A2 Cow Ghee - the best desi ghee to eat
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Want to know more about A2 Ghee (Gir or Desi Cow Ghee)?
You’re in the right place!
A2 Ghee (made from Gir or desi cow milk) has become very popular in the last couple of years. But should you buy A2 Ghee for your family?
The short answer is yes because A2 (Gir or desi cow) ghee has many health benefits compared to the regular ghee.
Read this post if you want to learn why A2 Ghee is the better option. You’ll learn:
- What is A2 cow ghee?
- How is it different from regular ghee?
- How is A2 ghee made using Vedic or Bilona method?
- What are the health benefits of A2 ghee?
- Want to know more about A2 Ghee (Gir or Desi Cow Ghee)?
- Where to buy the best A2 ghee?
History of A2 ghee
For thousands of years, our ancestors have eaten ghee made from desi cows. They knew health benefits of eating desi cow ghee. It was a must have in every Indian kitchen.
Since white revolution starting around 1965, the ghee we eat changed dramatically due to use of hybrid cows.
So the big question is–Are we eating the same ghee as our ancestors ate?
No!
Today, most commercial ghee is made from industrial milk that comes from hybrid cows. This milk lacks some key nutrients of desi cow or Gir cow milk. It also has some unhealthy things, like hormones.
A2 ghee, on the other hand, is made from the milk of Indian breed of cows called desi cow. Gir is the most popular breed of desi cow.
A2 ghee (Desi or Gir cow ghee) is what our ancestors ate. It’s now making a comeback as Indians are becoming more health conscious.
But there is a lot of misinformation about what exactly is desi cow ghee and why we should eat it.
You will find answers to all your questions about desi cow ghee in this post.
What is A2 ghee (desi or Gir cow ghee) ?
How is A2 cow ghee different from commercial or A1 ghee?
Desi cow or A2 ghee is rich in A2 protein, while the commercial ghee we buy from the market is rich in A1.
All popular brands of ghee are A1 ghee.
Our ancestors ate A2 ghee and considered it very healthy.
Why?
Recent research into milk proteins suggests that A2 milk, when taken over a long time, builds immunity, helps fight diabetes, coronary heart disease and hypertension.
The commercial dairy milk rich in A1, on the other hand, can cause type-1 diabetes, coronary heart disease, arteriosclerosis, sudden infant death syndrome, autism, or schizophrenia etc.
This is the main reason for increasing popularity of A2 cow ghee.
We now know that eating A2 ghee is good for our health while eating commercial ghee is bad.
There are some physical differences between the two types of ghee.
Desi cow’s milk is yellowish. The A2 ghee, made from desi cow milk, is also yellowish.
But commercial ghee made from A1 milk is mostly white.
How is A2 ghee made using Vedic or Bilona method?
Traditionally, Bilona method, also called Vedic method, is used to make A2 ghee (desi cow or Gir cow ghee).
This is a 4-stage process:
- Curd is made from A2 milk from desi cows in a clay pot.
- Curd is then hand churned with a wooden churner (called mathani). This churning leads to curd separating into butter and butter milk.
- This butter is then separated from the butter milk.
- The butter is then heated in a thick iron vessel on mild cow dung cake fire to get A2 ghee.
The quality of ghee depends on the quality of milk. The quality of milk depends on what cows are fed and how they are treated.
Ideally:
- The cows should be allowed to graze freely in grasslands and fed green feed like grass and leaves
- Cows should be free to roam and not tied in one spot like in a commercial dairy
- Cows should not be given any hormones or antibiotics.
- Milk should be extracted only after the calf has had sufficient milk.
- Cows should be treated with Ayurvedic medicinal herbs, like shankhpushpi, ajwain, shatavari, ashwagandha, etc.
- Cows should be regularly given neem sprays to keep them healthy
- Each cow should be treated just the way one would treat their own mother. There is a reason why we worship cows. Even Lord Krishna worshipped and loved his cows.
Differences between Bilona A2 ghee and Homemade A2 ghee
Ghee made from the cream of A2 milk at home (or commercially) is not the same as Bilona ghee
- The Bilona A2 ghee is wholesome, as it is made from curd. So it retains all the good nutrients of the milk.
- The home-made A2 cow ghee is made from only the cream of milk. So it’s primarily fat and lacks some nutrients of A2 milk.
- Bilona ghee is more easily digested compared to home-made ghee
- The Bilona ghee has more of DHA and MUFA as compared to the home-made ghee from the cream of milk
As per NABL accredited laboratory report, the Bilona A2 Ghee is very rich in MUFA & PUFA fatty acids, Vitamin A with Zero Sodium. It’s free from any pesticide, antibiotic, hormone or preservative.
A2 ghee made using Bilona method is one of the best cooking medium, according to nutritionists. This is because it has two important components–DHA and MUFA.
- DHA is Docosahexaenoic acid, which is an omega-3 fatty acid. It is the building block for our brain cells, retina, and skin.
- MUFA is Monounsaturated fatty acid. It lowers your Lower Density Lipoprotein (LDL) and maintains your high-density lipoprotein (HDL).
LDL is bad for our heart, while HDL is good for the heart. MUFA can also control your insulin and blood sugar levels.
Health benefits of A2 ghee
A2 Ghee has multiple health benefits, particularly for your heart.
