How to make ghee. Ghee: benefits and treatment
Ghee is considered a very healthy product: Hindus consider it almost liquid gold - in the sense that it has a surprisingly beneficial effect on human health. Of course, ghee was also used in Russian cuisine, but today it has almost been forgotten, and not many recipes for its preparation can be found.
But in many sources you can find a description of the properties of ghee from the point of view of Ayurveda - the ancient Hindu science of a healthy lifestyle. It cannot be said that we do not understand at all the attitude of Indians towards this product, but many of our compatriots think that they exaggerate its healing properties too much - if everything is so simple, then why don’t they know about it here? After all, in Russia, dairy products, including butter, have always been very popular among all segments of the population - why don’t we use it in the treatment of diseases?
In fact, ghee actually has healing properties, but due to sharply different nutritional characteristics, these properties in our country could not manifest themselves as in India and other countries of the East. Russians are accustomed to traditionally consuming a lot of different protein foods - meat, fish, poultry, generously flavoring them with fats; Indians are more committed to plant foods, which goes well with ghee - they call it ghee or ghee.
Ghee production
Few people know exactly how to prepare ghee. Most people buy it in a store, believing that if the package says “ghee”, then this is the same natural useful product. IN best case scenario you can buy butter prepared in the correct industrial way: first it is melted at a temperature of 40-50°C, the water is separated using a centrifuge, milk sugar And milk protein. The remaining butterfat is quickly heated to 100°C in special vacuum boilers - during which all remaining water evaporates, then whipped using compressed air and packaged in sealed packages.
Unfortunately, many manufacturers, wanting to reduce the cost of the process, add vegetable ingredients to such butter, and also use non-standard or even spoiled butter as raw materials - really, what kind of butter should be melted? They even manage to use a completely spoiled product as a raw material: when reheating, they add hot water- about 15%, a small amount of soda and other additives that eliminate bad smell and taste.
How to make ghee at home
It’s still better to prepare ghee at home, on your own, but you don’t always have the time and energy for this; then you should be more careful and choose the most famous and trusted brands, both foreign and Russian.
High-quality ghee does not have any special tastes or smells - it should have the smell and taste of rendered milk fat. The consistency of the butter is soft but grainy; if you melt it, it will be transparent, uniform in color, yellow or light yellow - there should be no sediment either.
Recipes for making ghee vary greatly. There are many recipes where it is recommended to simply melt it in a saucepan, collecting the foam with a slotted spoon and removing solid particles until the water has completely evaporated from it, and then strain. You can do it this way - it will still be healthier than butter with milk proteins and liquid; it will turn out to be a clear oil golden yellow color, and food cooked on it will be much tastier than usual.
For example, if you fry in this oil fresh mushrooms, and then pour it on top and put it in the refrigerator, they can be stored for several months, and remain fresh, as if they had just been collected and cooked. Melted butter Great for frying - it doesn’t smoke or foam, and becomes even healthier over time.
However, such oil does not have the medicinal properties mentioned in Ayurveda - real ghee, used for the treatment and prevention of diseases, is prepared according to other recipes, which are completely simple and do not require special conditions.
Preparation of ghee
It is better to prepare ghee from homemade butter, but if you don’t have it, you can choose it in the store by carefully reading the composition and checking for hardness - real oil always becomes very hard in the refrigerator. To prepare ghee, you need to boil water in a large saucepan and place a smaller saucepan in it - so that its bottom is in the water, but does not touch the bottom of the large saucepan.
The oil is placed in the top pan - it can cook for several hours; first it will melt, and then foam will appear on it - it must be removed; A sediment forms at the bottom - there is no need to touch it.
If you put 1 kg of high-quality butter in a pan, then after 4-5 hours it will turn out to be real ghee - transparent, golden or amber-yellow - this depends on the degree of its fat content. When the sediment at the bottom becomes clearly visible through the melted butter, you can remove the pan from the water bath and carefully drain the oil so that this sediment does not fall into finished product. You can also strain the ghee through cheesecloth - then there will certainly be no impurities left; Thickened ghee may have a whitish-yellow color.
