Ghee improves gut health with nutrients that support the gut lining, making it a powerful and beneficial food.
Reading Time: 6 minutes
Let’s be honest, improving gut health with ghee isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when incorporating gut-healthy foods into our diet. Ghee is a nutritional powerhouse known across the world. In addition to its long list of health benefits, ghee can help heal your gut too.
Ghee improves gut health by containing various nutrients and compounds that provide healing and support to the gut lining and microbiome, making it an even more powerful and beneficial food.
What is Ghee?
Ghee is a clarified butter used in cooking. It is a saturated fat made from milk, cream, and butter from various animals. However, unlike butter, it is simmered for extended periods to remove water and milk solids.
Ghee has a high smoke point, making it shelf-stable and a nontoxic option for cooking. It is known for its creamy texture and nutty flavor. According to Ayurvedic medicine, ghee is considered to be the “elixir of life.”
Ghee vs. Butter: What’s the Difference?
Ghee and butter are frequently and mistakenly used interchangeably. However, all dairy proteins are not the same. Since ghee is a clarified version of butter, it is considered to be free of lactose and casein. For many with sensitive digestive tracts and autoimmune conditions, ghee is the safer, easier-to-digest option.
Ghee is also rich in nutrients, like butyrate, Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), and fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K). Ghee has a higher smoke point (~485 degrees F) than butter, making it an ideal cooking alternative for high-temperature cooking.
Is Ghee Okay For People With Lactose Intolerance?
While butter can cause digestive upset in those with sensitive digestive systems or lactose sensitivities, ghee is a safe and nutrient-dense alternative. It is virtually free of lactose and casein, which are the main culprits in butter causing digestive upset.
One of the reasons I recommend ghee to many of my clients is because it is well tolerated by those with dairy sensitivities, especially when the gut might be more compromised due to leaky gut. I highly recommend introducing ghee into a diet slowly and observing for potential reactions.
It’s also important to note that individuals with a dairy allergy should not consume ghee.
Ghee’s Nutritional Benefits
Ghee is known across the world for its nutrient-rich content. Its diverse nutritional benefits include:
- High in healthy saturated fats
- Contains butyric acid
- Rich in fat-soluble vitamins
- Contains Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA)
- Rich in medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs)
All of these nutritional benefits are known for supporting brain function, hormonal balance, gut health, and more.
How Ghee Improves Gut Health
One of the more impressive nutritional benefits of ghee is its positive effects on the gut microbiome. Ghee improves gut health in the following ways:
Rich in Butyric Acid: A Gut Lining Superfood
Ghee improves gut health as it contains high amounts of butyric acid. Butyrate, or butyric acid, is a short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) that feeds the bacteria in your colon. It is known for strengthening the gut barrier and promoting gut lining repair.
Butyrate found in ghee can also improve peristalsis (natural muscle movement for digestion), reducing constipation and encouraging regular bowel movements. Furthermore, buyrate has protective mechanisms that have been closely linked to the improvement of inflammatory gut conditions such as irritable bowel disease (IBD).
Supports a Healthy Gut Microbiome
Ghee can support an overall healthy gut microbiome by encouraging the growth of beneficial bacteria. As we now know, ghee also contains high amounts of butyrate, which works synergistically with Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) to reduce inflammation.
Ghee is a rich source of medium-chain fatty acids (like lauric and caprylic acid), which have antimicrobial effects on the gut microbiome.
Improves Nutrient Absorption
Ghee contains rich amounts of fat-soluble vitamins (including A, D, E, and K). All of these vitamins are required for optimal nutrient absorption. Ghee acts as a carrier for these vitamins and other key nutrients, naturally improving nutrient absorption in the gut. Fat-soluble vitamins can be beneficial for those with gut damage, impaired nutrient uptake, and identified nutrient deficiencies.
Soothes Inflammation in the Gut
The butyrate and CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) found in ghee have antiinflammatory compounds, which help soothe inflammation in the gut. These nutrients also reduce acidity in the gastrointestinal tract, improving low stomach acid or hypochlorhydria.
