Ghee has recently become a popular cooking fat that substitutes butter as a natural and wholesome ingredient. It has remained a staple in Indian cooking and getting famous in other parts of the world as a healthier form of butter. However, it is important to find out whether you can add it to a restricted diet without any concern.
So, is ghee plant based? No, ghee is not plant based. While it is a common notion that ghee contains no milk, and can be used as a part of a dairy-free diet, it is derived from milk which is an animal product and is therefore not plant-based.
Read on to find out whether there is any substitute for ghee that you can add to a plant-based diet.
Top 3 Ghee Substitutes For A Plant Based Diet
Looking at the production process of ghee, it is easy to believe that it is a good addition to a plant-based diet. However, ghee contains butterfat and is derived from animal products which is why it is not a plant based food.
There are several dairy-free alternatives for ghee for those who want to follow a strict plant-based diet. Plant-based fats like olive oil and coconut oil can be used to replace ghee in recipes. You can also find vegan ghee from several brands and even make your own dairy-free ghee at home.
Vegan Ghee
The plant-based version of ghee is generally made out of avocado oil or coconut oil to make it dairy-free. These oils are kept natural by using cold pressing or steam refining processes. You can even make this ghee at home by heating coconut oil and adding other ingredients like turmeric, curry leaves, guava leaves and others to achieve the flavor.
Some brands use ghee flavor obtained from fermented plants and sunflower to provide a ghee substitute that tastes and smells the same. Just like regular ghee, vegan ghee is ideal for cooking at high temperatures and can be used in a variety of recipes and even enjoyed as a spread.
Canola Oil
A plant-based ingredient used in baking, stir-frying and grilling, canola oil is a good substitute for ghee for those who want to avoid dairy. It is a versatile vegetable oil obtained from seeds and can be used in the same way and amount as you would use ghee.
Canola oil can be easily used to make curries and saute vegetables. If you are looking for a healthy, plant-based ingredient that replaces butter or ghee in recipes, canola oil is certainly a great option.
Non-Dairy Butter
There are many companies offering a dairy-free version of butter to suit those who follow a restricted diet. You can find a variety of spreads in different flavors made out of plant-based ingredients like avocado oil and olive oil from a number of brands to replace ghee used in everyday diet.
These products contain no animal products and can be added to a plant-based diet without any problem. The non-dairy butter is also ideal for cooking at low temperatures to suit a variety of recipes that need substituting ghee for a plant-based diet.
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