Is ghee really healthy for all? Find out who must avoid it

Ghee is known for its umpteen benefits. From hair health to brain functioning, ghee has a reputation of the ingredient that can do it all. Maybe that’s why our grandmothers used to stuff us with ghee-laden rotis and laddoos. But, if you have never really loved this crowd-pleaser much, that’s absolutely fine.

Ghee is one of the healthiest everyday foods according to Ayurveda. But contrary to popular belief, it is not for everybody. Just like the much-raved-about benefits of ghee, there are certain lesser-known drawbacks of eating ghee.

Dr Rekha Radhamony, an Ayurveda expert who is popular on Instagram, stated some facts of ghee. She shared a post about who shouldn’t consume ghee to avoid health complications. Captioning her post, she wrote, “Ghee is the best, no doubt! It is great for everyday use. However, it is not so great in certain health conditions!”

apple halwaGhee is key to your diet. Image courtesy: Shutterstock

When should you avoid ghee?

1. Ghee is heavy to digest

Ghee is guru (heavy to digest). So, while ghee might work as a laxative for some, it may do absolutely the opposite for people suffering from indigestion. “If you’re someone with chronic indigestion and stomach issues, do not overdo ghee.” says Dr Radhamony.

2. Ghee increases kapha

Hold on all your cough and cold DIY remedies with ghee as an ingredient. According to Ayurveda, ghee is kapha increasing. Therefore, it is deemed not good for consumption during fever associated with cough and cold.

3. Pregnant women with indigestion

Pregnant women usually suffer from a bloated stomach and indigestion. Therefore, it is advised for pregnant women to limit their ghee intake if they are undergoing cold or upset stomach.

4. Liver problems

Dr Radhamony suggests that one should avoid ghee in all diseases of the liver and spleen.

which ghee is betterEven celebs like Kareena Kapoor and Shilpa Shetty are in Ghee fam due to its benefits. Image courtesy: Shutterstock.

If you do not fall under any of those categories, do not miss out on the virtues of ghee.

Benefits of ghee:

  1. Ghee is anti-ageing. It means your skin will look youthful and radiant with regular consumption of it.
  2. It is considered good for eye health. So, kids who are susceptible to weak vision should be fed ghee everyday.
  3. Who doesn’t want a razor sharp mind? Ghee is known to improve intellect and memory too.
  4. Consuming ghee may improve digestion. Take a spoonful of ghee with lukewarm water on an empty stomach to reap it’s laxative benefits.
  5. In Ayurveda, ghee is known to Improve ojus (Vitality).
  6. Lastly, your skin is benefited highly with ghee. It improves skin health and makes it less prone to damage.

Here’s her post for you to see:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Dr. Rekha Radhamony, Ayurveda (@doctorrekha)

A point to note is that if ghee is your usual cooking medium and it harms your health, there are many more healthier oils to use. You can choose between sunflower oil, mustard oil, sesame oil and avocado oil as your primary cooking medium. These oils are rich in fatty acids and have high smoke points.