Ayurveda Health Benefits and Uses of Ghee


According to Ayurveda ghee improves memory, body energy, skin glow, quality of semen, sexual function, the health of eyes, clarity of voice and rejuvenates the body.

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Table of content

Balances Vata dosha and Pitta dosha

Improves quality of sleep

Helps in diabetes

Kindles appetite and improves digestion

Nourishes body tissues

Enhances functions of sense organs

Boosts fertility

Types Based on animal milk

Health benefits of Cow’s ghee

Properties of clarified butter prepared out of buffalo’s milk

Types based on age

Ghee and oil are widely used in the Ayurveda system of medicine as mediums to administer herbal preparations. Herbs, pastes of herbs, or decoction of herbs are infused in these fatty mediums and later administered to patients after diagnosing the conditions and diseases. This is also known as clarified butter.

Health Benefits and Uses  – An Ayurveda View

Texts of Ayurveda explain the health benefits of ghee as follows

Health Benefits and Uses of Ghee - An Ayurveda View

It Balances Pitta Dosha and Vata Dosha

This fat balances pitta dosha and Vata dosha. Pitta dosha is the fire element. Since pitta increases at the noon and in summer, it is always advisable to use a teaspoon of clarified butter for lunch. Vata dosha increases in the evening time. Hence this can be used for dinner too.

Improves Quality of Sleep

This fat promotes a good sleep pattern. Good sleep in turn reduces anxiety and stress. and also helps to wake up with good energy. You can add a teaspoon of ghruta to a cup of hot milk and drink it before going to bed. If you have a habit of drinking ashwagandha milk (ashwagandha latte) or Turmeric Milk (turmeric latte), you can add this to these recipes too.

Helps in diabetes

This is a healthy fat and a good source of energy for people suffering from diabetes. When this fat is consumed, it satiates hunger and also prevents food cravings for a very long time. This helps to cut down calorie intake as the body uses clarified butter for its energy supply. A diabetic patient can consume 5 to 10 ml of this per day.

It Kindles Appetite and Improves Digestion

Since this fat balances both pitta dosha and Vata dosha, it balances the digestion process. (The process of digestion is mainly influenced by these two doshas. ). This healthy fat strengthens the Agni, the body fire, and normalizes the digestion process. It also helps to evacuate the bowel in the morning and prevents constipation. This fat derived from milk is also used in ayurvedic suppositories to address piles, fistula, and constipation.

Nourishes Body Tissues

Since it aids in normal digestion, all 7 dhatus of the body get nourished.  It improves the nutritional value of rasa dhatu (lymph). It boosts the quality of shukra dhatu. The aura and Ojas both get enhanced by using this regularly. It lubricates joints, muscles, tendons, and all body tissues. It acts as a body coolant and also imparts softness to the skin and joints.  It also boosts immunity and acts as a body rejuvenator (rasayana). This can be used by people of all ages.

Enhances Function of Sense Organs

This fat improves the clarity of voice. It enhances the complexion and glow of the skin. It improves hearing capacity and clarity of vision. It boosts memory power and also improves the grasping power of the brain.

Boosts Fertility

Since it strengthens shukra dhatu, it helps to improve sperm count and sperm motility in men. It also helps to boost male sexual function. In women, it improves uterine health. Women who are not obese, but have PCOS or PCOD, are advised to use this fat to improve their fertility.

It is Auspicious

Ghruta is considered Lakshmi (goddess of wealth). It is used in Yagna and Havana. The lamp burned with this fat is regularly lit in front of god to repel negative energy and attract positive energy to the home.

Types of ghee in ayurveda

Ayurveda acharyas mention different types of ghruta. Among these

  1. Clarified butter prepared from cow’s milk
  2. Clarified butter prepared from Buffalo’s milk

The one prepared out of cow’s milk is considered to be having medicinal properties and is widely used in ayurvedic preparations.

Ayurveda Health Benefits of Cow’s ghee

This has the following properties-

  • It boosts memory and concentration.
  • Helps in enhancing intelligence.
  • Rejuvenates the skin from the inside and increases its glow.
  • Boosts body energy
  • Detoxifies the body and is the best ayurvedic detox for men.
  • Balances Vata. (Imbalance of Vata causes diseases)
  • Increases clarity of voice.
  • Balances pitta.
  • Nourishes the body
  • Improves digestion and increases body fire or Agni.
  • Strengthens Shukra Dhatu.
  • Best ayurvedic medicine for erectile dysfunction
  • Increases quality and quantity of semen.
  • It is very effective in disorders of the eye.
  • Acts as a good Rasayana (rejuvenator and anti-aging)
  • It is the best form of fat.

Properties of ghee prepared out of buffalo’s milk

This has the following medicinal properties

1. Strengthens the body.
2. Makes you feel healthy
3. Increases fairness and glow of the skin.
4. Normalizes Kapha dosha and Vata dosha
5. It is very effective in piles (hemorrhoids), IBS (irritable bowel syndrome),
6. It is used in disorders of the eye.

Among these two, the one prepared out of cow’s milk is considered to have more medicinal properties. A freshly prepared one is very effective and useful.

Types based on the age

There are two types of this fat based on their age.

PURANA GHRITA

The ghee which has been kept for 10 years is called “PURANA GHRITA”. It is widely used in treating epilepsy and other neurological disorders.

KUMBHA SARPI or MAHAGHRITA

The ghee which has been stored for more than 100 years is called “KUMBHA SARPI”. The one which is stored for more than 100 years is called “MAHAGHRITA”. Mahaghrita is used in chronic cough and disorders of the eye,

“Mahaghrita” should not be administered for tuberculosis, upper respiratory tract infections, and bronchitis when mucous secretion is more, indigestion, constipation, fever, and diabetes.

Ghee and cholesterol

This is an input from Dr.Shirish Bhate a famous ayurvedic physician

“Indian country cow Ghee reduces cholesterol, does not build it. This is an experience with several Cardio-Vascular-Disease (CVD) patients. One of them very recently completed a 21 km Marathon non-stop in Mumbai, in a slow jogging mood, and is now considering going to Himalayan Treks. Clarified butter prepared from local Indian cow’s milk is also used in Cancer Camps, where all types of secondary cancer patients are being treated by PanchGavya medicines.

Of course, the ability of this fat in reducing cholesterol may differ depending on the type of cow and her diet. Some Goushalas experiments are in progress to study the correlation between cow diet and resulting PanchaGavya medicines. Different cow breeds have slightly different properties.

In Ayurveda, several medicines are prepared by boiling butter along with fresh herbs/herbal powders/extracts since fat squeezes out all the medicinal properties of herbs, almost equivalent to taking the fresh juice of the herb. Arjun Ghruta is a well-known heart toner made using this fat, to cite an example. At least fifty others come to mind.”

How much ghee is good?

The dose of this fat  should typically be 1-2 tsp in every meal unless directed otherwise.

Also Read

Vajikarana Ghee 

(WhatsApp Dr.Savitha Suri @+ 91 6360108663/  to know more about ayurvedic treatments and remedies )

Author – Dr.Savitha Suri. Consultant ayurvedic physician. 

Reference:  Ghee : Its Properties, Importance and Health Benefits

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