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Humanity has relatively recently become obsessed with their own health and nutrition. Familiar and favorite foods at one point turned out to be so harmful that we had to look for healthy and no less tasty alternatives. Butter turned out to be one of the most useless food components. Obesity, problems with the heart and blood vessels, eating disorders – this is a shortened list of the consequences of its consumption. Coconut oil, flaxseed oil, and even olive oil came to replace butter, but they were all supplanted by ghee oil. Manufacturers claim that the ingredient is absolutely safe even when heated, acts as a herbal antidepressant, strengthens the immune system, improves skin color and condition, and fights premature aging.
What is ghee oil: really high-quality and useful product or another marketing ploy?
What you need to know about ghee
Ghee (the legal name is “gi”) is one of the varieties of ghee. The product is popular in South Asia, and more recently flooded the European and American markets. The component is used not only for cooking. Initially, ghee was intended for religious rituals. Ghee butter has gained popularity as a healthy alternative to butter. The fundamental component of Ayurvedic cooking does not contain milk protein, lactose, has a rich nutritional composition and a mild creamy taste. Prepare the ingredient by slow soaking on the fire. The secret to the use of ghee is the gradual effect of increasing temperatures. In the process of preparation, protein impurities and moisture are removed. The result is pure fat of an extraordinary golden hue, which is not only beneficial to the human body, but also completely safe.
Product Role in Hinduism
The primary component was an important part of Hinduism. Ghee was used in sacrificial ceremonies. The sacrifice and the place where the ceremony was performed must be oiled. In addition, since ancient times, Indians have used oil lamps, whose basic dressing is ghee.
The role of the product in Ayurveda
Ayurveda is a system of Indian medicine that belongs to alternative treatment groups. Ayurveda is one of the Vedas, which is based on the Hindu philosophical system.
Ghee is very often mentioned in Ayurveda. The product is characterized as a drug based on the nature of goodness (sattva). The component is able to rejuvenate, tone the skin, improve metabolic processes, restore and strengthen the immune system. Ayurveda also indicates that ghee is responsible for the functioning of the small intestine. The Hindu system calls all oils heavy and claims that they clog the liver. The only exception is ghee. The component, on the contrary, protects and stabilizes the work of internal organs, acts as an important internal fuel, from which the whole body draws energy.
Drinking gi improves brain activity, nourishes nerve tissue and is great for massages. The product moisturizes and warms the skin, protecting it from the external environment with an additional oily film. The component is injected into local ayurvedic preparations.
Local often take the oil inside. They lubricate the nasal passages, rub their ears and eyes, or simply swallow them on an empty stomach in combination with medicinal herbs.
Ingredient manufacturing
For 1 liter of butter you need 1,7 liters of cream. To obtain this amount of cream, it is necessary to process about 30 liters of cow’s milk. The cream is beaten into butter, which is subjected to heat treatment and after some time (an average of 1 hour for each kilogram) the ghee is rendered. The production scheme has some nuances. It is necessary to constantly monitor the temperature, manually remove solid milk particles and dry residues of the mixture, calculate and periodically adjust the time and force of boiling. A huge production chain simply cannot be implemented on an industrial scale – the manufacturer will receive the minimum amount of goods and go into the red. Traditionally, the product is made by private farms or farmers themselves for themselves and their families.
Properly cooked gi is caramelized, acquiring light nutty notes in the flavor and aroma palette.
Feature of the product is in the storage method. Oil can be stored in an airtight container (to avoid oxidation) at room temperature and does not require a refrigerator at all. In Ayurveda, it is stated that this way it ripens, absorbs external energy and is even more enriched with benefit.
Home cooking gi
Find a quality product on the shelves of supermarkets is impossible. You can search for ghee only in specialized Ayurvedic stores or local markets of healthy food. The cost of oil may vary, but its composition does not always correspond to the standard and traditions. To avoid trouble, save money and gain confidence in the good and quality, it is best to cook your own fish.
The process of home cooking is slightly different from the traditional Ayurvedic one – it is simpler, faster and more affordable. The benefits, composition and taste characteristics remain identical.
The key to success is high-quality butter. It is recommended to purchase natural farm oil from a trusted supplier or directly from the farmer. A cheap creamy product from the first gi shelf you come across will not work. The fat content of the oil should not be less than 82%.
Recipe
Prepare a deep saucepan with a thick bottom. Pour the required amount of oil into it. Please note that the product will lose about half of its volume during the rendering process. Set the fire to the lowest setting and let the butter melt. After a few minutes, foam will begin to form in the container. There is nothing to worry about – the foam will gradually settle, and the mass will acquire a yellow tint and a uniform consistency. Let the butter simmer for 50 minutes. There is no need to cover the pot.
