Cooking oils and fats · IFCT 2017
Ghee: nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, ghee carries 71.02 g saturated fat, 26.44 g monounsaturated fat and 2.54 g polyunsaturated fat, according to IFCT 2017. Among the 14 oils and fats, only coconut oil is more saturated. Ghee also holds 550 mg of alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 fat, ranking 6th of the 10 oils and fats with a value.
About ghee
Ghee is butter simmered until its water evaporates and its milk solids turn golden and settle, leaving clear, fragrant fat. In the traditional bilona method, curd is churned into makkhan and the butter is then heated into ghee; many homes instead collect malai from boiled milk for weeks and cook it down. Cow ghee is golden because it carries carotene from the milk, while buffalo ghee is white and grainier.
Ghee touches almost every Indian meal. A spoon goes over dal and rice, on hot phulkas, into khichdi and pongal, and over Rajasthani dal baati churma. It is the frying fat for halwa, sheera, ladoo, Mysore pak and jalebi in many sweet shops, the tadka fat for dal makhani and biryani, and the base of Kerala's ghee rice. NNWA's recipe collection uses it in 55 dishes, more than any other fat.
Ghee also has a place beyond the plate. It feeds the havan fire and the temple lamp, it is the fat of choice in Ayurvedic cooking, and in many families it is the first fat given to a baby, mixed into dal and rice. Brands now sell A2, bilona and grass-fed ghee at a premium; IFCT 2017 tests ghee as a single food, so it offers no separate figures for any of those labels.
What ghee brings to a meal
- 01
Second most saturated fat
Ghee has 71.02 g saturated fat per 100 g, more than any of the 14 oils and fats in IFCT 2017 except coconut oil, and ahead of vanaspati and palm oil. Some of it is short-chain butyric acid, unique to milk fat.
- 02
A fair share of monounsaturated fat
It carries 26.44 g monounsaturated fat per 100 g, about a quarter of the fat, similar to sunflower oil's share.
- 03
Very little polyunsaturated fat
At 2.54 g polyunsaturated fat per 100 g, ghee has almost none of the fat that breaks down in heat, which is why it suits high-heat tadka and frying.
- 04
Some omega-3
Ghee holds 550 mg of alpha-linolenic acid per 100 g, 16th of 203 foods and 6th of the 10 oils and fats with a value, more than gingelly or palm oil.
Ghee nutrition facts per 100 g
Every value IFCT 2017 reports for the edible portion, with the share of an adult's daily need that 100 g covers where ICMR-NIN sets a requirement.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Adult man | Adult woman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy and macronutrients | |||
| Energy | 884 kcal | 42% | 53% |
| Protein | 0 g | ||
| Carbohydrate (available) | 0 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 0 g | ||
| Total fat | 100 g | ||
| Water | 0 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 71.02 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 26.44 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 2.54 g | ||
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 550 mg | ||
Values per 100 g of the edible portion. Source: Longvah T, Ananthan R, Bhaskarachary K, Venkaiah K. Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. National Institute of Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research, Hyderabad. Daily-need shares use the ICMR-NIN 2020 recommended dietary allowances for a 65 kg man and a 55 kg woman doing sedentary work (ICMR-NIN brief note). Nutrients IFCT did not analyse for this food are left out rather than shown as zero. IFCT 2017 reports no energy value for fats and oils, so the energy shown is calculated from the fat content at 37 kJ per gram.
Cite this page
NNWA Nutrition and Wellness Academy. Ghee: nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/oils-and-fats/ghee/
Where ghee sits among Indian foods
Ranked per 100 g against the other 13 cooking oils and fats and every food in the tables.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | In cooking oils and fats | Among all foods |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 884 kcal | 4th of 14 | 4th of 257 |
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 550 mg | 6th of 10 | 16th of 202 |
How ghee is eaten
- Tadka: cumin, garlic, dried red chilli and hing crackled in ghee and poured over dal.
- On rotis and rice: a small spoon over hot phulkas, dal-chawal, khichdi or paruppu sadam.
- Sweets: halwa, sheera, besan ladoo and Mysore pak cooked in ghee for flavour and texture.
- Biryani and pulao: whole spices bloomed in ghee before the rice goes in.
- Homemade ghee: butter or malai simmered slowly until the solids brown and the fat turns clear and nutty.
Recipes in the NNWA database that use it
Before you plan around it
IFCT 2017 reports neither energy nor cholesterol for ghee. The 884 kcal per 100 g shown here is calculated from its fat, as for the oils, and no cholesterol figure is given at all, although ghee, being a milk fat, does contain cholesterol. With 71.02 g saturated fat per 100 g, a spoon on dal is fine for most people, but generous ladles every meal add up. People with high cholesterol or heart disease should agree an amount with their doctor or dietitian. Ghee is often adulterated with vanaspati or other fats, so buy from trusted dairies or make it at home.
Food composition is general information, not a diet plan. Anyone managing a medical condition should plan their diet with a doctor or a registered dietitian.
What people ask about ghee
Does ghee contain cholesterol?
Yes. Ghee is made from milk fat, which contains cholesterol. IFCT 2017 does not report a cholesterol figure for ghee, so none is shown on this page. People told to limit dietary cholesterol should count ghee within that limit.
Is ghee healthy?
Ghee is a traditional fat with good flavour and stability, but it is 71.02 g saturated fat per 100 g in IFCT 2017. A teaspoon or two a day fits most balanced diets; large amounts every day do not. Heart patients should follow their doctor's advice.
Is cow ghee or buffalo ghee better?
Cow ghee is yellow from carotene and has a lighter aroma; buffalo ghee is white, grainier and richer, and buffalo milk gives more ghee per litre. IFCT 2017 gives a single profile for ghee, and both are mostly saturated fat.
Is ghee good for high-heat cooking?
Yes. Ghee has very little polyunsaturated fat, 2.54 g per 100 g, and its milk solids have been removed, so it resists burning and breaking down at high heat better than most refined oils.
Related foods and tables
Milk
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Khoa (mawa)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Coconut oil
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Vanaspati
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Mustard oil
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Ghee vs Sunflower oil
Side by side, per 100 g.
Ghee vs Butter: Which Is Healthier, and Which to Cook With?
The portion-by-portion answer, in the NNWA journal.
Calories (energy) content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by calories (energy) per 100 g.
Omega-3 (ALA) content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by omega-3 (ala) per 100 g.
All cooking oils and fats
14 foods in this group, compared.
Learn to use this data
Certification in Nutrition
Reading food composition tables and turning them into meal plans is taught in this NNWA course.