In today’s day and age of modern science which deals with sports, fitness, and health, we are slightly moving towards eating fancy rather than focusing on eating natural and healthy. And today maybe this is why most people are at the two ends of a spectrum. Weight gain through ghee.
Well, people take weight loss as a very serious issue. It is, of course, however, a very chronic illness which can lead to several health issues ranging from high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, high levels of triglycerides, coronary heart disease, stroke, gallbladder disease or even Osteoarthritis (a breakdown of cartilage and bone within a joint).
We also have to take into consideration that gaining weight is equally important as being underweight may also put your body under high risks. If you check on the Internet, you will find tons of articles, blogs, social media sites that tell you hundreds of ways to put on some mass.
Some websites claim that no exercises needed and some completely rely on them. And to some extent, you would find that they are selling nothing but gimmicks. But the best way to gain weight is by adding ghee in your diet, considering that you are physically active and have balanced meals in a day.
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What is ghee
The ghee had originated in India where it was made from milk and it is a kind of clarified butter. It is used in a number of cuisines and is supremely better than other types of oils available for cooking. In Ayurveda, it has been considered as a superfood having numerous health benefits.
Ghee is not trans fat. Many people by the fear of trans fat try to exclude it from their diet but on the contrary, it is really good for our health. Generally, it is made from cow’s milk in the concentrated form by removing its water content and milk solids.
According to Ayurveda, it can be helpful in strengthening the immune system, aiding in weight gain. Moreover, it is rich in fat-soluble vitamins and can help a person suffering from vitamin deficiency. It is also very skin-friendly and can be applied to treat burns.
Composition of ghee
It is a brilliant source of healthy calories and saturated fats. Almost 62 percent of ghee is made up of saturated fats and has 12.3 percent of cholesterol. It is also high in fat-soluble vitamins and hence is good for health.
Why ghee is important
Ghee should be a key ingredient in everybody’s life. Considering its health benefits it should be included. Since ancient times, in India, it has been used to make sweets, dishes, vegetables, etc.
It has been used since the ayurvedic era and has a number of benefits apart from being used for cooking purposes. Ghee has anti-inflammatory properties and hence can be used as a medicine for burns or wounds. It can also be used as a moisturizer. For centuries, Indian women have been using this on their hair and it can also be applied on the skin directly since it has zero side effects. It is good for the health of your heart because of the presence of monounsaturated omega-3.
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Thus it is considered to be very healthy for your cardiovascular system. Small benefits which create a huge amount of difference, boosts metabolism, strengthens the immune system, aids in increasing testosterone, increases energy levels. The biggest benefit is weight gain. It does really help you in putting some extra kills. All you have to do is to add a spoon or two prior to your meals. You can even add it in a glass of milk. Ayurveda also mentions that ghee consumed with herbs can be super beneficial.
Types of ghee
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Ghee made from Cultured cream
Ghee originated in ancient India and considered an extremely healthy food, but to maximize those benefits, you want to have ghee made in the traditional way, which means cultured ghee. The process of making traditional ghee from cultured cream involves culturing milk (or cream) into yogurt, after churning it turns into butter, which can be then made into ghee.
To culture it, 2 tablespoons of yogurt (curd) can be added into the milk or cream and allowed to be cultured for 5–12 hours, depending on the room temperature. After culturing into yogurt, you can churn it to produce butter. The liquid that separates out is buttermilk, and you can drink this or use it in cooking.
One of the amazing points about cultured ghee is that you can be assured that it is almost entirely lactose-free. While most of the lactose removed when making regular ghee, even more of it is removed with cultured ghee. The reason is that during the fermentation process (culturing), the offending lactose proteins are converted into lactic acid, making the product easier to digest.
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Ghee Made From Uncultured Cream
Another type of ghee that is also commonly made in India comes from uncultured cream. This type of ghee is not fully cultured, but the handmade work still adds a lot to the quality of the ghee. Every day, after receiving fresh milk from the milkman, you have to boil the milk, and then leave it to sit on the counter at room temperature.
After some time the cream will rise to the top, and you will have to skim it off and collect it in a container. Then you need to store the container in the fridge. After doing this for a week’s time, you will have enough cream to make butter. When you are ready to make the ghee, remove the dish and let it sit out for 2 hours.
Using a wooden handheld churner, churn the cream into fresh butter. The liquid that comes out from the butter discarded because it wasn’t cultured with yogurt. This makes the buttermilk bitter, according to many people. The handmade butter is then simmered on the stove until the milk solids (proteins) separate out, settle on the bottom of the pot, and caramelize into clarified butterfat, which is the ghee.
Can it really help you gain weight?
Well, after considering everything about ghee, from the way it can be obtained to the nutrition value it has, it has been proven that ghee is really helpful in putting weight. It Is not like trans-fat. It has a unique chemical structure that helps your fat move from the stubborn area. Ayurveda has explained many medicinal benefits of Ghee. Consuming high amounts of saturated fat is bad for health.
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More than 1 spoon of ghee is more than enough of saturated fat and any amount consumed higher than that comes under dirty bulking. So considering the recommended value, you can have it with a glass of milk or before meals. Ashwagandha is really good at reducing the blood sugar levels and cortisol levels thus reducing your stress too. Ashwagandha also helps in boosting testosterone and when consumed with it. It becomes a perfect remedy for weight gaining or putting on muscle mass.
Conclusion
Desi ghee is healthy, but it should be used in moderation. And as far as the experience of consuming it concerned, our elders used it, and that they remain healthy for long, and the way that didn’t give them problems with cholesterol?
Because they used to walk, run, and used to be physically active since there are fewer sources of travel via conveyance. And for them, a day walking miles was a traditional thing. With that, they have got the health benefits of the desi ghee. As well as they control all the negative aspects of it. If you consume desi ghee like regular oil then you’ll see a big difference within the performance of your metabolism, but you’ve got to also exercise.
Ghee mostly composed of fat. So if you consume 5 grams of ghee, it will provide you 5 grams of fat. 1 gram of fat contains 9 Kcal, so 5 grams of ghee will easily give you 45kcal of energy. As far as the muscle gain is concerned, you will gain muscle mass only if you are consuming more calories than your maintenance calories. So in that case, it really doesn’t matter whether you are consuming ghee or not.
As for a healthy body, you should also take into consideration whether or not you really need to gain weight. For that, you should check your Body Mass Index(BMI). If your BMI comes out to be less than 18, you should think of putting some extra kilos. If it is more than 30 then you should lose some fat. It is by properly doing exercises and maintaining a diet. But still, ghee would help you to lose the extra fat if taken properly.
