John Myers
Ghee (Ayurvedic clarified butter) lowered cholesterol levels in a study with a special preparation. In another study, taking medicinal ghee resulted in significantly better cardiovascular health than those who didn’t. Ghee is made from butter, so this heart-friendly effect was surprising.
Lower cholesterol with ghee?
It sounds paradoxical. With ghee of all things, i.e. pure butterfat (also called clarified butter), should one be able to lower cholesterol?
Unimaginable, since ghee contains a whopping 70% saturated fatty acids, which in many places are still referred to as THE bad guys when it comes to cholesterol. Nevertheless, several studies have shown that medical ghee does not increase cholesterol levels and can even prevent various diseases.
Ghee in Ayurveda
In Ayurveda, the traditional Indian art of healing, medicinal ghee has been used for thousands of years to treat numerous diseases. These include allergies and skin problems such as psoriasis (psoriasis).
To make ghee, butter is heated. The resulting foam of water, lactose, and proteins is skimmed off. Pure butterfat remains. It is therefore also referred to as clarified butter.
In Indian and Pakistani cuisine, ghee is one of the most essential edible fats, which is why extensive ghee studies can be carried out there very easily.
For example, a 1997 study of male Indians showed that consuming more than a kilogram of ghee per month could significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Many Ayurvedic herbal mixtures are also mixed with ghee, which is then referred to as medicinal ghee and is prescribed for healing purposes in a wide variety of diseases.
Ghee improves the effect of these medicinal herbs and has proven to be an ideal carrier. In conjunction with ghee, the medicinal herbs can be more easily absorbed by the body and transported to all cells.
One of these herbal mixtures is the so-called MAK-4 (Maharishi Amrit Kalash-4). This ghee-herb mixture has been proven to reduce the risk of arteriosclerosis without having a negative effect on the cholesterol and fat levels in the blood – on the contrary.
Ghee protects the cardiovascular system
If ten percent of the daily energy requirement (calorie requirement) is covered with ghee, cholesterol and fat levels can drop. The intensity of the effect depends on how much ghee is consumed.
In one study, for example, subjects received 60 ml of medicinal ghee per day and experienced a drop in cholesterol levels.
Ghee lowers inflammation levels
dr Hari Sharma from the Ohio State University and colleagues suspect the following reason for this positive effect: medical ghee lowers the inflammation levels in the body.
Arachidonic acid is a fatty acid found in animal foods. It damages our health in many ways. Among other things, it promotes inflammatory diseases.
Doctors, therefore, recommend patients with rheumatism and arthrosis, for example, a diet low in arachidonic acid.
Blood levels of arachidonic acid decrease, according to Dr. Sharma with regular ghee consumption. The concentrations of other inflammatory markers also decrease thanks to ghee.
Since ghee not only tastes great but at the same time – in contrast to butter – can also be heated to high temperatures and can therefore be used very well in the kitchen for frying and cooking, ghee is not only healthy but also a very fine culinary experience.
