Try a little ghee for brain boosting power
In Ayurveda, India’s 5,000-year-old medicinal tradition, ghee is revered as the food of the gods and is considered to be the healthiest fat to consume. It has been promoted for its versatility and its beneficial healing qualities — throughout history, ghee has been used in everything from oil lamps and religious rituals to everyday cooking and even as a healing salve for skin ailments. Although many of the claims Ayurveda makes about ghee have not been backed by scientific research, Western medicine is beginning to recognize many of its benefits, including the benefits of ghee for brain balance.
Ghee for brain strength
According to Ayurveda, ghee helps to improve memory and strengthen the brain and nervous system. (1) While there haven’t been studies dedicated to investigating such a claim, we can take what we do know about ghee and about our brains and nervous systems to deduce a connection between ghee and healthy brain activity.
Essentially, our brains are made mostly of fat, including the myelin sheaths that insulate each of our neurons. We need to eat fats to maintain a healthy and well-balanced brain. However, not just any old fat will do. The quality of the fat makes a huge difference.
Enter ghee — a delicious oil comprised of awesome omega essential fatty acids! What’s more, studies have shown that diets rich in omega-3 fatty acids are linked to lower risks of dementia (2).
Ghee is also rich in vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant that protects our cells from cancer-causing free radicals — that includes brain cells. Large-scale studies have not yet established a link between vitamin E and reduced risk of dementia, however, one study has suggested that consuming vitamin E may help slow the effects of Alzheimer’s in patients that already have it. (2)
Ghee for gut health
If we’re talking about ghee for brain support, why are we now bringing up the gut? As it turns out, our guts and our brains are connected to each other physically and biochemically through a network called the gut-brain axis. Recent studies have shown that the health of your brain can impact the health of your gut and vice versa. (3)
Ghee helps keep your gut healthy because it contains butyric acid, a short-chain fatty acid that is created when good bacteria break down dietary fiber in your gut. Our bodies make most of the butyric acid we need, but certain foods, like ghee, help to give us a boost. Butyric acid is the main source of energy for our colon cells providing them with about 70 percent of the total energy they need. It also reduces the seepage of undigested food particles in the gut and aids in the repair of the mucosal wall.
Be kind to your body, be kind to your brain
Ready to get your brain into shape? Why not start by adding ghee to your daily diet? Full Moon Ghee is made from butter that comes from local, happy, grass-fed cows. And it comes in a variety of delicious flavors! Check out our shop to see what we’ve got and then buy some ghee.
*This information is strictly for educational purposes only and not to be considered medical advice. Always seek the consultation of a medical professional before considering any new health regimen.
Sources:
2.WebMD
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