The cacao bean is the source of perhaps the most magical and beloved foods on Earth because it is the source of chocolate. Even the cacao tree's official name, Theobroma cacao, recognizes the long-standing love most of us have for the fruit of this tree. Theobroma comes from the Greek language for "food of the gods." And while chocolate is the most popular and favorite of these foods from the cacao bean, an even healthier choice is raw cacao powder. How Is Cacao Powder Made? To produce raw cacao powder, raw cacao beans are simply cold pressed to remove the fat, and the remaining solids are ground into a fine powder. Cacao vs. Cocoa: What's the Difference? Cacao powder contains all the beneficial nutrients and beneficial compounds of the raw cacao bean minus the fat. In contrast, cocoa powder is made from roasted cacao beans. And even if they look alike, the two are different. In making cocoa powder, up to 90% of the nutrients and beneficial compounds in raw c
Why You Should Be Eating Ghee, Plus How to Make It
According
to Ayurveda, ghee, or clarified butter, has the healing benefits of
butter without the impurities. Learn how it can fight inflammation,
promote flexibility, enhance digestion, bolster the immune system, and
more.
The Susruta Samhita, an Ayurvedic classic, claims ghee is beneficial for the whole body.
What Is Ghee?
Ayurveda
places ghee, or clarified butter, at the top of the oily foods list, as
it has the healing benefits of butter without the impurities (saturated
fat, milk solids).
Ghee is made by heating unsalted butter until
it clarifies into its separate components: lactose (sugar), milk
protein, and fat. Over a low flame, the moisture is removed, and the
sugar and protein separate into curds that sink to the bottom and are
later discarded, Suzanne VanGilder reports in Gold Standard.
In
India, ghee is a sacred symbol of auspiciousness used medicinally as
well as in cooking, VanGilder reports. It also makes appearances in
ancient texts including the Mahabharata, in which it is described as an essence flowing through and sustaining the world.
The Health Benefits of Ghee
The Sushruta Samhita,
an Ayurvedic classic, claims ghee is beneficial for the whole body, and
recommends it as the ultimate remedy for problems stemming from the
pitta dosha, such as inflammation.
Long a favorite of yoga practitioners, ghee lubricates the connective tissues and promotes flexibility,
says Dr. Vasant Lad, director of the Ayurvedic Institute in
Albuquerque, New Mexico. Traditionally, the preparation has been used to
promote memory, intelligence, quantity and quality of semen, and to
enhance digestion. Modern science tells us that ghee also harbors
phenolic antioxidants, which bolster the immune system.
Ghee is
believed to assist with digestion by allowing food to be broken down
more efficiently, by stimulating digestive enzymes, Linda Knittel
reports in Benefits of Ghee: Why You Should Add It to Your Diet.
In Ayurveda, ghee is also believed to enhance ojas, or "life energy.”
"For
centuries, ghee has been considered a rasayana, which means a healing
food that balances both body and mind," Shubhra Krishan, author of Essential Ayurveda, tells Knittel.
Even better than ghee is aged ghee—up to 100 years—which treats
alcoholism, epilepsy, fever, and vaginal pain, according to Ayurvedic
physician Robert Svoboda. Medicated ghee (ghrita in Sanskrit), meanwhile, combines clarified butter with healing herbs.
Ghee's
benefits extend to topical use as well. Ayurvedic beauty expert Pratima
Raichur suggests it as a massage base to calm sensitive pitta-type
skin. The Indian Materia Medica, a widely respected source book
for Ayurvedic remedies, recommends ghee, sometimes mixed with honey, as
an application for wounds, inflammation, and blisters.
Ghee also contains known vitamin E and beta carotene, which are known antioxidants.
Recipe: How to Make Ghee
You'll find ghee at the health food store, but it's easy to make. Place
1 to 2 pounds of butter in a saucepan on low heat. Melt until white
curds separate and sink to the bottom. When a drop of water flicked into
the pan boils immediately, the ghee is done. Discard the curds and
store in a jar. If kept out of contact with water, ghee needs no
refrigeration for 12 months, though some people prefer to refrigerate
it.
Ghee is not often recommended for cooking, because it is considered too heavy and heat can alter its chemical structure. Essential Ayurveda
author Krishan adds one to two teaspoons per day to her meals, stirring
a teaspoon into freshly cooked rice, spreading it on toast, or using it
to top a baked potato. Or you could take 2 teaspoons per day as a
supplement.
You could also blend a teaspoon of ghee into your tea,
coffee, oatmeal, or smoothie, or use melted ghee instead of butter to
top popcorn or sautéed veggies, according to John Douillard, co-leader of Yoga Journal’s Ayurveda 101 online course.
Just remember that ghee is fat, and only a
certain amount of total fat is necessary in the diet. If you use ghee,
reduce your total fat intake proportionately.
You can get Indian Ghee from iHerb https://fas.st/LX5hPn
You can get Indian Ghee from iHerb https://fas.st/LX5hPn
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