Eating Garlic Cooked in Ghee? Here’s What You Should Know
Garlic has been used for centuries as both a food and a traditional remedy, while ghee—a form of clarified butter—has become increasingly popular in cooking and wellness routines. Combining the two may sound simple, but what actually happens when you eat garlic cooked in ghee?
The answer is more nuanced than many viral health posts suggest.
Garlic contains sulfur-containing compounds, including allicin, which forms when raw garlic is crushed or chopped. These compounds have been studied for their potential effects on cardiovascular health, blood pressure, cholesterol, inflammation, and other aspects of health. Ghee, meanwhile, provides concentrated fat and fat-soluble vitamins in varying amounts depending on how it is produced.
Together, garlic and ghee can certainly be part of a balanced diet—but they should not be treated as a miracle treatment for disease.
1. Garlic Provides Beneficial Plant Compounds
Garlic contains several biologically active compounds. One of the best-known is allicin, which is produced when garlic cells are damaged through cutting, crushing, or chewing.
Research has investigated garlic compounds for their potential effects on:
- Blood pressure
- Blood lipid levels
- Oxidative stress
- Inflammation
- Cardiovascular health
- Immune function
However, the amount of these compounds you consume can vary substantially depending on how the garlic is prepared.
Cooking can change garlic's chemistry.
If you're specifically interested in allicin, crushing or chopping garlic first and allowing it to sit briefly before cooking may preserve more of the compounds involved in its formation. High heat can reduce some of garlic's enzymatic activity.
That doesn't mean cooked garlic is "bad." It simply means raw and cooked garlic are chemically different foods.
2. What Does Ghee Add?
Ghee is essentially clarified butter. During production, much of the water and milk solids are removed, leaving predominantly milk fat.
Because it is concentrated fat, ghee can make foods more filling and flavorful. It can also help the body absorb certain fat-soluble nutrients from a meal.
But there is an important consideration:
Ghee is still a source of saturated fat and calories.