After 40-50 minutes, notice the color of the oil. It should acquire a uniform amber hue. Another indicator of the readiness of the ghee is a small sediment at the bottom of the pan. Strain the finished mass through several layers of gauze. It is recommended to store ghee in an ordinary glass jar (remember to screw the lid on well after use) in a dry place at room temperature.
Properly prepared component is distinguished by a golden shade, transparent structure, bright creamy-nutty aroma.
Useful properties of the product
Ayurveda defines ghee as a key product for the health of the body and mind. Local doctors are replacing them with medication or urging patients to use it externally and internally as a preventative and maintainable health.
The component enhances the beneficial properties of spices and herbs, so it is often added to Ayurvedic cosmetics, used for massage. The culinary potential of the ingredient is as multifaceted as the medicinal one. Guy gives the dish a tremendous benefit and a new extraordinary taste.
The component is used to treat acne in mature people. One of the most important causes of rashes is hypersensitivity to a certain list of foods. The basic recommendation that sounds in the dermatologist’s office is diet. The Clean Skin Diet excludes sugar, milk and dairy products, gluten, processed foods, and other gastronomic junk.
According to the Diet and acne update: carbohydrates emerge as the main culprit study, carbohydrates with a high glycemic index also negatively affect the condition of the skin and provoke acne.
A diet for clear skin provides for medical rehabilitation and the presence in the diet of vitamins A (retinol), C (ascorbic acid), D (calciferol), E (tocopherol), K (phylloquinone), and nutrients – zinc (Zn), fatty acids, antioxidants . Ghee is recognized as one of the beauty products. The product fights not only the results/consequences of acne, but also the cause of skin deterioration.
What else is famous ingredient:
- improves the digestive system;
- stimulates the process of absorption of nutrients and increases the percentage of digestibility of vitamins / nutrients from food products;
- beneficial effect on the work of the organs of vision;
- improves memory and helps to concentrate faster;
- responsible for the elasticity and functionality of connective tissues;
- contributes to the flexibility of the human body;
- rejuvenates skin by fast cell regeneration;
- speeds up the metabolism and helps to lose kilograms;
- transports the medicinal properties of food, spices and herbs precisely to the point of the body that needs it;
- it concentrates retinol (vitamin A), tocopherol (vitamin E), nicotinic acid (vitamin B3 / PP), sodium (Na), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), phosphorus (P), potassium (K).
Ayurveda states that metabolic problems lead to the development of a whole range of diseases. Pathologies are not limited exclusively to the gastrointestinal tract, but can affect the brain, nervous and reproductive systems. Locals claim that the easiest way to prevent and treat such abnormalities is to eat a ghee diet.
Is Fat Harmful?
Reducing fat for weight loss is the scourge of all losing weight. It seems to people that body fat consists solely of the fat that is concentrated in foods. Hence the assumption that you can lose weight by eliminating dietary fat. This is not true, and nutritionists have been trying to debunk the fat myth for years.
Indeed, 1 gram of fat is 2 times more caloric than 1 gram of carbohydrates or protein. But the human body is not as simple as it seems. The situation is in the processes that occur every second inside and support our life. Healthy fats regulate hormones, have a beneficial effect on health, improve brain activity and protect the nervous system from overwork.
A complete rejection of fats is fraught with problems with almost all body systems. In everything you need to look for a rational approach. Avoid the harmful toxic fat found in processed foods. Switch to high-quality vegetable and animal fats: ghee, avocado, fish, seeds. Calculate the daily need for fats based on your own weight, height, needs and follow the set norm. After a few days of good nutrition, you will feel lightness, energy and the loss of a few extra centimeters.
Use component in cooking
Guy is one of the most important components of the Indian and Pakistani culinary tradition. Most dietary fats replace it. Classical Asian dishes (samos, rice, sabja, dal, roti, puri, halva, ladda) are prepared on the basis of ghee.
The main distinguishing feature of ghee, which separates it from other fats, is fatty acids with a short chemical chain. The component can be subjected to the highest possible temperatures without fear for the composition and structure. Ghee does not emit toxic substances, and its smoke point is 250°C.
How to use the product:
- As a dressing for cereals, beans or pasta dishes. The ingredient provides an unsurpassed aroma and a completely new taste even to familiar dishes. If butter porridge is your favorite forbidden treat, then ghee butter can solve the problem.
- As one of the components of baking and desserts. The structure and consistency of ghee is absolutely no different from the usual butter, so there is no need to change the proportions in your favorite recipes. Ingredient will add baking new taste, incredible softness and delicate texture.
- As a lubricant for cooking pancakes.
- For roasting products. The component is not afraid of heat treatment and is considered the safest cooking oil.
- For marinades and sauces.
The use of the Ayurvedic component in the daily diet is a personal matter for everyone. But the special taste and structure of the product is definitely worth getting to know. Ghee will fit especially well in a vegan or vegetarian diet that does not include dairy products. Make rational gastronomic decisions and be healthy!