The Truth About Ghee: Is It Good or Bad for South Asians with Heart Disease?
Ghee is a golden staple in many South Asian kitchens and often gets caught in the crossfire of modern health debates. Is it a nourishing fat passed down through generations, or a hidden culprit behind rising heart disease rates?
Let’s gently unpack the science, culture, and common sense around ghee and heart health, especially for South Asians, who may be more at risk of high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease.
Ghee & Heart Health: What Does the Science Say?
Ghee is a type of clarified butter made by simmering butter to remove the water and milk solids. The end product is rich, aromatic, and shelf-stable. And unlike butter, it's lactose-free.
What Makes Ghee Healthy?
Rich in Butyrate – A short-chain fatty acid that supports gut health, strengthens the intestinal lining, and may help reduce inflammation throughout the body.
High Smoke Point – Makes it more stable for cooking at high temperatures compared to oils that break down and oxidise easily.
Fat-Soluble Vitamins A, D, and K –
Vitamin A supports vision, skin, and immune function.
Vitamin D helps with calcium absorption, bone health, and mood regulation.
Vitamin K plays a role in blood clotting and supports bone and heart health.
These vitamins are best absorbed with healthy fats—making ghee an effective delivery system.
Source of Omega-3 Fatty Acids –
Especially in grass-fed ghee, omega-3s (like DHA and EPA) may be present in small amounts. These essential fats help reduce inflammation, support brain function, and protect against heart disease.
But here's the catch:
While omega-3s support heart health, the overall fat profile of ghee is still predominantly saturated fat. Eating too much ghee, despite its omega-3 and vitamin content, can raise LDL (bad) cholesterol, which increases the risk of heart disease. In other words, the quality of fat matters, but so does the quantity.
What Makes Ghee Unhealthy?
Ghee is high in saturated fat, which in excess can contribute to clogged arteries and raise heart disease risk. For South Asians, who often have a genetic predisposition to heart disease and type 2 diabetes at younger ages and lower body weights, this matters even more.
So instead of labelling ghee as "good" or "bad," it’s more helpful to ask:
How much are we using? How often? And what’s the bigger picture of our diet?
Role of Ghee in a Balanced South Asian Diet
Here are smart and heart-conscious ways to enjoy ghee:
Use a teaspoon or two when cooking dals, sabzi, or spreading on rotis/parathas.
Avoid combining ghee with deep-fried snacks or heavy cream-based curries.
Balance with other heart-healthy oils:
Cold-pressed mustard oil
Rapeseed oil
Olive oil for lighter cooking or salad dressings
So… Should You Stop Using Ghee If You Have Heart Issues?
Not necessarily. In small amounts and as part of a balanced diet—especially when replacing more harmful fats (like trans fats or repeatedly heated oils)—ghee can be perfectly fine.
But overdoing it, particularly in a diet already rich in fried or heavy foods, can silently add to heart risk.
If you’re managing high cholesterol, heart disease, or diabetes, it’s worth chatting with a healthcare professional or nutritionist. It might simply mean cutting back from a tablespoon to a teaspoon, not cutting it out completely.
Final Thoughts: Culture & Care Can Coexist
At SehatSpark, we believe you don’t have to give up your culture to be healthy. Ghee can have a place in a heart-smart South Asian diet—when used thoughtfully and paired with other health-supporting habits like movement, stress management, and fibre-rich foods.
So go ahead and enjoy your tadka… Just make sure to use a little and not a flood of it.