Here's how you can turn your homemade ghee into a healthier supplement by adding these five ingredients.
Present in every Indian kitchen, ghee has been propagated by Ayurveda for centuries. Be it our rotis, khichdi, or plain dal rice – a dollop of ghee makes the food go down. Apart from being used in cooking, ghee also helps cure small burns and works as a moisturiser.
While ghee itself has a host of benefits – like being a rich source of antioxidants, having anti-inflammatory properties, being good for gut health, and having heart-healthy fats – when combined with these five items, its benefits get compounded.
Here’s how you can make ghee healthier:
1. Turmeric: Just like ghee, turmeric is found in every Indian household and is used in cooking extensively. According to a National Center for Biotechnology Information report, curcumin, a natural phytochemical in turmeric, has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Studies have shown that curcumin has anti-arthritic effects.
Now, mixing turmeric with ghee is a great combination as it offers the health benefits of both. It promotes heart health, can reduce body pain, and reduces inflammation.
To make turmeric-flavoured ghee, add 1 tsp turmeric, and 1/2 tsp black pepper powder to one cup of ghee, and store in an airtight jar.
2. Tulsi: Tulsi has many benefits for the body. Its leaves are rich in vitamins A, C and K. They also contain calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, and potassium. According to scientific studies, Tulsi helps normalise blood glucose, blood pressure, and lipid levels. It also helps with mental stress through its anxiolytic and anti-depressant properties.
To use Tulsi with ghee, add a few leaves while boiling butter. It adds to the health benefits while giving the saute a great fragrance too.
3. Cinnamon: Cinnamon is a powerful spice that helps you deal with various ailments. It is an antioxidant, has anti-inflammatory properties, and can help diabetics by reducing insulin resistance. It has also been shown to lower blood sugar levels. It has antifungal and antibacterial properties.
You can make cinnamon ghee in two ways – either add cinnamon while boiling butter itself, and strain the mixture, or add ghee to a pan and drop two cinnamon sticks in it. Heat this ghee for five minutes and let it cool.
4. Camphor: Camphor or kapoor comes from the bark and wood of the camphor tree. It is good for digestion, has anti-inflammatory properties, reduces congestion, helps arthritic patients, and camphor oil is used for pain relief.
To add it to ghee, add one-two pieces of edible camphor to ghee and heat it for five minutes. Let it cool and strain it in an airtight jar.
5. Garlic: Just like garlic chilli oils or olive oil, garlic in ghee is also a great combination. Apart from the taste, garlic boosts immunity, has anti-inflammatory properties, improves heart health, clears skin, improves lipid profile, and reduces blood pressure.
To make garlic-flavoured ghee, chop some garlic cloves and add them to a pan with ghee. Stir on low flame for about five minutes and cover the pan. Once the flavours are infused in the ghee, strain it into an airtight jar.
Sources
‘Add these five things to ghee to make it healthier’ Published on 17 September 2021, Courtesy Times of India
Healthline- Health benefits of cinnamon
Lybrate- Health benefits of camphor
MedicalNewsToday- Benefits of garlic
Edited by Yoshita Rao
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