Casein Free Ghee is a term used by many people to describe the milk produced by cows not producing any casein. Ghee is a substance produced in the human body by the breakdown of protein found in protein-rich meals (such as chicken or fish), and the digestion of fats found in meat. Ghee also has many health benefits. Ghee, which is commonly known as “pancake milk,” is very low-fat dairy alternative and is derived from a plant source. It may be some of nature’s healthiest food on our planet because it contains no lactose, casein or whey. Ghee is not technically dairy-based, since casein and whey are both removed during the processing of normal milk.
Ghee can be milk or cream-based; but usually it is derived from soybeans by using a modified process called trans-golstery. Ghee can be a great fat-burning food and has been shown to increase energy, lower LDL cholesterol levels and promote weight loss. Ghee is sometimes called “Indian ghee” or just plain ganja. You can get it almost anywhere in the world and usually it is available at your local grocery store. But if you’re on a diet, or if you just want to cut down on saturated fats, ghee is probably not the best choice for you. Let me explain why.
Ghee is low in fat, contains no lactose, casein or whey, and contains more antioxidants than any other vegetable oil. So, while cases of milk-dependent diseases such as cow’s milk allergy are reduced in ghee users, there may be no substitute for skim or non-fat milk products. (You should also avoid any whey protein, which is usually whey concentrate.)
For centuries, Indians have enjoyed the benefits of casein free ghee over again. Unfortunately, as with most cases of milk allergies, nowadays there are very few health food stores in India selling it. In case you are fortunate to live in a place where you can buy it, you will probably have to buy it online since it’s not widely available, and prices are usually so high that only the richest families can afford them.
I think one reason why casein free ghee is difficult to find in the west is that it’s much harder to process. If you read the label of popular brands of ghee, you will see that the product is heated to around 110 degrees in order to make it. This implies that it has to go through several processing steps, many of which are none standard in most countries. These steps include heating the milk, mashing it, breaking it up into smaller pieces, treating it with different enzymes, etc. Most of these steps are necessary for the final stage of making ghee, which is the addition of the essential fats. If the processing steps are omitted, you will have to settle for low quality, inferior grade casein.
There are other benefits of using dairy based products like cheese, yoghurt, and milk, but they are not as beneficial as casein. The biggest advantage of dairy-based products is that they contain casein and other dairy proteins that the body needs. A healthy, balanced diet is also recommended because of the health complications that can be caused by a diet deficient of dairy proteins. It’s unfortunate that dairy products tend to be priced much higher than their casein substitutes. However, this shouldn’t dissuade you from trying them because the great taste and health benefits that come with these products to make them worth the extra money.
