The virtues of Ghee
13th of September 2007Ghee contains a balance of easy to digest essential fatty acids essential for healthy skin, nerves & cells.
‘Ghee is sweet in taste and cooling in energy, rejuvenating, good for the eyes and vision, enkindles digestion, bestows lustre and beauty, enhances memory and stamina, increases the intellect, promotes longevity, is an aphrodisiac and protects the body from various diseases’ Bhavaprakasha (16th Century Ayurvedic text)
Extolling the wondrous benefits of ghee fats may appear contradictory. We know that poor quality fats (i.e. non organic, heat treated, solvent extracted, transfatty, hydrogenated) can cause the production of free radicals that cause oxidative damage to cells. This means that poor quality fats damage our health
However, fats are essential to life. The vital substances vitamin A, D, E and K are only made available to the body when taken with fats. Fats also provide essential fatty acids (EFAs). They are essential because the body cannot make them and we need them to live. EFAs (Omega 3 and 6) are now famed for their ability to provide anti-inflammatory eicosanoids, assist with inter cellular signalling and regulate DNAs production of inflammatory cytokines. In general fats help to nourish the skin, cell membrane and hair. Fats help to protect the internal organs, maintain a healthy body temperature, store energy and nourish the brain.
Fats are divided into saturated and un-saturated fats:
Saturated fats have a bad public image as excessive consumption of them has become associated with an increased risk of atherosclerosis, stroke and coronary heart disease. There is a controversy regarding these findings as much research has not differentiated between true saturated fats and synthetically generated saturated transfatty acids. However, this is a misunderstanding of the nature of the saturated fats as some are healthy, such as ghee and coconut oil. Saturated fats are made from both short chain fatty acids and long chain fatty acids. Short chain fatty acids are easy to digest whereas long chain fatty acids are not. Long chain fatty acids are associated with blood clotting, thrombosis and cancer. So, short chain fatty acids are healthy and help to promote the production of hormones and strengthening cellular membranes.
Unsaturated fats are divided into monounsaturated fats (olive, mustard) and polyunsaturated fats (sesame, sunflower). Both are required for healthy life. Polyunsaturated fats that are not handled properly pose a health risk as their cell structure leaves many ‘bond’ sites that are potential sites for oxidisation to occur. Essentially this means that under the right conditions (i.e. heat, light) they can become oxidised and, when consumed, allow for the release of free radicals in the body. Sesame does not become oxidised under heat, its linoleic acid content actually improves its anti-oxidant status but hemp seed does oxidise easily under heat and light. Certain polyunsaturated fats are intentionally hydrogenated to make margarine which contains up to 40% transfatty acids. Transfatty acids are not found in nature and are associated with an accumulation of the potentially harmful LDL and the increased risk of heart disease. Also lipid peroxides (oxidised lipids) actually take up residence on cell walls and obstruct the correct working metabolisms of cells.
Why is ghee so healthy?
Ghee’s chemistry holds the secret to its health benefits. Humans need both saturated and unsaturated fats as part of a healthy diet. Ghee is made from a combination of saturated and unsaturated fats. It is about 65% saturated fat and 25% monounsaturated fat with about 5% polyunsaturated fat content. Its saturated fat is primarily (89%) made from the easy-to-digest short chain fatty acids and it contains 3% linoleic acid which has anti-oxidant properties. It also contains the fat soluble vitamins Vitamin A, D, E and K.
Because ghee has such a high ‘smoke point’ (485°F or 252°C) it is a very useful oil to cook with. The smoke point determines when an oil actually starts to burn and generate oxidisation and the potential of free radicals. As it has a very low oxidisation rate ghee stays fresh even unrefrigerated for a long time. Another benefit of using ghee is that the heating procedure removes the lactose content making it tolerable to those sensitive to lactose.
It has been suggested that ghee actually benefits the HDL:LDL ratio. One study has even shown that ghee can lower high cholesterol. As part of a lacto-vegetarian diet ghee offers important nutritive benefits. As a healthy oil ghee can help replace oxidised fats populating cell membranes and help the body in maintaining a low state of oxidation.
