Golden colored Ghee is prepared by melting and simmering unsalted butter until all the water evaporates and the milk solids settle at the bottom. The remaining butter oil is very stable, giving it a high smoke point which makes it an excellent choice to use for frying and sautéing and it can be stored without refrigeration for several months. Ghee is also known as Indian Clarified Butter, Seafood Butter, Drawn Butter, Butter Oil, Ghee Butter or Anhydrous Milk Fat (AMF). In India and other South Asian countries, it is also known as Desi Ghee, Pure Ghee, Asli Ghee or Ghritam. Ghee is a dairy product and as such it is gluten-free.

Ghee has a very long and rich history. It has been used in Indian cooking for thousands of years. According to an article published in the journal Nature, traces of ghee and cheese were found in pottery from 6,500 BC. The following quote from the ancient text "Charvak Darshan" by an Indian philosopher Charvak (3000 BCE) shows the importance of ghee:

Organic foods are produced without the use of artificial fertilizers, conventional pesticides, human waste, or sewage sludge. They are processed without the use of ionizing radiation or food additives. Organic dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones.

Grass-fed cows are pasture-raised and eat what nature intended them to eat: Grass.

Pasture-grazed cows have more CLA in their milk than grain fed cows and our lab tests show our ghee has more CLA than plain butter. CLA is an antioxidant and essential fatty acid that has been getting a lot of attention lately. In animal studies, it reportedly exhibits anticarcinogenic and other beneficial physiological effects.
http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/ScienceForums/forum03/E-04.htm

Research indicates that if the ratio of Omega-6/Omega-3 in your food exceeds 4:1 then it may not be good for you. This ratio is around 3:1 for grass-fed animals and over 20:1 for grain-fed animals, since grass is rich in Omega-3 and grains have higher Omega-6. So eating more grass-fed products helps you maintain the right balance of Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acids.

Most of the conventional cows are fed large amounts of grains (primarily corn), soy and other supplements to increase milk production and decrease cost. They are kept in crowded feedlots and don’t get the opportunity to roam freely and peacefully in the sun and eat high-fiber green grass. This makes them vulnerable to various diseases, so they are often given antibiotics in their daily feed to prevent this. Read more here.

Grass-fed dairies are generally small. They promote harmony between the land and the animals. They support biodiversity and reduce waste. They work in a sustainable manner and are good for our environment.

Ghee is one of the best oils for cooking. It stimulates digestive fire (or Agni) according to Ayurveda. It has a very high smoke point (~400°F) and its chemical structure does not change at high heat. When you cook with ghee, there is no hissing, popping or splattering. It produces sweet aroma when heated. You use less than half of other oils and it enhances the flavor of food.

Cow Ghee is considered a sattvic food in Ayurveda. Cow milk has the essence of the grass and plants, and cow ghee possesses the essence of cow milk.

Ghee is a nutrient dense food and contains healthy fat soluble vitamins which aids in the absorption of nutrients in foods and are essential for good health.

A nutrition pioneer, Dr. Weston A. Price, felt strongly that there were tremendous health benefits of taking deep-yellow butter oil (particularly when obtained from the milk of cows feeding on rapidly growing pasture), especially when taken with cod liver oil. He documented his findings in book Nutrition and Physical Degeneration. Dr. Price theorized that the butter oil contained a valuable nutrient which he called, "Activator X", and is now thought to be one of the K vitamins.

Ghee does not contain harmful trans fats or hydrogenated oils which can cause heart disease and many other serious health problems.

Ghee does not contain milk solids and it is very stable at high heat. Because of its high smoke point (~400 °F), it is considered one of the best oils for baking, sautéing and deep fat frying. When you sauté with butter, the milk solids precipitate to the bottom of the pan and they can burn causing an unpleasant odor, appearance and taste. When you sauté and fry with ghee, there is no hissing, popping or splattering. It also has a sweet aroma and actually becomes richer in flavor as well.

On the other hand, vegetable oils burn when cooked. There is now developing controversy in medical science about which oils are better for us. Traditional cooking oils in all cultures have been ghee, coconut oil, or lard. The saturated fats hold up under heating, and ghee has been used for thousands of years. Proper use of food is a cultural achievement that takes thousands of years to perfect, whereas medical science changes its ideas of what is important every couple of decades.

During the clarification process, milk solids are removed, leaving the healthy butter fats behind. Small, trace amounts of casein and lactose can possibly remain in the ghee, but unless a person is extremely sensitive, consuming ghee will be fine, even if dairy is not. Please discuss this with your doctor if you have any concerns about triggering an allergic response. We work hard to bring a very pure ghee to you!.

A well-prepared ghee has very little moisture content and is very shelf-stable. You do not need to refrigerate it for 2-3 months if you keep it in an airtight container. When kept in a refrigerator, ghee can last up to a year. In India, aged ghee is considered to have healing properties and some families have ghee that is over 100-years old. Ghee such as this is rare and very expensive.

Ghee has a rich, sweet and deliciously nutty flavor. A little amount of ghee adds a lot of flavor to the food. One tablespoon of ghee can replace up to three tablespoons of oil or butter in your recipe.

A ghee which has been properly washed accordingly to Ayurvedic specifications is very beneficial in healing the skin. A small amount of ghee applied to belly button nourishes the entire body and is especially helpful is healing dried lips. Ghee has slightly alkalizing effect on the body whereas butter has a slightly acidifying effect. Ghee is widely used in Ayurvedic massages and supplements. Ghee keeps skin soft, smooth and lubricated. Ghee is sattvic food whereas butter is tamasic. Also, butter increases Kapha whereas ghee balances all the 3 doshas.

• Toss into fresh popped popcorn or make your own: Melt ghee, add salt and popcorn, pop until done.
• Mix with good quality coarse sea salt (like Celtic Sea Salt®). Add chives and spread over pita bread.
• Mix with nut butters such as almond, peanut, cashew and others for an amazing dip for apples and other fruits.
• Stir-fry minced fresh garlic in ghee and pour over fresh hot bread.
• Sauté garlic in ghee and use it to make out-of-this-world hummus.
• Spread over whole grain crackers; top with cheese.