When it comes to health, it’s easy to make a big difference by making some changes in your food preparation. Using simple food substitutions can make your dishes healthier and tasty as well. Through this article, we will try to provide you with more information about the best ghee substitutes. In addition, we will explain their health benefits.

What is ghee?

Ghee is unsalted butter, which has a high smoke point. It’s a type of clarified butter, which can be easily made at home. It’s made from cow milk butter by simmering butter on low heat, the milk solids separate and the water evaporates and what remains is clarified liquid fat, which is ghee.

ghee

It’s used for roasting and frying, baking, and you can use it as a spread on toast instead of butter in pancakes, muffins, and cakes. Just use it like oil or butter.

Is ghee gluten-free?

Ghee does not contain gluten. It’s made from animal milk, which is naturally gluten-free. It’s safe for people who have a gluten allergy.

Ghee benefits

  ghee benefits

  • Ghee is a good source of vitamins like vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, and vitamin D
  •   It contains vitamin E, which can help fight against heart diseases. Additionally, it contains healthy fatty acids, which are essential for supporting heart health and the cardiovascular system
  •   It can be used as a remedy for cough by mixing it with one teaspoon of ginger powder
  •   Ghee is used to improving concentration and the memory
  •   It is useful for improving the vision by maintaining eye health because it’s full of omega 3 fatty acids
  •   It can be used for moisturizing hair by stimulating the blood circulation in the scalp and promoting hair growth
  •   It’s good for pregnant women for fortifying the bones
  •   Using ghee helps improve the immune system
  •   For children, it’s useful for helping in the growth
  •   It does not spoil easily and it’s easy to store
  •   It can be used for dark circles under the eyes. In addition, it helps in the hydration of the skin cells.
  •   Ghee is useful for intestinal health due to its content of butyric acid, which supports the health of intestinal walls
  •   Studies have shown that using ghee helps lower bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol, and that is good for heart health
  •   Ghee is an excellent source of omega 3 fats (DHA) and omega 6 (CLA), which promote weight loss and help you to get rid of the extra weight. You can drink a spoonful of ghee in the morning on an empty stomach

Why to substitute for Ghee? (Special precautions!)

  • You should avoid using ghee if you have liver problems like fatty liver and jaundice
  • Ghee should be used in moderation since a high dose can cause loose motion and vomiting
  • You should use it in a small amount to avoid extra weight

ghee substitutes

The best ghee substitutes

Butter

It is a great replacement for ghee. It is a dairy product made from cow’s milk. So, it’s known to be a high-calorie food. It can be used as a spread and in cooking. It’s used also in baking cakes and muffins. Let’s talk more about its health benefits:

  • Butter is considered a rich source of saturated fatty acids
  • It’s an excellent source of fat-soluble vitamins including, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin B12, and vitamin K2.
  • It is considered a powerful antioxidant that’s because it contains carotene, which protects the body against infections and promotes cell regrowth. Additionally, it contains vitamin A, which is important for the skin and eyes and enhancing the immunity system as well.
  • Butter is a good source of calcium and other minerals like zinc, selenium, manganese, and copper, which are essential elements in building and repairing bones.
  •   Since it contains omega 3 fatty acids, it reduces the risk of heart diseases.
  •   It contains vitamin K2, which plays a vital role in preventing tooth decay.
  •   It contains Arachidonic acid which is important for brain function
  •   Most people think that butter makes you fat. In contrast, butter contains fatty acids which are easily absorbed. So, if you use it in a healthy diet, it will help you to maintain your weight or to lose weight faster.

Vegetable oils

Vegetable oils are oils that are extracted from seeds, fruits, nuts, and grains. It’s mainly used in cooking or for adding flavor.

There are different types of vegetable oil like canola oil, corn oil, olive oil, peanut oil, soybean oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, and more. Vegetable oils can be used instead of ghee in most savory dishes.

1: Olive oil

It is the best ghee substitute for being super nutritious. It is the natural oil extracted from olives by pressing whole olives.

Olive oil

It is used in cooking, medicines, soaps, and also cosmetics. It has tons of health benefits such as:

  •   Since it is rich in antioxidants, it helps protect against certain types of cancer such as breast cancer and colorectal cancer Consuming olive oil helps reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and inflammation.
  •   It contains polyphenol, which is an antioxidant, which helps protect from cancer and brain dysfunction.
  •   Olive oil may be useful for preventing Alzheimer’s disease
  •   It contains healthy fats, which help prevent diabetes by keeping blood sugar levels stable.
  •   Since it is a good source of medium-chain triglycerides and monounsaturated acids, it is helpful for weight loss.

2: Sunflower oil

It is a vegetable oil made by pressing sunflower seeds. It can be used in frying, grilling, roasting, and baking. It’s also used as food and as medicine.

sunflower oil

Sunflower oil is one of the best ghee substitutions. It has many health benefits. 

