It was exactly one month ago today that Christine and I decided it was time to implement a low-carb version of the Paleo diet into our lives to improve the quality of the food we are putting into our mouths each day. There’s something to be said about avoiding anything with artificial ingredients and just sticking to real, whole foods as the primary template of your diet. Whether low-carbers want to admit it or not, these are the staples of a healthy low-carb lifestyle and what should primarily comprise our daily menus.
To that end, we have been choosing the best foods we can possibly get into our diet. From grass-fed beef, pastured pork, coconut oil, free-range local eggs, organic veggies, fresh fruits, and even the occasional sweet potato, this Paleo-styled way of eating has been a phenomenal shift in focus for our low-carb lifestyle. One of the major differences we have implemented in this new approach compared with eating purely Atkins is the exclusion of dairy. Sure, not all Paleo diet advocates call for the removal of dairy from the diet, but I’m giving it a go since it could possibly be a culprit in preventing fat loss from happening as well as other biochemical impacts on the body (I’m testing that theory to see if it holds merit for me). For more information about the impact of dairy on health, watch “Dairy, Hormones, and Human Health” by Pedro Bastos from #AHS11.
With dairy out, that means no milk (which I don’t drink anyway except the occasional glass of raw milk), no cheese, no sour cream, no yogurt and even no butter. It’s been difficult to do without these things, especially butter, since starting Paleo. But I found a fabulous product to help fill the void for butter that is completely Paleo-friendly. It’s the Grass-fed Organic Ghee (aka clarified butter) from Pure Indian Foods. To be honest, I didn’t know what the heck ghee was because I was so used to using butter and other sources of fat in my diet. But what a find this was!
Opening up a jar of this grass-fed organic ghee is a delight to the senses because you immediately smell what seems to be a strong buttery popcorn flavor that just fills the room. In fact, my wife Christine thought I was making popcorn when she smelled it. This brightly-colored yellow stuff is the result of melting and simmering unsalted butter to separate the milk solids and water. What’s left is this amazingly stable oil that can be used in cooking on high heat (400 degrees Fahrenheit) to flavor your foods with an incredibly healthy source of fat–especially when it is heated. Plus, ghee does not require refrigeration for several months.
I’ve used the Pure Indian Foods Grass-fed Organic Ghee in sautéing vegetables in the skillet, cooking up meats in a pan, and even putting a spoonful on top of a baked sweet potato with cinnamon. It’s an excellent fat source for anyone looking to get the goodness of healthy fats into their diet in a concentrated form. The fact that it is grass-fed and organic is an absolute must as well to get only the best possible ghee in your body. You get more conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), better omega-6/omega-3 ratio (3:1 for grass-fed vs. over 20:1 for grain-fed), no antibiotics, grains, or other unnatural feed/supplements, and farming practices that are good for the environment. That’s what you get from the Pure Indian Foods brand.
It’s lactose-free and casein-free for those who are sensitive to those things. And, of course, it is naturally gluten-free so there are no worries there. This nutrient-dense real food has loads of fat soluble vitamins to help you absorb the nutrition in your foods better while attaining optimal health. And ghee is also trans fat-free! A one-tablespoon serving (which packs a powerful flavor punch to whatever you are cooking with it) has 14g total fat–nine of which are the very healthy saturated fats your body uses as fuel when you eat a carbohydrate-restricted diet! The process of making ghee removes all the protein and carbs so that all is left is this glorious fat that your body is craving to have you feed it.
Pure Indian Foods Grass-fed Organic Ghee is a fantastic addition to any diet that is healthy whether you are following a low-carb, high-fat plan like Atkins or LCHF as well as if you are avoiding dairy on your Paleo or primal lifestyle. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed using this as part of my own personal nutritional approach. It’s available in several sizes, including 7.8 oz, 14.0 oz, and 28.8 oz. They also have various herbs and spices available to be added to the ghee as well. This family-owned and operated small business has been sharing their delicious and healthy real food products since 1889 and I enthusiastically encourage you to give them a try for yourself! I LOVE THEM!
