There’s something irresistibly magical about ghee – the golden-hued clear butter that is so widely used in Indian cooking. Adding a dollop of ghee into a saute pan, taking in that rich, nutty smell as it melts, and feeling satisfied, knowing that all the cells of your body are going to benefit from this wonderful condiment are all part of the experience.
Of course, ghee being healthy comes as a big surprise to most of us who learned that any kind of butter is antithetical to a healthy diet. But modern-day science continues to demonstrate the many benefits of clarified butter, as did the ancient Ayurvedic medicinal texts.
History Of Ghee
According to the ancient writings in the Caraka Samhita, one of the most important Ayurvedic texts, ghee or ghrita (in Sanskrit) “promotes memory, intelligence, agni, semen, ojas, Kapha, and medas. It alleviates Vata, Pitta, poison, insanity, phthisis, inauspiciousness and fever. It is the best of all fats, is cold, madhura rasa, madhura vipaka, has 1000 potentialities and so, if used properly according to prescribed methods, exerts 1000 types of action.”
Yet another Ayurvedic text of great importance, the Shushruta Samhita makes an even stronger statement on the medicinal uses of ghee; “Ghrita is sweet, mild in action, soft, cold in potency (Virya), not increasing moisture in the tissues, lubricating, relieves upward movement in the alimentary tract, insanity, epilepsy, colic, fever, and distension of the abdomen, mitigates vata and pitta, kindles agni, increases memory, wisdom, intelligence, complexion, voice, beauty, softness of the body, vitality, vigor, strength, and span of life; is aphrodisiac, good for vision, increases kapha, wards off sins and inauspiciousness, destroys poisons and demons.”
Today, research confirms that ghee is indeed a pharmaceutical magic bullet that boosts immunity, promotes weight loss, strengthens bones, and encourages great gut health. But did you know that ghee also doubles up as an extremely potent solution to all your common skin problems?
4 Reasons Why Ghee Is Good For Your Skin
- Hydrates and moisturizes dry skin: Loaded with essential fatty acids, it encourages cell hydration which leads to smooth, soft, and supple skin. For this reason, ghee is an excellent cure for dry, chapped lips and cracked heels.
- Lightens scars and treats dark spots: Ghee is rich in Vitamin E, a potent antioxidant that fights off free radicals and protects red blood cells. It is thus very helpful in lightening scars and clearing out pigmentation marks.
- Slows down the signs of aging: Common symptoms of aging like wrinkles are a result of free radicals that lower the overall health of not just your skin, but also your body. Ghee is rich in conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) which boosts our body’s antioxidant system to fight off these radicals. Regular consumption and external application of ghee can, over time, clear out wrinkles and age spots and even prevent them from returning. For this reason, Ayurveda recognizes it as a potent anti-aging solution.
- Treats inflammation: Ghee has a cooling effect on the skin and is thus, very helpful for relieving both internal and external inflammations. For this reason, it is very helpful in healing wounds and treating skin conditions like psoriasis and acne.
Reasonably-priced store-bought moisturizers come infused with harmful chemicals that disrupt the natural pH of your skin, while the ones that really do work end up costing you a fortune. Luckily, Ayurveda points out tonnes of solutions to your everyday beauty problems sitting in your pantry that do the job just as well as a fancy face cream without costing you a dime.
Of course, some of us Indian millennials working 9-hour shifts don’t have enough time to rustle up potions and facemasks. This is when wellbeing-focused brands like Lever Ayush comes in. Backed by 5000 years of Ayurvedic wisdom, Lever Ayush has worked hard over the years to bring to you a range of high-quality, organic products that give you the true benefits of cow’s ghee sans the unnecessary chemicals. Carefully curated with authentic recipes and processes prescribed in the ancient Granthas, this unique soap combines wholesome cow’s ghee with Pinda Tailam, an ayurvedic oil that helps your skin retain its moisture.
Indian summers can be pretty harsh on your skin. Sure, your skin has an inbuilt defense mechanism to fight off inflammation, sunburns, pigmentation, and dry skin, but it could certainly do with a little help! Go ahead and quench your skin’s thirst with some ghee this season. You can always thank us later!
