Kavita Khosa
17-Sep-2025
Is ghee good or bad? Here’s what you need to know from an expert.
Inputs by: Kavita Khosa, Founder and Creative Director, Purearth
Ghee is the OG, as I often like to say.
With the vegan movement here to stay and with lactose intolerance and dairy sensitivities on the rise, I am often inundated with questions about ghee. Should we embrace it as Ayurveda has always recommended or turn away as modern vegan ethics demand? This “dairy dilemma” is one of the most pressing questions in the wellness space today.
In my book Beauty Unbottled, I explore this paradox deeply, drawing upon Ayurvedic texts, cultural traditions, and modern science. For me, ghee is not just a fat—it is memory, culture, and medicine, a golden thread that ties us back to our grandmothers’ kitchens and to the fire rituals of our ancestors.
Ayurvedic texts unequivocally state that of all fats, ghee is the best. Described as sheeta (cooling) or madhura (sweet), it can bestow “a thousand good effects by a thousand kinds of processing”. If you think milk and ghee share similar qualities, think again. Ghee has the unique ability to stoke the digestive fire (agni), whereas milk does not.
Way back in 2001, I wrote in the Namaskar Yoga Journal about the sanctity of ghee, and I have since spoken about it in countless forums, from “Kitchen Pharmacy” workshops to global trend research projects. What has always struck me is not just its physical benefits but its symbolic weight. In Indian mythology, ghee is not merely food—it is a sacred offering. It is poured into yajna fires, offered to deities, and linked to the very birth of Agni, the fire god. To this day, ghee lamps flicker in temples and homes, representing purity, abundance, and the eternal flame of life.
There’s milk, and then there’s milk.
Much of the modern backlash against dairy is rooted in experience with the wrong kind of milk. Imported breeds like Jersey and Holstein produce A1 protein milk, which is difficult for many bodies to assimilate, often leading to bloating, allergies, and inflammation. By contrast, indigenous Indian cows—the Gir, Sahiwal, Red Sindhi, and Bilona—produce A2 milk, which contains proteins that our digestive systems are better equipped to handle.
As I write in Beauty Unbottled: “Many clients who come to me with intolerance or allergy issues consume imported non-desi cow dairy, which their bodies perhaps cannot assimilate as well. New research is corroborating centuries-old indigenous knowledge about the benefits of desi cow milk and ghee.”
(Beauty Unbottled by Kavita Khosa)
The desi cow is also easily identified by the hump at the base of her neck. Ancient texts describe a subtle vein running along this hump, called the surya ketu nadi. This channel, it is said, absorbs solar, lunar, and cosmic energies—infusing the cow’s milk with vitality from the cosmos. Whether read literally or metaphorically, this symbolism is powerful. The cow becomes a living link between earth and sky, sunlight and sustenance. To consume Gir cow ghee is, in a way, to drink sunlight itself, is it not?
A nuanced approach
Of course, I am cognisant of the ethical debate around dairy. Industrial dairy farming, with its exploitation and cruelty, is indefensible. Many who choose veganism do so out of compassion and concern for sustainability. Yet, as activist and sustainability advocate Aditi Mayer shared with me, “It’s easy to fall into a black-and-white approach where all animal-based products are bad, but historically there has been a deeply interconnected relationship between mankind, animals, and the indigenous landscapes of a region. If animal welfare is paramount and production is small-scale and symbiotic, perhaps there is space to reimagine dairy.”
This is not a call to dismiss vegan choices but an invitation to nuance—to distinguish between exploitative mass dairy and sacred, sustainable practices rooted in reciprocity.
Ghee therapy
Both classical texts and modern science highlight ghee’s extensive benefits. It nourishes skin and hair, strengthens vision, relieves anxiety and insomnia, stokes digestion, promotes longevity, and aids recovery from wounds. Its unique property lies in being a perfect vahana—a carrier for medicines—because, as I note, “Ghee never gives away its own properties. It takes from others but never loses its own.” This is why Ayurveda prescribes ghee as the base for countless herbal formulations.
Even aged ghee, known as purana ghrita, has therapeutic uses. Far from spoiling, old ghee becomes more potent with time and is prescribed for epilepsy, fainting spells, head and eye disorders, and even gynaecological conditions. It is also a powerful wound healer, capable of cleansing and treating pustules. In today’s world of processed, disposable foods, this reverence for aged ghee reminds us that potency sometimes lies not in the new but in the old.
Beyond internal consumption, ghee also shines in external therapies. One of the simplest yet most profound is massaging warm ghee into the soles of the feet before bed. Known as padabhyanga, this nightly ritual grounds the nervous system, cools excess pitta heat, and promotes deep, sound sleep. I recommend it to clients who struggle with anxiety, restlessness, or insomnia—it’s a practice as comforting as it is effective. The soles of the feet contain vital nerve endings and marma points, and by nourishing them with ghee, one nourishes the entire body.
Netra Tarpana—my fave panchakarma therapy
Another extraordinary therapy is Netra Tarpana, an ancient treatment for the eyes. In our modern age of screens and digital strain, this feels more relevant than ever. The practice involves immersing the eyes in a bath of warm ghee, often infused with Triphala. It may sound daunting at first, but the experience is deeply soothing. Netra Tarpana brightens and strengthens the eyes, improves vision, calms the brain and nervous system, and promotes restful sleep. It relieves dryness, burning, and irritation caused by overuse of computers, phones, or poor lighting. In my own life, I yearn for it after long travels or intense weeks of work; it replenishes not just my eyes but also my energy and clarity of mind.
The ritual itself is almost meditative. Dough walls are built around the eyes to contain the ghee, which is gently poured in to immerse the eyes completely. With eyes open, gentle movements—looking up, down, and side to side—allow the ghee to penetrate and release accumulated heat. A mild burning sensation may occur, a sign of releasing excess pitta. After 15–20 minutes, the ghee is removed, and the eyes are left nourished, calm, and radiant. The leftover ghee can even be reused as body oil, ensuring nothing goes to waste.
So, to ghee or not to ghee?
There is no single or simple answer. For some, veganism resonates with their ethics and health. For others, Gir cow A2 ghee remains a golden elixir—consumed, applied, and celebrated as a timeless healer. What matters most is consciousness: knowing our sources, supporting ethical farming, and consuming with gratitude rather than excess. Perhaps the real question is not whether to eat ghee at all, but how to realign our choices to honour both the wisdom of our ancestors and the demands of our present world.
Cover Credits: Pexels
