Clarified butter vs. Ghee: a brief comparison

Clarified butter vs. Ghee may seem an alternative word because, in many instances, ghee and clarified butter are used interchangeably.

Clarified butter vs. Ghee is a common comparison because people mostly consider the same. Both are dairy products and are cooked from milk butter. While etymologically, ghee is an Indian Sanskrit word, clarified butter is an English word. But concerning physical properties and dietary uses in cooing, let’s check how these two act differently.  

Showing many similarities, both dairy products, clarified butter vs. ghee clarified butter, are the same in their use, nutritional value, and shelf life aspects. Ghee, the Indian name and form of Clarified Butter, originated in the Indian subcontinent. In contrast, Clarified butter is mostly associated with French cuisine.

Clarified butter vs. ghee: However, as both clarified butter vs. ghee are mainly produced by the indigenous method, its texture or flavor varies in other parts of the world considering the cooking method. You can find a fine line of difference between the two dairy products considering the process of preparation.

If we compare Clarified butter vs. ghee, clarified butter is produced from boiling pure cow milk butter. Milk butter turns into clarified butter first, which is then converted into pure ghee by further cooking. if we take Clarified butter vs. Ghee, ghee offers a more creamy texture, nutty taste, slightly caramelized aroma, and higher smoke point (482°F) than clarified butter (450°F).

Clarified butter vs. ghee: Shelf life

Organic Clarified Ghee is shelf-stable and safe to use in the diet for lactose-intolerant people. It can be consumed raw. Moreover, compared to pure Clarified butter, it offers a higher smoke point, which is 485°F. It can be of various types: Organic ghee, Grass-fed Ghee, Flavor infused ghee, etc.

Milkio Food Limited, offers various types of ghee-clarified butter: all products are , free of preservatives and GMOs. All organic ghee is certified organic by BioGro NZ Ltd (USDA organic). Milkio procures raw materials, i.e., organic or grass-fed milk butter, from within the country only. Products are:

• Organic ghee Clarified butter (organic cow ghee)
• Grass-fed Sheep Ghee
• Grass-fed ghee Clarified butter (grass-fed cow ghee)
• Buffalo Ghee

Clarified butter vs ghee: what is Clarified Butter?

• Clarified butter, the pure form of milk fat
• Ghee manufacturers produce it by boiling unsalted milk butter.
• The butter gets boiled till all moisture evaporates and the milk solid separates and precipitates, remaining the pure fat layer (butterfat) on the top.
• The residue milk solids are removed by straining the boiled liquid fat through a clean cheesecloth.
• The smoking point of clarified butter is around 485°F

Clarified butter vs. ghee: What is Ghee Clarified Butter?

Let’s compare clarified butter vs. ghee. Ghee is the Indian name and form of clarified butter. Cow Ghee is traditionally associated with Asian culinary practice, especially with Indo-Asian cuisine and Middle East food culture. The traditional manufacturing process of ghee slightly differs from traditionally clarified butter.

If we compare Clarified butter vs. Ghee, clarified butter provides a nuttier taste, aroma, color, and higher smoke point, making it even better than clarified butter.

• The ghee is produced just like clarified butter.
• It’s done by boiling the unsalted butter until all the moisture evaporates. The milk solids get separated from the pure fat layer on the top.
• Here comes the fine line. The ghee is cooked a little longer to caramelize the residual milk solids.
• This process gives ghee a nuttier taste, a slightly caramelized aroma, and a deeper golden color than clarified butter.
• The residue milk solids are removed by straining the boiled liquid fat through a clean cheesecloth.
• This process increases the smoke point of ghee to around 482°F

Clarified butter vs. ghee: are they same?

