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Desi
Ghee: Videsi in the Urban Home ! The fears of cholesterol and saturated fat Negative view about this highly nourishing food In desi ghee only a few fatty acids have the cholesterol raising effect An excess of Desi ghee like any other fat is clearly undesirable Ghee is also rich in vitamins A, D Real villain in our diet may be hydrogenated vegetable oils and not desi ghee
The fears of cholesterol and saturated fat The
fears of cholesterol and saturated fat have virtually driven
out the most revered cooking ingredients in the Indian Kitchen-
desi ghee. While concerns
about oils and fats are justified both with respect to their
amounts and types, simplistic conclusions drawn on research
hypothesis can be hasty and even dangerous. Moreso, in the traditional
Indian texts including Ayurveda Desi Ghee has been prized for
its health promoting properties.
Negative view about this highly nourishing food Condemning
it as a culprit for blocking arteries and replacing it with
refined hydrogenated vegetable oils is cause for concern. The
negative impression of Desi Ghee is because of several factors
including an exaggerated fear of cholesterol (cholesterophobia).
This is not justified particularly in the Indian vegetarian
setup which rarely meets the upper limit of 300 mg. per day.
Other factor was the saturated fat and cholesterol hypothesis
of Professor Ancel Keys around the 1960s leading to demonising
saturated fats irrespective of what type they were. Both these
suited vegetable oil manufacturers who were quick to take advantage
of these findings. A closer look reveals that such a negative
view about this highly nourishing food does not stand the test
of scientific logic.
Ghee
is produced by heating butter. Hating evaporates water present
in the latter. As the temperature continues to rise, the initial
white sediment of milk protein and salt turns brown. This imparts
an irresistible nutty flavour to ghee. Those who have once tasted
this flavor swear by it. Since ghee is derived from milk, it
is essentially an animal product. Therefore, it contains a certain
amount of saturated fat and cholesterol. Excessive consumption
of saturated fat elevates blood cholesterol level while the
contribution of dietary cholesterol per se is not so significant.
In desi ghee only a few fatty acids have the cholesterol raising effect Although
saturated fats are known to have a cholesterol raising effect,
not all have the same effect. In desi ghee only a few fatty
acids have the cholesterol raising effect. Desi ghee as it is
only 65% saturated. As much as 32% fat in desi ghee is MUFA.
MUFA is a highly desirable form of dietary fat- the kind that
olive oil is rich in. It is perhaps even more desirable than
PUFA. In this respect, desi ghee scores over many PUFA rich
oils like sunflower, safflower, corn, and cottonseed oils, whose
MUFA content is dismally poor. Another good point about desi
ghee is that it has an ideal Linoleic / Alpha Linoleic acid
ratio (LA/ALA) ratio. This ratio is unusually high in most PUFA
oils, which is undesirable. It is now recognized that the consumption
of oils with ideal LA/ALNA ratio is crucial for prevention of
coronary heart disease and perhaps diabetes also. It will also
not be out of context to mention here that an excess PUFA rich
oils may depress HDL cholesterol (the kind which protect the
heart) level, thereby, increasing the risk of Coronary heart
disease. Further Desi Ghee is not heated at very high temperatures,
like refined oils. This preserves its original nutritional properties,
which are lost during refining oils.
An excess of Desi ghee like any other fat is clearly undesirable An
excess of Desi ghee like any other fat is clearly undesirable
due to its calorie content. But all those who thought it is
higher in calories or fat compared to oils need to think again.
Oils / ghee are in the range of 90-95% fat. Also no one cooking
medium is ideal: a combination is the best. So desi ghee as
the sole cooking medium is not recommended rather a blend of
cold pressed / sesame, mustard and olive oil is desirable.
However, this certainly does not mean that desi ghee
is harmful for children and adults even with high cholesterol
and heart disease, when taken in right amounts.
Ghee is also rich in vitamins A, D Ghee
besides being a concentrated source of energy (9 Kcals/ gm.)
is also rich in vitamins A, D and riboflavin as well as minerals
such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium. Vitamin
A helps in maintaining good vision, healthy glowing skin and
acts as an important antioxidant too. Vitamin D, Calcium, Magnesium
and Phosphorus form important constituents of the skeletal structure
and also play important roles in other physiological functions
like nerve conduction, blood-clotting etc. Potassium is needed
to maintain the delicate fluid and electrolyte balance within
cells, to keep heartbeat regular and to maintain normal blood
pressure.
Real villain in our diet may be hydrogenated vegetable oils and not desi ghee There
is little scientific evidence that a low fat diet is beneficial.
While fat restriction is advisable to combat undesirable weight
gain, it is more important to be concerned about fat quality.
It is more important to avoid potato chips, hamburgers, pizzas,
french fries, samosas, namkeens and other commercial foods prepared
in vanaspati or margarines like patties, biscuits, cookies rather
than curtailing ghee. Also it is essential to be physically
active. Current research suggests that the real villain in our
diet may be hydrogenated vegetable oils and not desi ghee. |
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