I, like most Indians, grew up eating ghee and relished every drop of it. In the late 80s there was this vogue of banishing ghee from your diet because it seems ghee was fat and would make one fat , obese and unhealthy. Whenever I asked how come something which never made anyone fat or unhealthy for about 5000 years , now suddenly started making people sick? I always got just one line “ghee is saturated fat and it will make you fat and your cholesterol will increase and you will get heart disease”. So basically i joined the bandwagon of ignorant idiots, confident that I'm doing something good for myself and completely banished ghee in the 90s.

I am someone who take fitness really seriously and not just for the sake of cosmetic value. I have a rigorous workout routine of freehand and suspension training and cardio daily and i don't have any sort of junk food, meat , sugar or dairy , processed foods or drinks , packed juices, etc. I have had this routine for many decades now. About 3 years back after a doctors visit when i saw my lipid profile I was quite disappointed that even after doing the right thing my lipid levels were not satisfactory. That got me thinking and I was hell bent on correcting this the natural way. I suddenly remembered a doctor in India who about 9 years back told me that Ghee actually reduces LDL and triglyceride levels and elevates the HDL levels.

I very soon deduced that there was something wrong with my food we are cooking at home. After doing my due diligence realised that i was using the worst oils in the planet namely , canola , safflower and sunflower and sometimes corn. So actually in an instant I threw out all oils , went out bought cold pressed organic coconut oil and ghee. I started putting Ghee in everything , daals, roti, parathas , toast (since we don't have butter), oatmeal, salad and even drank it pure. The result of having Ghee this way for about 65 days was that my HDL levels increased , my LDL level dropped a lot and my triglycerides dropped by about 130 points. I've gotten my lipid profile checked every 6 months there on and my doctor is in love with my blood report and completely baffled with results when no medicines were involved. He is a Caucasian American with no exposure to Ghee at all and someone like him has started taking ghee and gave up meat because I presented him with certain facts.

At this point you might be thinking that I’m not making sense at all and that how could I use a saturated fat to balance my lipid profile?

Now let me try and explain why this nectar has been used for thousands of years and how it has benefited humans.

People avoid Ghee saying that its saturated fat. Yes it is fat but is not “fattening”. Saturated fats are not evil in fact they are needed for your to survive.

Ghee contains Omega 3, 6 and 9 fatty acids along with vitamins A, D, E and K2 and 9 Phenolic antioxidants.

Butyric acid, also known as butyrate, is a short chain fatty acid (SCFA), that the intestinal tract thrives on, as it helps to protect the integrity of the gut wall. Much of the healthy fibre that we eat directly feeds the intricate microbiology in the gut. In turn, the gut bugs convert this ingested fibre to butyric acid, the primary ingredient in ghee. So your gut bugs literally make their ghee and that's why when you consume ghee it aids in digestion.

Ghee made from organic butter from pastured grass fed cows has the highest natural source of CLA (conjugated linoleic acid). CLA is extremely important as it boosts the immune system and keeps cholesterol levels in check. It is anti-carcinogenic. CLA has been shown to decrease skin, liver, breast and colon cancer in a vast number of animal studies.

Ghee has a full spectrum of MCFA’s (medium chain fatty acids) and SCFA’s (short chain fatty acids) and LCFA’s( long chain fatty acids). The MCFA’s and the SCFA’s specifically kill the harmful micro-organisms and keep menacing bacteria and fungi under control. Your Heart prefers the saturated fats in Ghee as a fuel and a great source of fuel for energy expenditure

Ghee has been used for centuries as a digestive and elimination aid, for energy, sexual vitality, skin and eye health, as a lubricant for the joints and for alkalising the blood. Ghee has one of the highest flash points (251.66ºC) which make this oil the best choice for high temperature cooking. Other than Ghee and coconut oil , every other oil turns rancid when heated . People think they’re eating healthy because they cook in olive oil. Well let me please inform you that people who cook in olive oil are actually harming themselves. Olive is not meant for cooking , it cant be heated and is meant only as an additive to foods and that too at room temperature. The smoke point for olive oil is about 71.11ºC and the average stove top temperature is a minimum of about 93.33ºC .

