Ghee or clarified butter holds a special place in Indian kitchens and daily life through decades of unquestioned trust, but this habit of consuming it without measurement poses health concerns because, while Ayurveda treats it as a wellness ritual, 100 grams of ghee packs nearly 883 kilocalories and is composed of about 62 percent saturated fat, which people often pour freely into their food without realizing that multiple unmeasured spoons across the day add up to dangerous levels of saturated fat that cause the liver to struggle with clearing cholesterol, leading to arterial plaque buildup and narrowed pathways to the heart—a risk that is even higher for South Asians due to unique body builds and a lower BMI threshold of 23—meaning healthy adults should limit total intake to 1 to 2 teaspoons daily as part of a total fat consumption between 20 to 50 grams, while keeping total saturated fat under 7 percent of daily energy, and individuals with existing heart disease, diabetes, or high cholesterol must restrict themselves to a single teaspoon a day while relying on heart-healthier oils like mustard, groundnut, or sesame for the rest of their cooking.
When Healthy Becomes a Hazard: Is Excessive Ghee Damaging Your Heart