• Both Clarified butter vs. Ghee products belong to the same category and provide high smoke points, longer shelf life, and health benefits.
• Both are excellent alternatives to regular butter/ regular cooking oil.
• Both are free of lactose and casein, thus suitable for individuals suffering from lactose intolerance or allergic to casein. 
• Both Clarified butter vs. Ghee are keto diet (no carbs) and Paleo diet-friendly.
• Codex Standards specifies Ghee or Clarified Butter to have 99.6% minimum milk fat (fat content), 0.3% maximum moisture, 0.3% maximum Free Fatty acids, and a peroxide value (PV) less than 1.

Clarified butter vs. Ghee: what are the differences?

•     Cooking Process:  If we compare Clarified butter vs. ghee when further cooked, form ghee clarified butter to develop characteristic taste and aroma
•     Taste and Aroma: Ghee clarified butter has a better taste and aroma than clarified butter. Ghee is widely used as a taste enhancer in various recipes by culinary experts.
•     Provenance: Ghee clarified butter is from the Indian subcontinent, whereas Clarified butter is French. 

What is Organic Clarified Butter or Organic Ghee Clarified Butter or Grass-fed Ghee Clarified Butter?

When the cow’s milk butter, used to clarify butter or ghee clarified butter, is produced from organic milk (generated through organic dairying), the product is called “Organic.” Organic clarified butter or Organic ghee clarified butter is always certified “Organic” by authorizing agencies, e.g., USDA Organic or Certified Organic by Biogro NZ Ltd. This certification shows the authenticity of organic products to the buyers.

Similarly, when the ghee/ clarified butter is produced from grass-fed cow milk, it is called Grass-fed clarified butter or grass-fed ghee.

In both organic dairying and grass-fed dairying, most feed for milking animals comes from green grasses. Grass feeding in organic dairying also increases PUFA, Short-chain fatty acids (butyrate), Omega 3, CLA (conjugated linoleic acid), and beta carotene content in milk.

Beta carotene is an antioxidant that converts to vitamin A and plays a vital role in human health. Thus ghee or clarified butter prepared from organic grass-fed milk is more nutritious and always considered “good quality” than the conventional variety (grain-fed).

Pure Organic or grass-fed Ghee/ clarified butter, like Milkio Organic or Grass-fed Ghee, is free of additives, preservatives, and veg oil (coconut oil).

Clarified Butter and Ghee Benefits: Clarified butter vs. Ghee

The nutritional benefits of both Clarified Butter and Ghee Clarified Butter are almost the same. Daily consumption of Clarified Butter or Ghee Clarified Butter imparts various health benefits.

It increases physical and mental stamina, improves digestion, and eyesight, enhances the complexion and glow of the face and body, improves hair, binds toxins, helps in weight loss, and provides sustained energy.

Moreover, Pure cow ghee has immense importance in Ayurveda due to its medicinal properties. The primary nutritional elements in clarified butter or ghee are:

•     CLA (conjugated linoleic acid): CLA helps in immunity enhancement and improved bone mineralization
•     Omega-3 Fatty Acids (Essential Fatty Acids): Omega-3 fatty acids are beneficial to heart, brain, eye, and other tissue functions
•     Butyric acids: Butyric acid, an essential short-chain fatty acid, helps in digestion and contributes to a healthy digestive tract. It helps in releasing constipation. Organic or grass-fed ghee/ clarified butter contains a higher amount of butyrate.
•     Beta-carotene: Organic or Grass-fed Clarified butter or ghee contains a higher concentration of beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is an antioxidant and precursor for vitamin A, essential for retina function, healthy skin, and infection prevention. 
•     Saturated fats: Both are loaded with saturated fat, which works as a filler food. Both are high in calories, so moderate consumption with tea coffee, etc. provide sustaining energy.
•     Rich in Fat-soluble Vitamins A, D, E, K, which are essential for immunity, skin, and eyes, and calcium metabolism in the human body
• Both Clarified butter and ghee clarified butter in the diet at the daily course, and an active lifestyle can improve the natural immunity of the consumers.

