Why Does India and Pakistan Love Clarified Butter?

March 7, 2019

Clarified butter, most commonly known as ghee, has been used for thousands of years as an ingredient in cooking as well as an Ayurvedic medicine due to its healing properties.

 

How is clarified butter made?

The process of making clarified butter is simple. Firstly, ordinary butter is heated in order to separate the milk fats, water and other impurities. The butter separates into different layers, which are filtered out to remove the lactose, leaving a medicinal, highly purified oil, which hardens at room temperature into clarified butter. Ghee is a type of clarified butter, which is heated for a longer period of time to develop a characteristically nutty flavour and high smoking point.

 

The Benefits of Ghee butter

 

  1. Contains Conjugated Linoleic Acid

 

CLA has been proven to help reduce tumours, lower cholesterol and reduce high blood pressure as well as help reduce body fat, prevent the formation of cancer cells and alleviate inflammation. Higher concentrations of CLA are fond in grass fed dairy so grass-fed ghee will always be the best source of CLA.

 

  1. Aids Digestion

 

Butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid that helps the intestinal walls grow and repair itself. This can help protect the body from colon cancer, repair leaky gut syndrome, IBS, ulcers, ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease as well as simply help boost digestion.

 

  1. High Smoke Point

 

As well as the health benefits it brings, ghee is also a great option for cooking as it is able to withstand heat of up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit before smoking and burning. Most oils with high smoke points are poor when it comes to health benefits; ghee, on the other hand, retains its healthy properties at high temperatures.

 

  1. Lactose and Casein Free

 

The process of clarifying butter removes the lactose and casein protein, which is beneficial for those who suffer from lactose intolerance or a heightened sensitivity to casein. Those who have issues with either of these problems are able to eat ghee or other clarified butters with no issues.

Ghee is a popular ingredient and cooking oil used in Indian and Pakistan cuisine and a lot of halal restaurants in Manchester use ghee to create their dishes, including right here at Royal Nawaab.