Ghee?

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Casi23
Casi23 Posts: 138 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Does anyone have any experience with it?

I came across a recipe for braised cauliflower on an online CrossFit journal this week and it called for this obscure form of butter. I normally don't cook with butter - because it's high fat/cholesterol content and I don't like the way margerine tastes - so I just stay away from the stuff all together.

However, I've read some web sites claim that Ghee has some GOOD fats for you (if used in moderation - like everything else) and it also contains some protein. So I'm thinking of trying it - another plus...apparently you can store it at room temperature and it can last for years...so if I only use a little at a time, it won't go bad.

I'm a fan of CrossFit and some of the health/diet choices associated with it...so I am inclined to trust that this Ghee stuff is relatively good for me...again - when used properly.

Just wondering if anyone has had experience with it or know if any of the 'healthier-than-butter' claims have a stitch of truth to them...

Thanks!
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Replies

  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
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    Ghee is clarified butter. I wouldn't call it healthy by any means. The only benefit over butter is ghee has more medium and short chain fatty acids than butter.

    Other than that, ghee gives butter a high smoke point. For cooking at high temps, it's great!
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,017 Member
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    Ghee is clarified butter.
    Don't tell the Indian sub continent that.
  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
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    Ghee is clarified butter.
    Don't tell the Indian sub continent that.

    Without getting into great detail on the entire process of making ghee (since the OP is asking about health benefits, not ghee making), I think it is safe to say at its essence ghee is a form of clarified butter. I don't even think you can get the proper milk (with the cream) for making ghee at home in the US.
  • lfholland
    lfholland Posts: 37 Member
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    Ghee is just butter with the milk solids removed. it is popular in India and Indian cuisine. I like it and as long as you use it moderation, you will be fine.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,017 Member
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    The basic health benefit is in the properties found in saturated fat, and cooking the butter to a light brown color adds a unique flavor as well, not found in other fats. If your using organic butter from pasture cattle to begin with then the amount of polyunsaturated fats are minimal compared to regular butter, which is still low compared to vegetable fats, which is paramount when looking for a fat to cook with. Imported Ghee can be found in most Southeast Asian stores.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,017 Member
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    Ghee is clarified butter.
    Don't tell the Indian sub continent that.

    Without getting into great detail on the entire process of making ghee (since the OP is asking about health benefits, not ghee making), I think it is safe to say at its essence ghee is a form of clarified butter. I don't even think you can get the proper milk (with the cream) for making ghee at home in the US.
    You can also buy clarified butter......k
  • Casi23
    Casi23 Posts: 138 Member
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    Thanks everyone! The posts did help. I'm a big fan of 'everything in moderation' anyway - so if I do buy it, I'll be sure to keep that in mind.
  • treetop57
    treetop57 Posts: 1,578 Member
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    I'd always heard that ghee is high in saturated fat . . . therefore bad. More recently, I'd heard that the browning process that gives ghee its brown color and nutty flavor resulted in a super oxidized cholesterol . . . therefore especially bad.

    But apparently the latest research indicates it may be beneficial for cardiovascular health in moderate quantities.
    Health Consequences of Ghee and Butter

    Research on ghee and health is limited, but fairly consistent. When ghee is consumed at levels above 10% total calories, it can increase risk of cardiovascular disease. (For a person consuming 1,800 calories per day, 10% of those calories would be 180 calories, or about 20 grams of fat, which equals approximately 2 tablespoons of ghee.) At levels under 10% of total calories, however, ghee appears to help lower cardiovascular risks, especially when other fats consumed during the day are exclusively from plants or plant oils.

    Butter, like ghee, can increase risk of cardiovascular disease when consumed in excessive amounts. One research study has shown that 3 tablespoons of butter per day over 4 weeks can increase total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol. For this reason, if you are going to cook with butter, you will want to keep the amount at a moderate level of no more than 1-2 tablespoons.

    The benefits of butter at moderate levels do not yet have the same level of research backing as ghee. However, there is increasing research interest in butter as having some unique potential benefits of its own, particularly in relationship to its vitamin K and vitamin D content. This content may vary, however, depending on the diet and living circumstances of the dairy cow. (We look forward to new research in this area, especially with respect to vitamin K2.)

    http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=newtip&dbid=9

    Once again "everything in moderation" wins the day!
  • GasMasterFlash
    GasMasterFlash Posts: 2,206 Member
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    My niece watches that show, but I can't get into it. I don't like most musicals much, myself. I like Sondheim, but that's about it. Plus, who wants to watch a show about high school kids? Lame.
  • treetop57
    treetop57 Posts: 1,578 Member
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    Heretic!

    Copie_de_Kurt_and_Blaine.jpg
  • stacygayle
    stacygayle Posts: 349 Member
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    just remember that real butter is better for you than margarine.....it has 2 ingredients cream and salt (if you get the salted) margarine has what 20 ingredients more than half you need a dictionary so you know what they are. I only use real butter or olive oil to cook with. Butter is fine in moderation.....not Julia Childs or Paula Deen moderation either lol
  • prism6
    prism6 Posts: 484 Member
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    um, anything that can safely sit on a shelf for years is suspect.....
  • nunep
    nunep Posts: 21
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    Not GLEE, she is asking about GHEE.
  • SPNLuver83
    SPNLuver83 Posts: 2,050 Member
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    Any food that can last for a couple of years like that does not sound very healthy to me.
  • GasMasterFlash
    GasMasterFlash Posts: 2,206 Member
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    Not GLEE, she is asking about GHEE.
    Awwwwww. What the hell is ghee?
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
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    Wait, butter is unhealthy? Since when? Stearic acid (the saturated fat in butter) is very good for your heart.
  • GasMasterFlash
    GasMasterFlash Posts: 2,206 Member
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    um, anything that can safely sit on a shelf for years is suspect.....
    Like honey! That ****'ll kill ya!
  • treetop57
    treetop57 Posts: 1,578 Member
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    Wait, butter is unhealthy? Since when? Stearic acid (the saturated fat in butter) is very good for your heart.

    Too much butter is (by definition) too much. That's all I'm saying!
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
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    Wait, butter is unhealthy? Since when? Stearic acid (the saturated fat in butter) is very good for your heart.

    Too much butter is (by definition) too much. That's all I'm saying!
    Too much <anything> is too much. :drinker:
  • CaroSeraMince
    CaroSeraMince Posts: 51
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    Because those sub-continenters are known for being such fatties. /blink

    To the poster above who said butter is better because of fewer ingredients: absolutely! I applaud the people in this thread who sensibly recommend moderation. And even posted the latest research re: saturated fats! Good job! There's hope yet for Internet intelligence. ;)

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