Apart from these, ghee has immense importance in Ayurveda for ages due to its medicinal properties:

• Ghee is in use to decrease inflammation. Ghee’s diet is considered a superfood to promote health, growth, and expansion of consciousness for centuries in Ayurveda. 
• Ayurveda uses ghee clarified butter in different herbal preparations for curing various diseases. Ghee acts as a carrier of multiple herbs and spices with medicinal properties. It improves the absorption and assimilation of ayurvedic medicines.
• Ghee clarified butter makes a beautiful body oil for massage. It serves as a base for herbal ointments for burns, skin rashes, or hair oil.

How to store organic clarified butter or organic ghee clarified butter?

Both, often called liquid gold by dairy lovers, are storage-friendly. Suppose you store organic clarified butter or organic ghee clarified butter in your refrigerator. In that case, it will turn into a solid butter-like texture. Alternatively, it can be held for 18 months without the support of refrigeration in your kitchen.

Are you following Keto (ketogenic diet) or Paleo or DASH diet?  

Let’s check the comparison of Clarified butter vs. Ghee. If yes, you can introduce pure clarified butter or ghee in your diet plan. This dairy staple is free of casein and lactose and will never invoke food allergy in you if you are lactose intolerant or allergic to casein.

Are you looking for versatile cooking oil?

Clarified butter or ghee is considered superior to other cooking fats and oils. This is because of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, K, characteristic short-chain fatty acids, and essential fatty acids. Moreover, both have a higher smoke point.

• You can use clarified butter or ghee for baking, sautéing, or deep frying. Its high smoke point is an advantage for you. But ghee offers a higher smoke point (482°F) than clarified butter (450°F), thus makes a better choice for high-heat cooking, baking, frying, or sautéing.
• Organic clarified butter or Organic ghee clarified butter offers rich taste than conventional one: you can use it to cook risotto, pasta dishes, or cooking seafood or chicken delicacies.

Choose Ghee Clarified Butter over Clarifier Butter for more taste, aroma, and cooking benefits!!

• The pure cow ghee clarified butter offers a creamy texture, nutty taste, caramelized aroma, and higher smoke point than clarified butter.
• Both clarified butter and ghee clarified butter can be used as a substitute for each other in the culinary process. For high-temperature cooking, ghee is a safer option for its higher smoke point. Cow ghee smoke point is 485°F.
• Ghee clarified butter can be used for grilling meat, roasting veggies, or adding to salads, as well as can season the mashed avocados to bring more taste and aroma to your food.
• This pure dairy butter (Ghee butter) can be used as a spread on your morning toasts.
• Ghee clarified butter is important in Ayurveda and can be applied externally on the skin and hair.

Final verdict: Clarified butter vs. Ghee

Let’s check Clarified butter vs. Ghee. If we Compare clarified butter ghee or ghee, clarifier butter is a tastier and more cooking-friendly option. We can safely conclude that Clarified butter vs. ghee both come under the same category of dairy products, but ghee is superior when considering taste, aroma, and smoke point!

Best quality ghee like Milkio Organic grass-fed ghee or Grass-fed Ghee always provides some extra taste and flavor in your daily meals! 

Moderately use ghee with your daily food. It is health-friendly.

About Milkio Grass-fed Ghee:

Try Milkio grass-fed ghee, which is prepared in New Zealand from local and imported ingredients. Milkio grass-fed ghee is all-natural and does not contain artificial color, flavor, and chemical preservatives.

Milkio grass-fed ghee products are verified as non-GMO. Milkio Foods, the leading grass-fed ghee manufacturer and exporter, produces them. The ghee is all-natural and offers an intense nutty feel-good aroma, rich, creamy texture, and additive-free quality, making it a superfood for the kitchen.

Milkio Ghee is gluten, lactose, casein, carb, sugar, and chemical-free product safe for consuming lactose intolerants and casein sensitives. It is keto and paleo diet-friendly.  Milkio ghee products do not contain artificial color, flavor, or preservatives.

Reference Links :

• Ghee
• Butter