Hello, fellow ghee lovers! We love to talk a big game about how much we prefer ghee to butter in taste, texture, shelf-stability, (we could go on), but the question remains: is ghee healthier than regular butter? If you’re interested, you’ve come to the right place!

Ghee, which is essentially clarified butter (butter that has had its milk solids removed), contains many of the same attributes and makeups that butter does, but it is slightly different and worth exploring. 

Here’s what we found:

• Both ghee and butter contain nearly 100% of their calories from fat, but ghee has a higher concentration of butyric acrid, which is “well-known to support digestive health, reduce inflammation and lowers the risk of diseases and promote overall health.” 
• Ghee is higher in conjugated linoleic acid, which is essentially a polyunsaturated fat that has been proven to help increase fat loss.
• Although ghee is derived from a dairy product, ghee does not contain lactose, which is the sugar found in dairy products. 
• Ghee has a much higher smoke point than butter (ghee’s is 485°F, butter’s is 350°F), which means that ghee is a much more stable fat than butter for much longer. When cooking fats burn and smoke, they produce acrylamide, which is a toxic compound to our bodies. For that reason, if you’re cooking with high heat, ghee is by far the better and healthier option. 

All in all, while ghee and butter have very similar fat and caloric makeups, ghee edges butter out in health and culinary benefits, making it our preferred cooking fat of choice. 

Still skeptical? Pick up a jar of 4th & Heart ghee today and try it out for yourself!