Ghee vs Butter: Difference and Comparison

While cooking South Asian cuisine, it is obvious that you will come across ghee. In Indian tradition, it is used in many dishes. In contrast, butter is commonly used in Western countries.

While preparing dessert or dinner, butter and ghee are required in certain recipes. Eating butter in moderation is not bad for you, but ghee can work as an alternative.

Key Takeaways

1. Ghee has a higher smoke point than butter, making it more suitable for high-temperature cooking.
2. Removing milk solids from butter creates ghee, which results in a more shelf-stable product.
3. Ghee contains less lactose and casein than butter, making it a better option for those with dairy sensitivities.

Ghee vs Butter 

The difference between the ingredients ghee and butter is that ghee is made from the milk of mammals. In contrast, butter is made from the protein and fat components of milk. The flavour of ghee is rich and nutty, whereas creamy, sweet, and smooth is the flavour of butter. In terms of healthier options, ghee is preferred as compared to butter. 

Ghee is also known as clarified butter, drawn butter, butter oil, or AMF (Anhydrous Milk Fat) in Western countries. For cooking at higher temperatures, ghee is preferred due to its higher smoking points.

Butter is included in the dairy product because it is made from churning fermented or fresh cream or milk. It is the best option for the topping of a variety of dishes.

Comparison Table

Parameters of Comparison	Ghee	Butter
Interpretation	It is clarified butter which is made from the milk of buffalos and cows.	It is a dairy product that is made from the protein and fat components of milk.
Flavor	Rich and nutly	Creamy, sweet, and smooth
Smoke point	High	Low
Shelf life	Refrigerated: 1 year	Refrigerated: 1 month
Fat	Higher cocentration	Lower concentration

What is Ghee? 

It arose in ancient India and is commonly used in Middle Eastern cuisine, Indian subcontinent cuisine, religious rituals, and traditional medicine.   

Ghee is produced by simmering butter (churned from cream), skimming impurities from the surface. Later pour and let solid residue settle at the bottom for discard while clearing liquid fat to retain.  

The ingredient ghee contains antioxidants, vitamins, and healthy fats. To absorb essential minerals and vitamins in the body, ghee plays an important role.

Carbonyls, lactones, free fatty acids, and alcohol are the main flavour components of it. The temperature of its clarification and the ripening of the butter also affect the flavour of the ghee.

What is Butter? 

Butter is a part of the dairy product which is made from the protein and fat components of churned cream. At room temperature, it is a semi-solid emulsion with 80% of butterfat.

Butter is majorly made from cow’s milk, but it can also be produced from other mammals’ milk, such as yaks, sheep, buffalo, and goats.

Butter can be a healthier part of the diet if it is eaten in moderation. It has a low carbohydrate diet which helps to maintain weight or lose weight.

As butter has several benefits but there are also some potential drawbacks of butter. Milk solids that are present in butter will start burning and turn brown at a higher temperature.

Main Differences Between Ghee and Butter 

1. In terms of nutrients, ghee contains vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin K, and vitamin E. While butter contains vitamin A, vitamin D, calcium, and vitamin E.  
2. Ghee is referred to as a healthier option as compared to butter. Because ghee has fewer calories while butter has more calories. Even the risk of cardiovascular disease is low in ghee. 

References

1. https://analyticalsciencejournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/jrs.4891
2. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1365-2621.2001.tb16082.x