How To Make Cow Ghee At Home?
Ghee or clarified butter is a preferred cooking staple in most Indian kitchens. Ayurveda uses ghee in several therapeutic preparations.
Also known as ghrta or ghrita in Sanskrit, ghee is said to be the healthiest all-natural source of edible fat. Ayurveda claims that it promotes longevity and immunity.
With 60-70% saturated fats and0% preservatives, cow ghee can protect your heart health. It is also known as Medha Rasayana or brain tonic. Recent rat studies reveal that ghee boosts memory, learning, and recall in adults and children.
Requirements
- Cream or fat from (preferably high-fat) milk: around 1 kg
- Storage glass jars
- Yogurt: small amount (as starter culture)
- Churning rod or suitable setup
- Heating pan or microwave
- Muslin cloth (or equivalent): to filter
How To Prepare?
- Add 2 teaspoons of yogurt to a medium or large-sized container (that can fit 1 kg of cream).
- Collect the cream or fat layer in this container from high-fat or regular milk for about 8-9 days. Keep the container in the refrigerator during this period as cream turns bad quickly.
- After you have collected enough cream, you need to start churning it. Use a churner for this step.
- Add 2-3 tablespoons of cold water. Churn for 3-4 minutes.
- Keep adding water to separate the “buttermilk” from the mixture.
- After 8-10 minutes of churning, you will notice bubbles of butter at the top separating from the liquid part.
- Collect this layer of butter in another container.
- Add this extracted butter to a deep utensil and let it melt on low heat.
- Stir the mixture properly when the fat starts to melt. Cook on low flame for about 18-20 minutes. The bubbles/foam will start to settle, and the mixture will turn into a golden liquid.
- Scoop this liquid (or crude ghee) into a clean container.
- Boil this crude ghee on high heat for 3-4 minutes. You will see the milk granules charring at the bottom of the vessel.
- Turn off the heat. Let the ghee cool down for another 10 minutes.
- Filter the ghee from the dark brown milk granules into a clean container.
How To Use Cow Ghee?
- Consume a teaspoon of cow’s ghee with warm water to lubricate the bronchioles (airway passage), reduce spasm of bronchioles, enhance breathing and cure dry cough.
- Administering 2 drops of liquefied cow’s ghee in each nostril as part of Nasya, improves immune system of upper respiratory tract and prevents allergies of dust, smoke and aerosols. It can also protect from recurrent infections of throat, nose and chest.
- Consumption of 1-2 teaspoon of cow’s ghee every morning on empty stomach will prevent thickening of arteries and improve blood circulation as well as reduce accumulation of free radicals in body cells.
Benefits Of Cow Ghee
Promotes positivity:
According to Ayurveda, ghee is considered as one of the most sattvic foods, which are essential, energy – giving, and pure in nature. It helps cleanse negative emotional toxins and promotes positivity, which is one of the major cow ghee benefits. In nutshell, cow ghee promotes positivity, growth, and expansion of consciousness.
Essence of energies:
Cows are considered special or holy in many Hindu cultures. The milk from cows therefore contains the essence of all energies, and ghee is the essence of the milk. Ghee is directly converted into energy, i.e. ojas creating the essence of immunity and life, which is considered as one of the major cow ghee benefits.
Maintains healthy digestive tract:
Unlike other oils, ghee is really rich in butyric acid, a short chain fatty acid. Beneficial intestinal bacteria help convert fiber into butyric acid and then use that for energy and intestinal wall support. A healthy body therefore makes it own form of ‘ghee’ but, you can aid that greatly by just consuming it.
Richness of vitamins:
Ghee is rich in dietary fat which helps digest Vitamin A, D, E and K, this is one of the most important cow ghee benefits. Ghee also provide fat molecules in the form of dietary fiber. Together, they get easily absorbed by our bodies, and this is how nutrients can be used by our bodies.
Enhances bone power & stamina:
There are various cow ghee benefits; one of them is enhancement of bone power & stamina. Cow ghee at a sustained level improves body’s resistance to various disorders. Especially in winters, it brings lubrication in joints and heel.
Boon for skin, eyes and brain:
Ghee helps improve capabilities of the brain like – wisdom, memory and intellect. Cow ghee also acts as a moisturizer, that cures dryness of skin and cracked lips. Infact, it does wonder for hair too, works as a natural conditioner for your hair; tackles dry scalp, dandruff, and thin hair.
Side Effects Of High Intake of Cow Ghee
Although it is claimed that ghee increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases, scientific literature does not agree entirely with the statement.
Animal studies prove that ghee, when it constitues up to 10% of your diet, does not have any adverse effects.
In fact, at this dose, ghee exhibits protective effects on the vital organs. The lipid profiles also remained unchanged in rat subjects at this dose.
Compared to other cooking oils (that are rich in SFAs), ghee is probably the least harmful.
Note:
Strictly speaking, not many of us can adhere to the set limits of oil intake. The least we can do is to choose oils/fats that have minimal adverse effects. Ghee is the best choice in such cases.
Ghee offers purity, taste, and health and is devoid of impurities. Switching to ghee can make your meals healthy and strengthening.
Contact your healthcare provider/nutritionist to get a suitable serving size for you and your family.