Desi cow Ghee is the healthiest, all-natural source of edible fats and has no preservatives. According to Ayurveda, it promotes immunity and longevity.
According to Ayurveda, desi cow ghee is a healthy fat and a vital food for healthy skin, mental clarity, memory, motor skills, heart, hormonal balance and digestion.
It is also called “nectar for the brain.” Bilona or Vedic method contributes to A2 ghee’s medicinal properties:
Desi cow ghee is all natural. It contains no preservatives and additives. So it’s safe and does not have any harmful chemicals and hormones.
A2 cow ghee helps in improving our digestive system by revitalizing secretion of enzymes. The butyric acid in A2 ghee helps in strengthening the inner gut lining of our intestine, helping in digestion.
A2 ghee is also easy to absorb as it contains lower chain fatty acids. Hence, it can improve the productivity of our immune system. It is used in Ayurveda to treat ulcers and constipation.
Adding A2 ghee to food reduces its glycaemic index, which in turn, helps regulate your blood sugar levels.
Vitamins A, D, E, and K found in A2 ghee are fat-soluble vitamins. Vitamin K 12 present in A2 ghee helps in reducing the calcium deposits in the arteries. This reduces the risk of heart disease.
If eaten in moderate quantities, the good fats in desi cow ghee helps in boosting your good cholesterol levels, HDL. It balances out the HDL and LDL in the body, which is good for the heart.
- Desi cow ghee is rich in Omega-3 and Omega-9 fatty acids. Cows absorb these nutrients from the green grass that they consume. These are healthy for the human body.
- Omega-3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fats. Our body cannot make this fat. These fatty acids reduce blood pressure, triglycerides, and formation of calcium deposits in arteries. This helps in maintaining your heart’s health.
- Omega-3 fatty acids help in weight management and reducing waist size.
- When you consume higher levels of Omega-3, blood levels have better bone mineral density.
- Omega-9 increases good cholesterol and decreases bad cholesterol levels. It removes plaque build-up in our arteries, which can cause heart attacks and strokes.
- Omega-9 reduces insulin resistance among diabetes patients.
- Omega-9 improves memory among people who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease.
- Omega-9 boosts our immune system.
Regular consumption of desi cow ghee strengthens the bones and increases the bone density.
It prevents diseases like asthma & headaches & helps in cases of insomnia.
Desi cow ghee is recommended during pregnancy. It nourishes the health of both the mother and the foetus.
A2 ghee can also help in improving eyesight.
Gir or desi cow ghee helps in healing external wounds. If applied in the infected area, healing is faster.
Why is A2 ghee more expensive than commercial ghee
A2 ghee is more expensive than the commercial ghee because of multiple reasons.
Desi cow gives only 2 to 3 litres of milk a day. First the calf is fed and then only the left-over milk is used for commercial use. This makes the milk expensive.
To prepare 1 kg of A2 ghee, approx. 30 to 35 litres of desi cow milk is first set to curd in earthen pots.
This curd is hand churned using hand churner to get butter. This butter is used to prepare 1 kg of A2 ghee in iron vessels over cow dung fire.
The labour and the quantity of milk needed to make one litre of A2 ghee make it expensive.
The price of A2 ghee varies from Rs.1600 to Rs.3500 per kg.
Some A2 ghee producers can sell butter milk produced during the Bilona method to recover some costs. These producers are able to sell at a lower price than those who cannot sell the butter milk.
The Commercial ghee you buy in the market is made from industrial milk from dairies.
Dairy industry uses centrifugal machines to separate cream from milk. The cream is then heated to get butter oil that is sold as ghee. The milk is sold as skimmed milk.
On an average, 30 kg of A1 milk produces 1 kg of cream and 29 kg of skimmed milk.
The company makes its profit from selling the skimmed milk.
Ghee or butter oil is an extra income for the company. So it can afford to sell the butter oil as ghee at a relatively lower price.
At Rs.60-65 per litre, the dairy company earns almost Rs.1700-1800 for 29 litres of skimmed milk. If we add to that Rs.400-500 for one litre of ghee, total income from 30 litres of milk comes to Rs.2,200-2,300.
This is approximately the same as what A2 ghee producers get for one litre of A2 ghee that uses 30-35 litres of milk.
Where to buy A2 ghee?
You can buy A2 cow ghee from many places. But before you buy, check the product description and lab report to ensure it’s made from desi cow milk.
I have bought and tested many brands of a2 ghee and found Vanalaya Organic A2 Desi Gir Cow ghee sold on Amazon to be the best. The 400 ml bottle comes for Rs.799.
I have talked to the company and found them to be genuine. They sell the butter milk produced during the Bilona method. So, they are able to sell ghee at a lower price than many others.
Click the button below to buy it from Amazon.
How to store desi cow A2 ghee?
A2 ghee has a long shelf life. Even without refrigeration is remains fresh for almost a year.
You should store it in a glass or ceramic pot and keep away from sunlight.
How to identify desi or Indian breed of cows?
A2 milk producing desi Indian cows, have a hump.
It is believed that Surya-Ketu Nadi (vein) in the hump makes these cows different from other breeds.
It is this Nadi (vein) that absorbs sunlight and produces vitamin D3. More vitamin D means better absorption of calcium by our body.
