Ghee is a Sanskrit word for clarified butter, an ingredient that has been used in traditional Indian cooking for thousands of years. Rich in vitamins and antioxidants, ghee has been known to offer many health benefits such as aiding digestion & promoting healthy skin and eyes.
Ghee is created from butter which contains lactose and casein, two elements that are irritants for many. However, the clarifying process actually removes the lactose and casein.
During this process better is melted and turned into simmering butter bubbles. Then the heat is lowered, leading to the formation of three separate layers of foam. each needing to be removed one at a time. First removed is the moisture layer, then the butter solid layer, and finally the milk solid layer. Once each layer of the foam is removed and the dark golden sediment is strained, the clear liquid of ghee no longer contains lactose or casein.
Ghee has a high temperature point. For this reason, it is used and loved by many professional and at-home chefs who can use it at temperatures where other fats would begin to smoke and produce free radicals. Another feature of ghee is that it does not require refrigeration due to the removal of the moisture and butter and milk solids. It can be stored on a shelf where it will remain spreadable. The cover to the jar containing ghee should be tight and free of moisture to keep the ghee fresh.
Anyone who has been eating dairy-free because of enzyme or protein reasons probably misses the taste of real butter. Substituting with ghee can restore the delicious taste of butter to recipes.
About the author: Fran Michalopoulos, CHC, DP, is a Certified Nutrition and Health Counselor. Her website is