When the butter is melted in this way, it is cleared of everything unnecessary - milk proteins, water, etc., and it cannot burn, even if you are distracted and “overlooked” at the cooking process. You can use enamel or glass pan- There is no need to take aluminum.
Properly prepared ghee can actually be stored for years - this only makes it longer. medicinal properties. Of course, we are unlikely to store it - we will quickly run out of it, but even if we replace regular butter with it in our diet, our health will definitely improve in many ways.
According to Ayurveda, ghee is much easier to digest by the body than regular butter; it does not raise blood cholesterol levels, improves digestion and strengthens the immune system; improves the condition of tissues, has a beneficial effect on perception, mental activity and the human reproductive system.
Benefits and properties of ghee
When in the fall, in cold and windy weather, the nasal mucosa begins to dry out - this happens to many people - you need to lubricate it with melted butter - this will protect you from colds and infections.
In cosmetic terms, ghee is also miraculous - it can quickly penetrate the pores of the skin and is perfectly absorbed into it. Getting inside the skin layers, it begins to dissolve and remove salt waste and toxins accumulated in them, so that the skin after procedures with ghee - for example, after a massage, becomes soft, smooth and tender.
Treatment with ghee
As for treatment with ghee, there are some nuances. If you have a weak immune system, for example, it is recommended to use it in the morning, along with spices - fennel, saffron, cardamom, etc.; nuts, dried fruits, honey; fermented baked milk, sour cream, cream, but apart from these products, you don’t need to eat anything else for breakfast.
Inflammatory processes, digestive disorders, and metabolic disorders are treated with a mixture of ghee (2/3) and medicinal herbs (1/3), smearing certain areas of the body with this mixture or simply holding it in the mouth.
Migraines, atherosclerosis and other diseases can also be treated in a similar way, but the effect of such treatment is promised only to vegetarians - this is what followers of the teachings of the Vedas say. They call meat, fish and eggs “products of violence” - hence it is clear why in Russia, as in European countries, the treatment of diseases with the help of ghee has never been used - our dietary traditions make such treatment impractical.
However, no one is stopping us from using ghee in cooking. Replace regular butter and other animal fats with it, and you will soon feel that it has become easier to move, and your mood always remains upbeat and cheerful.
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RIPI was held for the first time ghee test, checking the products of five domestic manufacturers for quality and naturalness.
The test involved samples of ghee: "PRESIDENT", "Giaginsky Dairy Plant", "Milk Galaxy", "Asenyevskaya Farm", LLC "Navicom". Of these, only three turned out to be real ghee.
Heat some oil for me
Ghee – amazing product, which was previously widely used in culinary purposes. And not only in Russia. For example, in India such butter is called “ghee”, they consider it remedy, they say that it has the energy of the Sun, increases vitality, it is used in Ayurvedic cuisine, as well as for massages and religious rituals.
Ghee is milk fat V pure form(its fat content is at least 99%). It serves as an excellent antioxidant, is easily digestible, speeds up metabolism and promotes digestion.
The cooking technology is quite simple: take butter, put it in a saucepan and put it on fire. When it melts, let it boil a little and then strain to separate the foam. Of course, not everyone has the time or desire to do this. It is much easier to buy ghee in the store. But for it to really be beneficial, it must be made only from milk fat, without adding vegetable fat. And of course it must be fresh and tasty.
Is it butter oil?
We decided to check the quality and naturalness of ghee by sending five domestically produced samples to the laboratory: “PRESIDENT”, “Giaginsky Dairy Plant”, “Dairy Galaxy”, “Asenyevskaya Farm”, LLC “Navikom” (“Dairy Farm”). The first and main question that the experts had to answer was whether the composition contained fats of non-dairy origin. To do this it is necessary to carry out fatty acid analysis product and compare the results obtained with the data given in GOST 32261-2013 “Butter. Specifications".