No vegetable oil is safe for consumption at all! They are processed to death and made by an unnatural process from the start.

Fatty acids in Ghee actually burn other fats in our body leading to fat loss (I have lost about 48 pounds or 21.77kgs in 10 months after switching to ghee). Ghee is perfect for lactose intolerant people since there are no milk solids in ghee , no casein and no lactose.

Let me try and specify the uses and benefits of this blessing in bullet points so that my readers could register them easily.

- Ghee contains Omega 3, 6 and 9 fatty acids along with vitamins A, D, E and K2

- Contains CLA a very important fatty acid with anti-carcinogenic properties

- Ghee has a full spectrum of fatty acids , Short , Medium and Long chained

- Ghee has useful anti viral agents (caprylic acid) and anti fungal agents (lauric acid), prevents plaque

- Ghee actually lowers cholesterol (Palmitic and Stearic acid)

- Modulator of genetic regulation and prevent cancer (butyric acid)

- Ghee is crucial for proper nerve signalling. Ghee has certain saturated fats that function directly as signaling messengers that influence metabolism , including critical jobs as the appropriate release of insulin

- Saturated fat is needed for Calcium to be effectively incorporated into bone.

- Improves Liver health due the presence of MCT’s (Medium chain triglycerides)

- Believe it or not but your brain is made up of fat and cholesterol and the lions share of the fatty acids in the brain are actually saturated fats

- Ghee is regularly used in Ayurveda for treatment of ulcerative colitis, gastric , peptic and duodenal ulcers.

- Ghee is the best moisturiser available to mankind. I fail to understand the attraction for chemicals in the name of moisturizing the body

- Apply Ghee all over the body massaging it on the head , chest , limbs , joints and orifices. This will bypass the digestive system and allow the qualities of ghee to penetrate directly into the deeper tissues. It is said that 60% of whatever you place on your skin is absorbed in the body.

- Have a tablespoon of ghee first thing in the morning for oleation of the internal organ and dissolve the toxic waste in the tissues allowing them to be carried to the digestive tract for elimination. - And if you follow it with hot water , it will promptly produce a bowel motion.

- Best for oil pulling of the mouth which is essential for dental hygiene . Take tablespoon of ghee first thing in the morning and rinse for 10-15 minutes very slowly without swallowing any of it. all the tartar and plaque which brushing and flossing simply cant remove will be pulled by ghee.

- In a tablespoon of ghee put two pieces of Kapoor (Camphor ) and heat it till the Kapoor completely dissolves in the ghee. Apply this mixture to joints and muscles daily either when injured or suffering from arthritis, the relief is absolutely astonishing. I do this everyday and apply it to my feet in the morning and night before sleeping.

- The anti-microbial properties of Ghee makes it the best first aid for cuts , scrapes , bruises and burn wounds.

- Ghee contains all the good fatty acids to induce hydration in your skin. Warm up some ghee and apply it with gentle massage on your face. After about 20 minutes wipe off the excess with a warm towel. You will the difference in a weeks time. No cream can ever come close to ghee.

- Use it as a lip balm instead of using a chemical balm

- Make an equal blend of ghee and coconut oil and apply in your hair. After 30 minutes wash it off with a mild herbal shampoo. If you have dandruff then too will be treated.

- Apply it under your eyes and on your eyelids in the night before sleeping. you will notice your dark circles getting lighter and your getting more refreshed.-

Choose you Ghee wisely. It is only as good as its source. Should come from organic and non GMO milk.

Please make sure to have a good exercise regimen if you want to use ghee for its benefits. If you have a sedentary lifestyle and then consume ghee you will not see benefits and it might actually harm you . So please respect yourself , be active , exercise and use ghee.