in ghee can help you lose inches and ultimately help you shed those extra kilos.
Butyric acid in ghee along with vitamins A, D, E and K helps in boosting immunity, promotes gut health, helps in keeping your hair healthy, strengthens your bones and improves eye health. Ghee is strengthening and removes toxins from our system.
How much ghee to have
One-two small spoons of ghee is the daily advisable amount. It is advised to have ghee if you are trying to lose weight mainly because it's rich in amino acids and helps to shrink the size of fat cells.
Since ghee is almost 99.5 percent fat so the quantity must be watched, any thing more than 2 spoons is not recommended.
Also, if we are having other sources of omega 3 like flaxseeds, walnuts or fish oil we actually may not need ghee as a source of omega 3.
But try to use Desi ghee as it is free from adulterant vanaspati like material. It is always better if you can make it in the home.
How to make ghee?
1) Keep on collecting the cream of milk in a container, preferably a glass container. You should store the collected milk cream in fridge to ensure that it does not get spoiled. You will get thick milk cream, if you boil milk and refrigerate overnight. In the morning you will get thick milk cream.
2) The milk cream collected over time will start separating from the water. Water will go to the bottom and cream will be on top.
3) Transfer the entire contents of the container, i.e. the collected milk cream in a food processor. Fix the blade used to churn milk and keep it on speed 1 for 5 minutes.
4) You will observe that the butter has separated from the milky water or whey. The milky water is known as whey or buttermilk and the solidified part is butter.
5) Transfer only the butter in a deep bottom pan. Preferably an Indolium pan or a non-stick pan.
6) Retain a little buttermilk. Wash the container and transfer the buttermilk into it.
7) Now keep the container in which butter is present on the gas or stove. Keep it on medium heat.
8) The butter will start melting.
9) Soon you will see clear bubbles forming. Now lower the heat.
10) Heat it little more till you see clear ghee on top. Now switch off the gas.
11) Pass the ghee through a strainer or filter and collect the pure ghee in a clean container.
12) Notice that you got pure ghee now. You can smell it and enjoy the aroma of the ghee.
References:
ADVANCEMENT IN INDUSTRIAL METHOD OF GHEE MAKING PROCESS AT SARVOTTAM DAIRY, BHAVNAGAR, GUJARAT (INDIA) Manikant Kumar1 *, H.B. Pandya2 , K.K. Dodiya2 , Rajesh Bhatt2 and Mayur Mangukiya2. International Journal of Science, Environment ISSN 2278-3687 (O) and Technology, Vol. 6, No 3, 2017, 1727 – 1736 2277-663X (P)
Carolina Pena-Serna, Briana Gomez-Ramirez and Natalia Zapata-Lopez, 2019. Nutritional Aspects of Ghee Based on Lipid Composition. Pakistan Journal of Nutrition, 18: 1107-1114. Gandhi, K. and D. Lal, 2015. Potential of herbal nutraceuticals in ghee: A review. Res. Rev.: J. Dairy Sci. Technol., 4: 1-5.
WHO., 2018. Alimentación sana. https://www.who.int/es/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/healthy-diet
Koba, K. and T. Yanagita, 2014. Health benefits of Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA). Obesity Res. Clin. Pract., 8: e525-e532.
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