This article was originally published on Good Housekeeping US. <\/p>\n
When you want to top off those yummy slices of sourdough<\/a> that just popped out of the toaster, what do you reach for? Butter<\/a>, naturally. Not so fast, though \u2013 there\u2019s an alternative you should try: ghee. <\/p>\n Ghee has long been a dietary staple in many parts of the world. South Indian rice dishes and curry are two delicious examples of meals traditionally made with ghee. <\/p>\n What is ghee?<\/p>\n \u201cGhee is a type of clarified butter,\u201d says Bonnie Taub-Dix, MA, RDN, CDN<\/a>, a nutrition consultant in New York City, host of the Media Savvy Podcast and author of Read It Before You Eat It<\/a>. \u201cAlthough it originated in India, it\u2019s an ingredient often used in Middle Eastern and South Asian dishes.\u201d Ghee is made by heating cow\u2019s milk butter and removing the water and non-fat solids. After ghee is cooked, it develops a rich, nutty flavor, and it can be used in any way you consume butter.<\/p>\n \u201cMy mother-in-law is South Asian, and we cook with ghee often,\u201d says Laura Iu, RD, CDN, CNSC, RYT<\/a>, a registered dietitian, a certified intuitive eating counsellor and owner of Laura Iu Nutrition in New York City. \u201cDal tadka and Khichdi are two comforting South Asian dishes that are traditionally made with ghee \u2014 and the ghee is what takes them to the next level. Adding ghee isn\u2019t just about flavour it also helps your body absorb fat-soluble vitamins like D, A, K and E. Plus, ghee contains butyrate<\/a>, a healthy fat that supports digestion and gut health so it’s doing more than just adding flavour.\u201d<\/p>\n If ghee is made from butter, what makes it different nutritionally?<\/p>\n It comes down to how it is made. \u201cButter and ghee contain the same nutrients,\u201d says Dawn Jackson Blatner, RDN, CSSD,<\/a> a registered dietitian nutritionist in Chicago, and the author of The Superfood Swap<\/a>. \u201cGhee is just more concentrated since the water and milk solids are removed, giving it slightly higher levels of these nutrients per spoonful.\u201d<\/p>\n Also, while butter may contain small amounts of lactose, \u201cghee is lactose<\/a>– and casein<\/a>-free,\u201d adds Taub-Dix. \u201cIt can therefore be used by people who have dairy allergies, people who are lactose intolerant<\/a> or people who are kosher and can\u2019t use butter when preparing meat dishes.\u201d<\/p>\n Ghee nutrition content vs. butter<\/p>\n According to data from the USDA<\/a>, one tablespoon of ghee has:<\/p>\n One tablespoon of unsalted butter has:<\/p>\n Is ghee actually healthy? <\/strong><\/p>\n It’s smart to use it sparingly (a spoonful at most), but keep in mind that the fatty acids in ghee could be beneficial. One research review from India found<\/a> that the short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), omega-3 fatty acids<\/a> and conjugated linoleic acids (CLAs) in ghee may have anti-inflammatory effects against Alzheimer\u2019s disease as well as cognition-boosting benefits. Also, as Iu mentioned, ghee contains vitamins A, D, E and K<\/a>. <\/p>\n Health benefits of ghee<\/strong><\/p>\n Although ghee is just now gaining in popularity in the U.S. and the UK, research from around the globe suggests it may support several aspects of our health:<\/p>\n\n
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