from Eat Local Grown website: Ghee should be a kitchen staple, right up there with salt and pepper. This clarified form of butter is one of the healthiest fats you can cook with. And ghees uses arent confined to the kitchen. It belongs in the medicine cabinet and snuggled in between your beauty products, too. Ayurveda (the ancient Indian science of life) has been advocating ghees usage for thousands of years but its only now becoming trendy. Ayurveda has long known of ghees medicinal properties and powerful health benefits. Its been shown to lower bad cholesterol whereas butter tends to increase it. Ghee stokes the agni (digestive fire) and promotes proper absorption and assimilation. It also improves memory, strengthens the brain, and nourishes ojas, which in Ayurveda is comparable to immunity. Plus, its a sattvic food, meaning it promotes inner peace. How to Make Ghee You can very quickly and easily make your own ghee at home. All you need to do is get your hands on some good quality organic or grass-fed butter. Take your organic, unsalted butter and cook it over medium heat until it smells like popcorn and takes on a beautiful golden color. After 15-20 minutes the milk solids will settle to the bottom of the pot and turn golden brown. When its done cooking pour it through a strainer and voilà! you have ghee. EDITORS NOTE: We found a very good guide with great pictures at thehealthyfoodie that you can read here: Make your own Ghee Here are 5 ways to use ghee, in and out of the kitchen: 1. Use ghee for cooking. Ghee has a higher smoke point than butter and most oils, making it more stable and safer for cooking. Use it just as you would oil when sautéing or roasting vegetables. 2. Spread ghee on your toast. Ghee is lovely on toast, pancakes, or drizzled over popcorn. Be forewarned that ghee is absolutely delicious and its tempting to be heavy handed in its usage. Although healthy its still a form of fat, and too much ghee can negatively affect cholesterol. Use it in moderation. 3. Use ghee as a natural face moisturizer or eye cream. After washing your face and before bed, dip a spoon into your jar of ghee to take out just the tiniest amount. Either gently rub it around your eyes as an eye cream or massage over your entire face. Its moistening and relieves dry skin. Plus, its aroma alone is very calming. 4. Use ghee to relieve constipation. Ghee is naturally lubricating so it helps to relieve constipation. Mix one to two teaspoons of ghee with one cup of milk and gently warm on the stove. Drink this mixture before bedtime. 5. Use ghee to calm anger. If youre feeling angry or irritated gently apply a little bit of ghee to the insides of your nostrils. Because its cooling, soothing, and nurturing ghee can calm the mind with each inhalation Lad, Vasant. The Complete Book of Ayurvedic Home Remedies. New York: Harmony Books, 1998.
Posted on: Mon, 08 Dec 2014 11:30:01 +0000