I wanted to give you guys the low down on Ghee.
Curious how to pronounce it? Click here
To start with let’s talk health. That’s what we’re all here for right?!
What about saturated fat?
In layman terms there were twenty one studies done on the association of saturated fat with cardiovascular disease. Of the 347,747 subjects, it was found that intake of saturated fat was not associated with an increased risk of CHD, stroke, or CVD. Consideration of age, sex, and study quality did not change the results.
These studies showed that there is no significant evidence for concluding that dietary saturated fat is associated with an increased risk of CHD or CVD.
The older studies that scared everyone into a fat-free diet were based on hydrogenated, trans fat oil. NOT tradition oils. Stay far far far away from man-made trans fats aka hydrogenated oils!!!
How is it healthy for my body?
The first major effect of Ghee in your body is the stomach.
Many fats and oils slow your metabolism. They are long chain fatty acids. Basically they sit for longer in your stomach. Ghee is a short chain and increases the production of acid in your stomach. Which is good. You want acid in your stomach to break down your food for your intestines so they can absorb all the nutrients.
Next we move to the intestines.
It helps to repair damaged intestine. Leaky Gut for instance. This is so much more common that most people realize. The short version is your intestine has a glue to it that keeps toxins from leaking into your bloodstream. When the glue is compromised by poor diet, gluten, chemical and toxins they start to leak into your blood. This causes a whole host of problems like fatigue, allergies, food allergies, fibromyalgia… you get the idea.
How does it do this? Ghee is rich in butyric acid, that short chain fatty acid, I was speaking about.
A healthy gut full of good bacteria make its own butyric acid and that is used for energy and intestinal wall support. People who eat a ‘normal diet’ with no fermented foods, or probiotic don’t have those good bacteria to help them out. So the wall lining disintegrates over time. Even if you do have a rich and healthy diet this is a way of supporting your gut. You eat fermented foods everyday to help maintain, this is another way to help maintain your health!
70% of your immune system is directly related to your gut health. Including Killer T Cells. Which in their most awesome form can kill certain cancerous cells. These cells are formed using, you guessed it Butyric Acid!
Let’s move to the liver
Ghee is not only rich in those essential short chain fatty acids but also medium chain fatty acids. These guys go directly to the liver and are burnt off like a carb transforming into energy. Pro athletes use Ghee!
Which brings me to Weight Loss
Fats have been totally misunderstood. You need fats to have a healthy working brain. You need fats to eliminate toxins in your body. You can’t lose or maintain a healthy weight without eating fats. HOWEVER you can’t use just any fat!
If you your body is storing excess fat, it won’t release it until you give it a healthy fat to substitute. Your body knows what’s best, but it can only do the best with what you give it.
By giving your body a nourishing fat like Ghee you stomach will signal to your brain that it’s received a good fat, the brain will rejoice that you just gave it what it needs. Your stomach will send out the hormone that says you’re satisfied, reducing your cravings. This balances your sugar and energy. The less you have hunger cravings the less you will eat empty carbs and bad fats. The more weight you will lose until you come to a healthy weight.
Moving on to your bones and heart
In order for vitamin A and D to do their work of strengthening the bones and teeth they need K2. With out it calcium and phosphorous run rampant in the body and are stored in the heart, a place that the body shouldn’t be storing it. This is why heart disease is so deadly in our country.
K2 is found in butter, fish eggs and some organs like marrow and liver from grass-fed cows.
Got cavities?
I know I struggle with my teeth extensively. This is what lead me to Ghee in the first place! Vitamin K2 reduces the amount of acidophilus bacteria in our mouths. Acidophilus belongs in the gut. In your mouth it leads to tooth decay!
Avoiding cancer?
With a family history like mine I sure am! Ghee contains CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) It is an anti-inflammatory and has anti-cancer properties. There have been many studies showing CLA hinders the growth of breast, colon and skin cancers.
Cholesterol
Now many of you may be saying this is all well and good but my cholesterol is high and my Dr. told me to eliminate fats. I’m not a Dr. I certainly don’t want you do to anything you are uncomfortable with. But why not try 1TB a day. If your readings are higher at your next 6 month appointment then stop. I’d put $$$ on your levels being healthier. Like anything don’t over do it. I don’t suggest starting your day off with a cup of warm Ghee (tho some might!) I do suggest using 1-3TB a day and see how you feel. Go to your Dr. and check your levels at 6 months and 1 year.
I’m trying to convince my parents to do this and I really want them to be around for many many years.
Vitamins
Ghee is chock full of A D and E.
What if I’m lactose intolerant?
Ghee is made by removing the milk solids and impurities so most people who are lactose or casein intolerant have no issue with ghee.
Why is Ghee awesome to cook with?
Ghee does not need refrigeration. I’ve seen people say if stored in a dark airtight container it will last a year at room temp. You don’t want to put it in the fridge because the cold air causes condensation. The water is what causes it to spoil so keeping it sealed at room temp prevents that.
Some ghee mixtures last up to 100 years.
Also Ghee has a high smoke point (250 °C 482 °F). So you can cook and fry with ghee and it will not break down into free radicals like many other oils. Coconut oil is another high smoke point oil.
The Ayurvedic Mind, Spirit, Body.
In Ayurvedic medicine things are not just for the body. We heal by integrating mind, body and spirit. In my coaching practice I hold the same belief.
In yoga ‘they’ say your emotions are stored in your joints. Poses like Pidgeon are used to release old emotions. When I taught yoga I often saw students cry, laugh, both at the same time in that pose. It was a joy to see them clearing old feelings that aren’t serving them.
In science ‘they’ say toxins are stored in our fat. In order to rid our bodies of toxins we must release the fat. But that can’t always be done by simply changing our diet. These toxins have to be disposed of safely.
Ghee bridges those two. By helping to sweep negative feelings and emotions. Ghee let’s your body release stored toxins and negativity into a safe fat that will burn up quickly. This clears room for the positive. We know that stress results in a chemical cocktail released into our body. Cortisol being the most well-known. But how do you get rid of it once it’s stored in your body?
Give it Ghee! Ghee will pull out all the chemicals and toxins and eliminate them from your body!
Interested in giving Ghee a try?
You can purchase it online or make it at home. If you’d like to go the DIY route check out my how to here.
I’m working on an Ayurvedic Cleanse that includes Ghee as a detoxifying element. It’s not a requirement, but how to use it is incorporated in the cleanse. If you want to stay in the loop just subscribe to my email newsletter and you’ll be the first to know when it’s debuted!
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