Ghee, Our Desi Superfood Is Having A Moment, And We Love It!
Ghee is synonymous with our traditional meals, from a dollop on top of dal rice, to our homemade sweets, it is the heart and soul of the Indian kitchen. However, over the last few decades, it has got a bad name, excessive consumption was linked to it being a heart-stopper. Ghee was looked at as just a source of fat.
I remember the time I lost 19 kilos, and in my war against fat, ghee was the first to go from my plate. Today, I make sure I eat roti only if it has been drizzled with loads of ghee. While it has been a new learning on how to wisely build up my immunity and not just be obsessed with figures on a weighing scale. It took me a long time to know what I was missing but avoiding ghee.
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I am not alone in previously shunning ghee in my weight loss phase. ¡°Many believe in the myth that ghee is bad for you. My clients would also be extremely hesitant in consuming ghee as a part of their diet plan. That¡¯s because ghee was always thought to choke arteries, raise cholesterol and even lead to heart disease.¡± says Dr. Shikha Mahajan, a New Delhi-based nutritionist who specializes in KETO diet plans.
Ghee has new takers across generations. It has been touted as a superfood for not just our skin and hair but even for heart health.
Dr Nandini Sinha, dietician, Paras Hospital advises her patients often on the benefits of ghee. She says, ¡°It¡¯s absolutely necessary to get into the benefits of ghee in order to understand why everyone is raving about it. First and foremost, ghee is anti-inflammatory. This means ghee as a fat is broken down and digested by the body easily to support normal cellular and digestive activity.¡±
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Ghee¡¯s benefits are no longer just skin deep. Kundan Ahuja, a writer based in Mumbai, swears by how ghee is the reason for his glowing skin. ¡°I come from a Sindhi-Punjabi household. You cannot escape ghee. The reason why I have a spoonful of ghee first thing in the morning is because it does wonders for my skin. If I don¡¯t eat it for a couple of days, the glow does dims,¡± he says.
Ghee, can also replace your daily moisturiser feels Gurgaon-based dermatologist, Dr. Sachin Dhawan, ¡°Apart from adding a spoonful to your coffee, you can use it as a hair mask, a lip scrub or mix ghee with turmeric for a quick fix for worrying lines. Do you see how ghee has a lot of potential and has the power to cure almost any skin issue. But remember, moderation is key.¡±
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And if celebrity endorsement was the only missing factor for this new found love for desi ghee, how about actress, Kareena Kapoor Khan who swears by ghee for not just her great skin but even for weight loss. Rujuta Diwekar, celebrity dietician, whose clientele includes Kareena, is a big advocate for the goodness of ghee. She writes in her book popular book, Indian Super Foods - The reason why there are such combos as dal-chawal-ghee, roti-shakkar-ghee, puran-poli ghee, modak-ghee, among others, in our culture is because ghee reduces the glycemic index of these meals. The magic of ghee isn¡¯t just that it¡¯s the world¡¯s most high-functioning fat. It¡¯s also that it¡¯s a wonderful partner to other foods, complementing them to work better and harder for us.¡±
Desi ghee is definitely a must have, and this love for ghee or clarified butter as it is known internationally, is exploding all over the world from New York, Nairobi to Switzerland. ¡°Ghee is great source of nutrients for those who are lactose intolerant, or choose to be dairy-free. Since the formation of ghee requires a thorough filtering of milk fat, it also gets rid of lactose and case in inside of butter, which is fabulous news for anyone who has a dairy allergy or undergoing a keto, paleo or Whole30 diets.¡± adds Dr. Nandini Sinha.
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Your grandmother knew better when she asked you to eat your parantha with ghee. So ahead and enjoy this superfood without any guilt, it does come with the mellow goodness of our traditions and family love.
