Ghee vs. Butter: Which is Better for You?

<script type="application/ld+json"> { "@context":"http://schema.org", "@type":"BlogPosting", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ben Kissam, BS" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Warrior Made", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://www.warriormade.com", "image": "https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/media/public/2020/03/ghee-vs-butter-thumbnail.jpg" } }, "headline":"Ghee vs. Butter: Which is Better for You?", "datePublished":"2019-04-30", "dateModified": "2020-03-10", "description":"In the ghee vs. butter debate, it's tough to know which is better. Both have similar nutritional value, after all. But here's why ghee is likely the best choice.", "image": "https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/media/public/2020/03/ghee-vs-butter-thumbnail.jpg" } </script> <script type="application/ld+json"> { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [{ "@type": "Question", "name": "What is the difference between butter and ghee?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Ghee and butter are high-fat dairy products. Butter is made using cows' milk and water, while ghee is a clarified version of butter, meaning it's been cooked down and filtered. The nutritional value of ghee and butter are similar, although butter has slightly more vitamin A. The filtration of ghee also removes the lactose from it, which makes it better for those with a dairy allergy." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Does ghee taste like butter?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Both ghee and butter are made using dairy products, so they have a similar taste. But because ghee goes through an additional refining process, it has a slightly nuttier, richer taste than butter does." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Which is better, ghee or butter?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The short answer is probably ghee because it has a higher smoke point (making it more versatile) is lactose-free, and has basically the same nutritional benefits as butter. Both have nutritional benefits, containing lots of vitamin A, as well as trace amounts of vitamin K and E and minerals like riboflavin." } }] } </script> <article> <div> <ul> <li><a href="#section1">What Is The Difference Between Butter And Ghee?</a></li> <li><a href="#section2">Which Is Better, Ghee Or Butter?</a></li> <li><a href="#section3">Ghee vs. Butter: Wrap Up</a></li> </ul> </div> <section> <p>For over 40 years (from the 1970s through the 2010s), the commonly held belief was that high-fat products like butter or ghee were bad for you.^{<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30084105" rel="nofollow noreferrer">1</a>}</p> <p>But those perceptions are changing.</p> <p>Now, people are cooking and baking with both dairy products, and the science shows there are health benefits to doing so in moderation.</p> <p>Here, we'll explain the difference between ghee and butter, the benefits and taste profiles of the two, and which is healthier for you.</p> </section> <hr class="divider-50 divider-medium mx-auto"> <section id="section1"> <picture class="lazy-load"> <source data-srcset="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/butter-vs-ghee-infographic.webp" type="image/webp"> <source data-srcset="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/butter-vs-ghee-infographic.jp2" type="image/jpf"> <source data-srcset="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/butter-vs-ghee-infographic.jpg"> <img src="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/butter-vs-ghee-infographic-LR.jpg" class="img-fluid" alt="butter vs ghee"> </picture> <h2>What is the difference between butter and ghee?</h2> <p>Ghee and butter are very similar products, but differ in terms of how they're made, their taste, and to a lesser extent, their nutritional profiles. </p> <p>We'll review each category below.</p> <h3>How ghee and butter are made</h3> <p>Here's the difference between how each product is made:</p> <ul> <li><strong>Butter</strong> is a dairy product made from the fat and proteins of cows' milk, milk solids, and water. Once separated from whole milk, the creamy substance is cooled, then churned (shaken up) to create the final product.^{<a target="_blank" href="https://www.exploratorium.edu/cooking/icooks/11-17-03.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">2</a>} It's used for baking, sauteing, and as a condiment on certain foods.</li> <li><strong>Ghee</strong> is a type of clarified butter, meaning it's butter that has been simmered and filtered to remove the water from it. The application of low heat changes the end product significantly. It tastes different (see below), has a higher smoke point (which makes it safer to cook with at high temperatures*), and unlike butter, is considered lactose-free.^{<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5947909/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">3, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5471386/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">4</a>} It's used for the same cooking purposes as butter.</li> </ul> <p><i>*Smoke point refers to when the compounds inside a cooking fat begin to burn and destabilize. This is important because nutrients are destroyed and toxins are produced in burned oil. So, a higher smoke point is better to cook with.</i></p> <h3>Does ghee taste like butter?</h3> <p>Both ghee and butter are made using dairy products, so they have a similar taste. </p> <p>But because ghee goes through an additional refining process, it has a slightly nuttier, richer taste than butter does.</p> <p>Chances are, though, if you're sauteing or baking with either product, you won't notice a huge difference. In fact, many recipes say it's fine to substitute one for the other at a 1:1 ratio.</p> <h3>Ghee vs. butter: nutrition facts</h3> <h4>Similarities</h4> <p>One ounce of ghee and butter both contain^{<a target="_blank" href="https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/custom/2244512/2" rel="nofollow noreferrer">5, <a target="_blank" href="https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/recipe/2603984/2" rel="nofollow noreferrer">6</a>}:</p> <ul> <li>~200 calories</li> <li>~22 grams of fat (14.4 grams of which are saturated)</li> <li>0 grams of carbs</li> <li>0.2 grams of protein</li> <li>60mg of cholesterol (20 percent of your daily requirement)</li> </ul> <p>Something important to note here is that these nutritional values relate to the <i>grass-fed</i> version of both dairy products, which we recommend for quality and nutritional purposes.