 |
Ghee, also known as clarified butter, has been around for millennia in India and as beurre clarife in France for a couple of centuries too. It has been an integral part of religious rituals among Hindus and has been endorsed by Ayurveda.
While still the ideal choice when it comes to classic dishes, both savoury and sweet, it has now come to be used minimally and only for special occasions. The flavour, taste and aroma that ghee brings is unsurpassable. Ask any chef, epicurean or grandparent!
So, how did we go from using it with aplomb, to becoming apologetic about it? The past 30 or 40 years saw ghee take a bad rap—linking it to cholesterol and heart disease. Modern medical pundits said that “saturated fats like (ghee and butter) were the main dietary cause of high blood cholesterol”.
So then, while consumption of saturated fats like ghee went down, why has heart disease shot up—even become commonplace along with cancer?
Well, the products that were suggested as replacements— margarine and hydrogenated oils turned out to be bad substitutes! Their chemical composition gets altered when heated and then turns toxic, even carcinogenic. They are heavily processed, have artificial additives and also unhealthy transfats on which there is so much discussion now.
In comparison, ghee has a high burning point. It has stable saturated bonds which are not easily broken down by heat. Therefore, ghee is not likely to form damaging free radicals when cooked.
And so, ‘naturally’, ghee is back, with its vitamins and nutrients! Ghee contains beta-carotene and vitamins A, D, E and K. It also has 4 to 5 % linoleic acid, which helps the body grow and develop. Linoleic acid is an essential fatty acid often lacking in a vegetarian diet.
Plus a certain amount of fat is essential to prevent degeneration of skin, nerves and brain cells. Also, good fats are needed for efficient absorption of crucial lipidsoluble vitamins such as A, E, D and K.
You can choose from ‘low saturated fat content’ brands such as Gits and Le Bon.
|