  •   It is rich in omega-6 fatty acids, which help protect against high blood pressure, heart disease, and atherosclerosis
  •   It plays an important role in improving skin health by hydrating and moisturizing hair. Moreover, it contains many vitamins such as A, C, D, E, which all help regenerate the skin cells
  •   It works as a good treatment for inflammation, pain, and allergic reactions due to its high content of vitamin E
  •   The high content of vitamin A and carotenoids may help reduce certain types of cancer such as uterine cancer and colon cancer

Using sunflower oil help improve the immune system, because it contains

  •   vitamin E, which works as an antioxidant that helps improve the immunity
  •   It is useful for reducing anxiety and depression
  •   It was proven that using sunflower oil may increase adiponectin levels in post-menopause which leads to weight loss

3: Coconut oil

It is a healthy oil that is made by pressing the meat of the fresh coconut. It can be used as a good alternative for ghee.

coconut oil

Coconut is super nutritious and has a lot of health benefits including:

  •   It contains medium-chain triglycerides, which are essential for increasing levels of good cholesterol and preserving insulin sensitivity
  •   Coconut oil is a good source of antioxidants, which help reduce depression and stress.
  •   Coconut oil pulling is used as a remedy for the oral cavity by killing the bad bacteria inside the mouth.
  •   According to researches, the fatty acids in coconut oil can curb appetite and increase burning fats by enhancing the metabolism.
  •   You can add a spoonful of coconut oil to hot water or your herbal tea. Now, it’s ready for drinking in the morning.

4: Canola oil

It is a vegetable oil made from crushed canola seeds. It’s healthy cooking oil and is considered one of the best oils for heart health.

Canola oil is a great substitute for ghee. Let’s talk about its several health benefits.

  • It’s rich in omega-3 fatty acids and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA).
  •   ALA is proved to affect blood pressure and cholesterol and that leads to protect the heart
  •   Canola oil is low in saturated fat s
  •   It is healthy to be used in cooking on high heat because it has a high smoke point
  •   Canola oil is considered a good source of vitamins E and vitamin K, which are used for reducing skin problems including, wrinkles, spots, and acne. For shiny skin, you can mix it with one of the essential oils, and apply it to your skin
  •   Studies show that if you consume canola oil for four weeks every day, it helps reduce belly fat

5: Soybeans oil

It is a vegetable oil produced from the seeds of soybeans plant. It is a good replacement for ghee. You can use it in baking, roasting, and frying.

Soybean oil

There are many health benefits of using soybean oil.

  •   It’s a good source of vitamin E, which promotes skin health. It’s useful for dry skin and combination skin and also, increase the elasticity of the skin
  •   It promotes hair growth and prevents hair fall
  •   Soybeans oil supports bone health by regulating bone metabolism
  •   It supports heart health because it is rich in healthy fats, which prevent chronic disease 

Sesame oil

It is a great substitute for ghee. Sesame oil is extracted from sesame seeds, which are known to be super nutritious. It can be used in salad dressings, or as a topping to rice dishes, sauces, noodles.

Sesam oil

Try to involve it in your diet for its health benefits.

  •   Sesame oil is a healthy oil because of its ability to improve blood sugar levels
  •   Since it contains vitamin E, it may protect against skin damage caused by sun rays and environmental factors
  •   It is rich in fatty acids omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9, which are essential for heart health
  •   It contains inflammatory properties, which are helpful in treating joint pain, cuts, and toothaches

Consuming sesame oil should be in moderation because it’s high in calories. It is low in sodium which leads to reduce the water weight. Moreover, it is a good source of protein, which helps increase metabolism and burning fats.

Rapeseeds oil

It can be used as a ghee substitute. Rapeseeds can be used in baking, dipping, roasting, frying, deep-frying, salad dressings, and more.

rapeseed oil

Using rapeseeds oil has some health benefits.

  •   It has a low amount of saturated fat
  •   It contains vitamin E, which is essential for eye and skin health
  •   It is safe to be used to cook in high temperatures

Clarified butter

It is golden and clear butter which is the fat left after removing milk solids and water. It has a high smoke point which means, it can be used in deep-frying.

clarified butter

It contains healthy fatty acids (omega-3), which support the cardiovascular system and protect the heart. Moreover, it may help reduce excessive weight

Conclusion

At the end of this article, I hope you have got the best ghee substitutes options to choose from. Try always to use the healthiest ones.

kristen carli
I am a registered dietitian nutritionist and own a private nutrition practice, where I provide one-on-one nutritional counseling to patients. I specialize in chronic disease prevention/ management, vegan/ vegetarian nutrition, pre-natal/ postpartum nutrition, wellness coaching, medical nutrition therapy, and weight management.

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