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Since ancient times, Ayurvedic doctors have simmered herbs into ghee to enhance the potency and effectiveness of herbal medicine.
Many traditional herbal formulations use ghee due to ghee’s superior ability to deliver nutrients deep into the body’s cells.
Ghee is revered for its healthy cholesterol that’s very similar to the lipid barrier that protects your body’s cells.
Since “like” substances can penetrate “like,” the ghee slides right through cell walls to deliver much-needed hydration and nutrition.
It is for this reason that Ayurveda recommends cooking primarily with ghee. The ghee carries the health benefits of your food into your tissues.
Unlike other fats, ghee does not clog your system. This is true, as long as the quantity of ghee used is appropriate to your body type and digestive strength.
For more information about how much ghee is right for you, and how to use ghee to improve your health, see: 6 Reasons Why Ghee is the Healthiest Fat.
How to take ghee as a supplement
Cooking with ghee is the easiest way to obtain health benefits, but you can also take ghee as a supplement.
To take ghee as a supplement, dissolve 1/2-1 teaspoon ghee in 1/2 cup warm water and drink it on an empty stomach.
I like to take the ghee first thing in the morning. It feels very nourishing to take ghee this way, and it is also hydrating.
You can also take it 20-30 minutes before breakfast or lunch as part of your meal routine.
Cultured ghee as a supplement
When taking ghee as a supplement, herbalized ghee is typically used, but a good quality cultured ghee is a healthy fat that will also deliver nurturing and hydrating benefits to your cells.
Cultured ghee is more refined and subtle than regular ghee, and thus able to penetrate deeply into your cells to deliver nourishment.
My take on regular ghee versus cultured is that it is always better to use cultured ghee, but it is definitely more costly.
So prioritize cultured ghee when cleansing or using ghee as a supplement, and use regular ghee for daily cooking.
Here is a a cultured ghee I recommend from my favorite ghee supplier.
Introduction to herbalized ghee
There are many different types of herbalized ghee.
The most common are bitter ghee (tikta ghrita), triphala ghee, brahmi ghee, ashwagandha ghee, shatavari ghee, and arjuna ghee.
Bitter ghee (tikta ghrita) contains a combination of some of Ayurveda’s most bitter herbs, including ghee, neem, tinospora, gymnema, andrographis, cumin, fenugreek, pcrohriza, cyperus, Indian madder and turmeric.
The very bitter qualities of tikta ghrita support mild detox for the body.
Taking detox herbs with ghee gives the detox a simultaneous nourishing effect, which can be very supportive compared to just taking the herbs alone.
Since bitter ghee is so bitter, it is best for Pitta and Kapha, and can be unbalancing for Vata.
Triphala is one of Ayurveda’s most famous herbal formulas for digestive health, which contains the superfood amalaki (also known as amla), along with bibhitaki and harataki.
Triphala ghee is a tri-doshic option, meaning it is good for any dosha.
Brahmi ghee, ashwagandha ghee, shatavari ghee, and arjuna ghee are all ghee blended with a single herb.
Each herbalized ghee is made with herbs that combine especially well with ghee.
When using an herbalized ghee, you are getting the carrier benefit of the medicine into your cells, but you are also getting a very nourishing and hydrating benefit from the ghee.
Taking herbs with ghee is especially helpful for anyone who struggles with hydration and dryness.
So how do you know which herbalized ghee is right for you?
5 types of herbalized ghee, and their health benefits
BRAHMI GHEE: Helps to strengthen the immune system and increase intelligence, longevity and memory. A rejuvenate for the nerves and the brain.
- Tastes: astringent, bitter and sweet
- Doshas: best for Pitta, then Kapha
- How to take: take 1 teaspoon dissolved in 1/2 cup water, 20-30 minutes before breakfast and/or lunch (whichever fits your schedule the best)
TRIPHALA GHEE: Supports gentle detox, improves digestion, soothes the nerves, anti-inflammatory, and improves eye health.
- Tastes: astringent, bitter, pungent, sour and sweet
- Doshas: best for all doshas
- How to take: take 1 teaspoon dissolved in 1/2 cup water, 20-30 minutes before breakfast or lunch (whichever fits your schedule the best)
BITTER GHEE: Reduces liver congestion, irritability, inflammation, and gallbladder stagnation.
- Tastes: bitter
- Doshas: best for Pitta, then Kapha
- How to take: take 1 teaspoon dissolved in 1/2 cup water, 20-30 minutes before breakfast or lunch (whichever fits your schedule the best)
See this post by Svastha Ayurveda for more information about the many ways to use bitter ghee. Unfortunately, Svastha no longer makes herbalized ghee products.
SHATAVARI GHEE: Famous for nurturing women’s fertility, menopause, menstrual and sexual health. Reduces dryness and cramping and addresses hormonal imbalances related to estrogen deficiency. Cooling, calming and soothing to the mind and emotions.
- Tastes: sweet
- Doshas: best for Vata, then Pitta
- How to take: take 1/2 teaspoon dissolved in 1/2 cup water, 20-30 minutes before breakfast and lunch
ARJUNA GHEE: A heart and blood tonic that nourishes and clears inflammation from the skin. Tonic means rejuvenate. It regulates blood pressure, heart rate, and muscle tone. Improves circulation and health cholesterol levels.
- Tastes: astringent, bitter and pungent
- Doshas: best for Kapha, then Pitta
- How to take: take 1/2 teaspoon dissolved in 1/2 cup water, 20-30 minutes before breakfast and lunch
ASHWAGANDHA GHEE: A heavy, building herb that restores, replenishes, and calms the nervous system. Great for reproductive and sexual health for both men and women.
- Tastes: bitter, sweet
- Doshas: best for Vata, then Pitta
- How to take: take 1/4-1/2 teaspoon dissolved in 1/2 cup water, 20-30 minutes before breakfast and lunch
Where to buy
Herbalized ghee is a very specialty product in the United States, so it isn’t widely available.
Pure Indian Foods is a wonderful source for herbalized ghee that is fairly easy to obtain. Siddha Soma Supreme, sold by the
I have met the owners of this New Jersey-based company. They come from 5 generations of ghee-makers in India and they are the real deal.
The downside is that you must buy directly from the company itself and spend a good amount to get a cheaper shipping rate. Due to COVID there is no free shipping.
The best shipping rates are available on orders greater than $75 shipped to the Northeast US, and over $125 for the rest of the United States. International shipping is also available.
Pure Indian Foods sells most types of herbalized ghee, as well as cultured ghee, and an INCREDIBLE VARIETY of Ayurvedic herbs, spices, teas, and Indian grocery items.
So I encourage you, when you visit Pure Indian Foods to shop around.
>> Buy triphala ghee, arjuna ghee, brahmi ghee, ashwagandha ghee, shatavari ghee
Buy bitter ghee
Pure Indian Foods does not have bitter ghee, so you need to find it from another source.
Unfortunately, I thought I had a good source of bitter ghee to recommend to you, but it turns out that I do not.
It is very difficult to find bitter ghee in the U.S., and I do not recommend the one listed on Amazon from Vadik Herbs.
The one below is good and it is what I have used, but it is currently out of stock. Just keep checking back.