Research has shown that the samples "PRESIDENT", "Giaginsky Dairy" and "Milk Galaxy" are indeed real ghee. But in the products “Asenyevskaya Farm” and “Dairy Farm”, experts suggested the presence of fats of non-dairy origin, since fatty acid analysis revealed a discrepancy in the composition with the requirements of GOST. Therefore, these samples cannot be called ghee.
Fresh, but not the first
During the research, experts also assessed organoleptic indicators samples (color, taste, smell, consistency) and their freshness. In terms of organoleptics, all test participants meet the requirements of GOST: the taste and smell are pleasant, the color is yellow, uniform, the consistency is homogeneous granular ("PRESIDENT" and "Giaginsky Dairy Plant") or dense ("Dairy Galaxy", "Asenyevskaya Farm", "Dairy Farm") . When melted, the oil is transparent, without sediment.
One of the indicators of the freshness of ghee is fat phase acidity. It characterizes the presence of free fatty acids in the product, which are also found in small quantities in fresh milk, and during storage and transportation their content increases. An increased acidity value of the fat phase can be associated not only with oxidative spoilage, but also with the diet of cows (feed additives) and their condition. This indicator increases during the transportation of milk, during its storage, pasteurization and separation of cream, in case of violations in technological processes(presence of air, repeated heating and cooling of milk). Thus, these components are “concentrated” in the oil.
All subjects met the norm for this parameter, except for the “Milk Galaxy” sample. This value is beyond the normal range, despite the fact that this oil was produced only four days before being transferred for research.
Ghee is also regulated moisture content– no more than 1%. All samples passed this test successfully: four had a moisture content of 0.4–0.5%, and the products of Navikom LLC (Dairy Farm) turned out to be the driest (0.1%).
Test conclusions*
Note: * All results and conclusions presented in the article refer only to the studied samples.
- Three test samples ("PRESIDENT", "Giaginsky Dairy Plant", "Milk Galaxy") were tested fatty acid composition no comments. They contain only milk fat cow's milk and are real ghee. In the samples "Asenyevskaya Farm" and "Dairy Farm" (LLC "Navicom"), in an uncharacteristic way dairy product The acid ratio suggests the presence of fats of non-dairy origin.
- All tested samples comply with GOST requirements for content fat and moisture.
- Organoleptic characteristics all test participants were also normal.
- Freshness test Only ghee "Milk Galaxy" did not pass.
- Notes on labeling arose to the samples “Asenyevskaya Farm” and “Dairy Farm”.
Brief characteristics of samples
Real ghee
 Milky galaxy |
 Giaginsky dairy plant |
 PRESIDENT |
|
GOST 32262-2013 |
GOST 32262-2013 |
GOST 32262-2013 |
Samples that may contain non-dairy fats
|
What does vegetable ghee mean (see photo and explanation)?
Hmm... vegetable oil?
On the jar in the picture there is no information about what the oil is from: sunflower, olive, mustard, nut or any other
Meanwhile, vegetable oils room temperature There are both liquid (sunflower, olive, mustard) and solid (coconut, palm, palm kernel). In order to transfer solid oil into the liquid phase, it must be melted or simply heated to the melting point.
When preparing certain products, certain oils are used. Moreover, during the preparation of a particular product, solid oils are usually heated to the melting point. As far as I know, this is elite varieties soap In any case, the melted butter, after cooling to room temperature, returns to the solid phase. Why the butter in the picture was melted before capping it in a jar is known only to God
In any case, I would refuse to purchase, much less use, such a jar, even despite the bright label.
