Is Ghee Vegan?

The latest cooking craze in America is here – ghee, a zero-carb cooking fat with a rich, nutty flavor. If you follow food-related topics on social media, you’ve probably seen a lot of people using it.Is Ghee Vegan for real. Ghee has been particularly popular with people on ketogenic diets. It’s also been popular in the paleo community, since it’s similar to butter but is lactose-free. Some have even claimed it’s vegan, but there’s a lot of misinformation out there that needs to be cleared up. Here’s the skinny on everyone’s new favorite fat.

What is Ghee?Is Ghee Vegan

Ghee has been around since about 5,000 years ago when Hindu priests started using it in religious ceremonies. From there, it spread to Egypt and Ethiopia, which have their own regional variations. With the growth of global trade, it’s become a staple in kitchens around the world.

Traditional ghee is made by boiling milk, then adding some yogurt and letting the mixture sit overnight to ferment. The next day, the mixture is boiled again until all the water and milk solids are gone. This process of fermenting, then boiling the mixture is what gives ghee its distinct, nutty flavor. Modern, mass-produced ghee (the kind you’re likely to find in the grocery store) skips the fermentation process, instead of changing the boiling temperature at different stages to roast the ghee, mimicking the nuttiness of traditional ghee while cutting down production time.

What Nutrients Are Found in Ghee?(Is Ghee Vegan Or Not)

According to nutritionix.com, ghee has 115 fat calories, and zero calories from carbs or protein. It’s also a good source of Vitamin A. Like butter, ghee is high in artery-clogging saturated fat, so it should be eaten sparingly.

So, is it Vegan?

No, ghee is not vegan. Vegans do not eat any animals or anything that comes from an animal. A common source of confusion is that all the milk is boiled out of ghee, but the remaining fat is still milk fat – derived from a cow.

A good vegan substitute will depend on cooking temperature. If you’re making something like a frosting or other spread that requires low cooking temperature or no cooking at all, your best bet is to choose a non-dairy butter like Earth Balance or Miyoko’s. These kinds of butter contain no animal products and are therefore okay to eat on a vegan diet. If you’re cooking at higher temperatures, olive oil is an excellent choice for more savory dishes, and coconut oil is optimal for baking.

Why Eat Ghee?

Besides the fact that it’s delicious, ghee is a good butter substitute for people who are either lactose intolerant or abstain from lactose, like people on a paleo diet. Since it has zero carbs, it’s also perfect for people on a ketogenic diet. You can put it in your bulletproof coffee, and it will add a note of flavor while eliminating the handful of carbs found in regular butter. As for our vegan readers, we don’t have any good news about ghee but stick with the substitutes mentioned above, and your recipe will come out just fine.