Promotes Satiety and Balanced Energy
Due to the high fat content of ghee, it is effective in promoting satiety, balancing energy levels, and regulating blood sugar. As a result, ghee can be a helpful tool in supporting weight management by keeping you full for longer.
Gentle and Digestive-Friendly (Even for the Dairy-Sensitive)
As previously mentioned, ghee is free from lactose and casein (when properly prepared), which allows it to be well-tolerated by many (even those with dairy intolerance). It is easily digested and absorbed by the gut, due to its purity and MCT content. Since ghee is so gentle on the digestive system, it is an excellent alternative for those who have a difficult time with dairy.
It is clear to see that ghee can positively impact and improve gut health. While it is considered an anti-inflammatory fat, it also works in combination with a gut health protocol to repair a damaged gut lining and balance the gut microbiome.
How to Incorporate Ghee into Your Diet
Thankfully, ghee is convenient, easy to find or make yourself, and delicious to incorporate into your diet. To start, opt for ghee in place of cooking oils (like butter or vegetable oil). We know it has a high smoke point, making it perfect for high-temperature sautéing or frying. You can also use ghee in place of butter in baked goods or simply spread it on gluten-free toast, roasted veggies, or baked sweet potatoes.
Thinking more outside of the box: You can melt ghee into your morning coffee or tea (think: a bulletproof ghee latte) or blend it into smoothies to increase satiety and provide a creamy texture. It can also make a nutrient-rich addition to soups or stews.
My top recommendation: Start slow! Whenever we add more healthy fats to our diet, it can take some time to adjust. This is especially true if digestion is compromised or your gallbladder and liver are sluggish. Since ghee is more concentrated than butter, I find a little goes a long way. If you usually cook your eggs in a tablespoon of butter and want to give ghee a try, I suggest cutting that in half.
Adding more ghee to your diet isn’t only nutritious and gut-friendly, but also delicious!
Choosing the Right Ghee for Gut Health
As with all food and supplements, quality matters. When looking for a high-quality ghee, opt for one that is organic and grass-fed for maximum nutrient density. Grass-fed sources contain higher levels of omega-3s, CLA, and fat-soluble vitamins.
Personally, my tried-and-true favorite brand of ghee is 4th & Heart, which can be found online or in many health food stores. You can also get high-quality ghee from a local farm in your area.
Wrapping It All Up
You heard it here! Ghee can improve gut health. Ghee has been known as a superfood around the world for thousands of years. Not only does it support overall health and well-being, but it has a direct and positive impact on gut health.
Through various studies and research, ghee has proven to strengthen the gut lining, balance the gut microbiome, and reduce overall inflammation in those with IBD. This is why I highly recommend incorporating more ghee into your diet, especially for those who are struggling with an unhealthy gut.
As with any new food or supplement, I recommend working with a qualified practitioner to make sure your diet and nutrition plan is specific to you, since some individuals may not do as well with a high-fat diet.
In my personalized one-on-one program, we let your unique lab data drive your health plan and customize every step of the gut healing roadmap! If you’re ready to heal your gut, restore energy, and reclaim your health so you can show up fully in life for the things that matter most, you can apply to work with me here.
Do you use ghee in your cooking? What is your favorite way to use it? Let me know in the comments below!
READ THE LATEST BLOG POSTS:
Leave a Reply
The 5 Best Natural Sweeteners for Gut Health
Top Protein Powders for Gut Health & Autoimmunity
Functional Medicine Lab Tests to Check Annually
food as medicine
gut health
women's Health
"When it comes to balancing our body, healing the gut, reversing autoimmunity, and achieving optimal health—we are a lot like a car that won’t run right. In order to fix the problem once and for all instead of relying on jumper cables, we must get underneath the hood, run the diagnostics, and replace the battery so that it runs good as new."
-Nikki Yelton, RD
If you are ready to stop wasting precious time, get off the never-ending hamster wheel, and finally surrender trying to figure things out on your own—this is your moment.
You don’t have to settle for just getting by and hoping tomorrow is a better day. We both know you are a woman who deserves better and are made for so. much. more.
Ready to restore your energy, reclaim your health, and live your extraordinary life?