It looks very similar vegetable oil to palm. Everything here is made with palm oil - ice cream, shortbread, processed cheese, butter. Palm oil used as dietary supplements and in cosmetics,
At one time I watched a lot of Habitat, there was a program like this on TV. And it was probably about vegetable butter. This is probably from the same series. Take vegetable oil, most likely cheap, like palm oil, and break it down with hydrogen. I don’t know how it is and what’s happening, but the resulting oil tastes close to butter. And there is no need to talk about the price. The only difference is the fat content. Butter - minimum fat content 73%. And the one that is 72.5% or even lower is hydrogen. The benefit from it is, of course, very great (for the manufacturer’s pocket), but for some reason I don’t want it. And now for the second year I’m somehow getting by.
I haven't found an official answer. So I'll write my own. As you know, unrefined vegetable oil smells very peculiar and not everyone likes it. What does it have to do with not only sunflower, but also cotton.
For this reason, when preparing pilaf, shurpa or any other fried food, the oil is strongly calcined in a cauldron until white smoke appears. And only after that meat and vegetables are thrown there. The lamb should also be fried in this oil. Then her not very pleasant specific smell disappears.
The result is delicious food, devoid of unpleasant odors for many (I do not consider lovers unrefined oil there are those who like its smell).
Refined oil does not need to be calcined. It doesn't smell like anything. To cook food, simply heat it up.
So I believe that vegetable ghee is just a low-grade oil that is calcined, cooled and poured into jars in order to save cooks from smoke in the kitchen when preparing food.
I doubt whether this oil is healthy. When heated too much, harmful substances appear in such oil. Although they do not affect health much! In Central Asia, oil is traditionally calcined before cooking, but it cannot be said that people there get sick more often because of this.
The benefits of ghee have been known to people for thousands of years.
The first documentary evidence of the use of this product dates back to 2000 BC.
Humanity has used and uses ghee not only as a food product, but also for ritual practices, as well as in Ayurvedic medicine, whose specialists believe that this product cleanses both mentally and physically.
What is ghee?
Melted butter is called butter that has been cleared of impurities, excess water, sugars and protein by slow boiling. Elimination of impurities makes the product more resistant to subsequent exposure high temperatures without depriving it of any beneficial properties.
Which oil is healthier: butter or ghee?
Ghee.
And here's why.
- No dairy ingredients. Some people suffer so much that they cannot even eat butter. Ghee is completely free of both lactose and casein. And therefore everyone is allowed.
- Lots of short fatty acids. Ghee contains much more short-chain fatty acids than butter, primarily. This compound has anti-inflammatory activity and helps prevent cancer, normalizes digestion and maintains proper blood sugar levels, promotes weight loss and health. cardiovascular system.
- Higher smoke point. For butter this indicator is approximately 176 degrees Celsius, for ghee it is 232. Why is this so important? Because the higher the smoke point of the oil, the more suitable it is for cooking, since long time does not oxidize when heated. Namely, oxidized fats have the most powerful negative effect on the body.
- Lots of fat-soluble vitamins. Ghee contains significantly more vitamins such as A, D, and E than butter. The absorption of vitamin A is often impaired in people with irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn's disease, and many pancreatic pathologies. Vitamin D is produced in sunlight. But this light is a rare phenomenon in our country. And even in summer it is not available to everyone, since sunbathing in a metropolis is quite difficult. Vitamin E is the strongest antioxidant, of which virtually no one has too much. In addition, this connection is necessary to maintain proper hormonal levels and reducing “bad” cholesterol.
- Pronounced taste. The aroma and taste of ghee is stronger than that of butter. Therefore, significantly less of this product is required for cooking.
Does ghee help you lose weight?
Yes. And in several ways at once.
- Medium- and short-chain fatty acids, which are very abundant in this product,. And at the same time, they prevent the formation of new fat deposits.
- In Ayurvedic practice, ghee is one of the central elements of a diet for general health and weight normalization. It is supposed to improve the functioning of the gallbladder, which immediately has a positive effect on the entire digestive system. A correct work gastrointestinal tract represents one of necessary conditions sustainable weight loss.