</p> <p>Grass-fed dairy products have better nutritional value than grain-fed. They are higher in omega-3 fatty acids, which keep your brain healthy.^{<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31426489" rel="nofollow noreferrer">7</a>} Studies also show that a diet high in omega-3s can help reduce inflammation and reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease.^{<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29876120" rel="nofollow noreferrer">8</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28900017" rel="nofollow noreferrer">9</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25720716" rel="nofollow noreferrer">10</a>}</p> <p>By choosing grass-fed butter or ghee over grain-fed, you can reap all the health benefits of these products.</p> <h4>Differences</h4> <p>Here are some differences between ghee and butter:</p> <ul> <li>Butter has slightly more vitamin A than ghee does (butter has 1000 IU*s; ghee has 700 IUs)</li> <li>Certain brands of ghee have slightly more calories (~20 calories)</li> <li>Certain brands of ghee may have slightly altered fat profiles (most likely an increase in saturated fat for ghee compared to butter)</li> <li>Because of the additional refining process, ghee is lactose-free and butter is not**. </li> </ul> <p><i>*IU stands for international units, a measurement used for fat-soluble vitamins and minerals. Ghee contains 14 percent of your daily vitamin A requirements while butter contains 20 percent.</i></p> <p><i>**Lactose is a sugar found in dairy that many people (about 65 percent of the population) have trouble digesting. Those who are lactose-intolerant may experience cramps, bloating or indigestion from consuming dairy products.^{<a target="_blank" href="https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/lactose-intolerance" rel="nofollow noreferrer">11</a>}</i></p> <p>While the products are quite similar, there are enough differences between them to warrant the question: which is better for <i>you</i>?</p> </section> <hr class="divider-50 divider-medium mx-auto"> <section id="section2"> <h2>Which is better, ghee or butter?</h2> <p>Below we'll review the health benefits of ghee and butter, then conclude with the answer.</p> <h3>What are the benefits of ghee?</h3> <p>Here are some benefits^{<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ecpi.edu/blog/culinary-nutrition-9-health-benefits-ghee" rel="nofollow noreferrer">12</a>}:</p> <ul> <li>It is all-natural (it contains only one ingredient)</li> <li>Has a higher smoke point than butter, so it's less likely to burn and lose its nutritional value</li> <li>It contains linoleic acid, a powerful antioxidant that can help prevent cancer^{<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3766171/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">13</a>}</li> <li>It may have anti-inflammatory benefits (ancient Indian medicine mixed clarified ghee with turmeric to reduce arthritis and joint pain^{<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28322165" rel="nofollow noreferrer">14</a>}</li> <li>It's lactose-free, so those who can't eat dairy can use it</li> <li>It contains lots of vitamin A, as well as trace amounts of vitamin K and E and minerals like riboflavin</li> </ul> <p>Now, let's review the benefits of butter.</p> <h3>What are the benefits of butter?</h3> <p>Along the same lines, butter:</p> <ul> <li>It is also all-natural</li> <li>Has all of the same vitamins and minerals as ghee ^{<a target="_blank" href="https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/dairy-and-egg-products/0/2" rel="nofollow noreferrer">15</a>}</li> <li>Also contains linoleic acid, which is packed with health benefits</li> <li>Contains short-chain fatty acids, which have been linked to reduced inflammation ^{<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16225487" rel="nofollow noreferrer">16</a>}</li> </ul> <p>So, which fat source is better?</p> <p>The short answer is probably ghee, because it has a higher smoke point (making it more versatile) is lactose-free, and has basically the same nutritional benefits as butter.</p> <p>But here are two other factors to keep in mind:</p> <ul> <li><strong>The types of food you're cooking</strong>- Butter and ghee are both great for cooking, and can be used to cook meats, veggies, or even bake <a target="_blank" href="https://www.warriormade.com/content/diet/keto-desserts-to-satisfy/" rel="noreferrer">desserts</a>. Ghee has a higher smoke point so it is probably the better option for high-temp dishes (grilling, for example), but butter might be preferred for a certain baked good recipe.</li> <li><strong>Accessibility</strong>- Ghee is starting to be available in most grocery stores, but depending on where you shop you may have to order it online. Butter, on the other hand, is available in nearly every grocery store, which might make it better in certain circumstances. In either case, look for grass-fed options, as these are much healthier for you.</li> </ul> </section> <hr class="divider-50 divider-medium mx-auto"> <section id="section3"> <picture class="lazy-load"> <source data-srcset="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/butter-and-ghee-0152.webp" type="image/webp"> <source data-srcset="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/butter-and-ghee-0152.jp2" type="image/jpf"> <source data-srcset="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/butter-and-ghee-0152.jpg"> <img src="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/butter-and-ghee-0152-LR.jpg" class="img-fluid" alt="butter and ghee"> </picture> <h2>Ghee vs. butter: wrap up</h2> <p>Ghee and butter are two popular, healthy fat sources used for cooking. They are similar products, so you're not alone if you're wondering which is better.</p> <p>Here are some key points to remember about their differences:</p> <ul> <li>Ghee and butter are high-fat dairy products. Butter is made using cows' milk and water, while ghee is a clarified version of butter, meaning it's been cooked down and filtered.</li> <li>The nutritional value of ghee and butter are similar, although butter has slightly more vitamin A. </li> <li>The filtration of ghee also removes the lactose from it, which makes it better for those with a dairy allergy.</li> <li>The key in buying both is to purchase grass-fed ghee and butter. The nutritional value is much better than the regular version of either product.</li> </ul> <p>With those differences and similarities in mind, choose whichever fits your taste buds and lifestyle best. The nutritious fats will benefit your health either way and in no time you’ll know which is your go-to staple: ghee or butter.</p> </section> </article>