- The anti-inflammatory activity of short fatty acids helps them eliminate chronic low-grade inflammation in the body, which is a trigger for a large number of diseases, including excess weight gain.
- Butyric acid and other short-chain fatty acids maintain proper blood sugar levels. This is important not only for patients with type 2 diabetes, but also for people with overweight. Since it usually forms as a result of insulin resistance, it is impossible to get rid of it without reducing blood glucose levels.
Ghee and linoleic acid
One more thing positive attribute ghee - this is the theoretical presence in it, which helps to lose weight, reduces inflammation, normalizes blood pressure and has other beneficial properties.
Why is the presence of this compound in ghee called “theoretical”? Yes, because linoleic acid is found only in oil that is obtained from the milk of cows raised on free grazing on grass, and not fed with soy and fish meal.
Which ghee should I use: store-bought or homemade?
Only made with your own hands at home. Trans fats are often found on store shelves under the guise of melted butter.
Is there any harm?
No. If you use the product in reasonable quantities.
The negative effect of ghee that has been attributed to it for many years - an increase in cholesterol levels - is not confirmed by any modern research.
Moreover, according to recent scientific data, against the background of regular assimilation of ghee, the level of low-density lipoproteins (“bad” cholesterol) and triglycerides decreases. Moreover, positive results are noticeable both in the blood serum and in the liver.
You can find ghee in stores. Some people prefer to take it, considering it more useful than regular butter. How are things really going?
Butter
Butter obtained by whipping from pasteurized cream. This is ideal. But in this article we will not talk about counterfeits, we will talk about real, high-quality butter, which is obtained from pasteurized cream. In this case, to get half a kilogram butter, you need to take 11 liters of milk - a little more than a standard bucket. The quality of butter depends on the quality of milk, equipment, packaging and storage methods.
Such oil can be stored at a temperature of 3°C for no more than a month, and at -18°C for 4 months.
Compound butter"Peasant":
Carbohydrates – 0.1%;
- fats – 72%;
- proteins – 0.9%;
- water – 27%.
Butter- This animal fat
- saturated fat– 52 grams;
- unsaturated fats 24 grams;
- cholesterol– 215 mg;
- 700 kcal;
- vitamins A, E, D and K.
Let's summarize: butter– a perishable product containing in its composition both useful substances (vitamins A, E and K, unsaturated fatty acids), and harmful ( saturated fats , cholesterol). In addition, it is high in calories.
Butter improves the taste of food well. There is even an apt saying: “You can’t spoil porridge with butter.” However, all of his beneficial properties are crossed out as harmful. Large quantity saturated fat And cholesterol are high risk factors for the development of atherosclerosis, hypertension, strokes and heart attacks.And therefore use butter need to be careful and not every day.
Melted butter
Ghee is obtained by boiling butter followed by filtering it. This is a way more long-term storage valuable product. Ghee can be stored at room temperature for a year. We will not talk about counterfeit ghee, only about a natural and high-quality product.
Composition of ghee:
Carbohydrates - 0%;
- fats - 99.9%;
- proteins - 0%;
- water - 0.1%.
Ghee is, like butter, animal fat, 100 grams of which contains:
- saturated fat– 70 grams;
- unsaturated fats 29 grams;
- cholesterol– 270 mg;
- 998 kcal;
- vitamins A, E, D.
To summarize: ghee contains more than butter saturated fat, cholesterol and calories. It contains no more vitamins A, D and E: they are fat-soluble and as the fat content of the oil increases, their quantity increases, but some is lost when heat treatment. But ghee can be stored for a long time even without refrigeration.
So which is healthier?
Of these two oils, butter can be considered healthier if it is fresh and of high quality, while ghee is just a way to store an expensive product for a longer time.
Large quantity saturated fat, cholesterol and calories in both oils require careful use at any age in order to minimize the risk of developing atherosclerosis.
