Ayurvedic practices help guide the decisions and products that comprise Ahara Rasa. Holistic approaches, viewing food as medicine, and intentional processes are some of the elements we’re proud to incorporate when crafting high-quality ghee for our community. Let’s take a deeper look at what Ayurveda is, and how Ayurveda relates to crafting the purest ghee we can produce.
What is Ayurveda?
Ayurveda refers to a set of beliefs born out of an Ancient Hindu tradition, and translates literally to “the science of life.” Some of these practices are almost 5,000 years old! Written according to ancient Vedas – sacred texts translated from Hindu gods – Ayurveda seeks to align body, mind, and spirit.
Ayurveda's Core Beliefs
The Ayurvedic belief system views the human body as the same as the universe: comprising five elements that combine into three energy types or doshas. These five elements are space, air, water, fire, and earth. The three doshas are Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. These energies dictate how specific bodies function, and the three should be kept in balance for the body to exist in its optimal state.
Principles Related to Each Individual
While individuals may share the same bio-energy or dosha, Ayurveda states that every person has a unique pattern of energy that underscores their physical, emotional, or mental characteristics. This personalized constitution, or Prakriti, determines each individual’s ideal daily routine including lifestyle, self-care, and nutritional guidelines, and what should be adjusted to support the individual through seasonal changes.
Why Energy Should Be Kept in Balance
Maintaining an energetic balance allows individuals of each primary dosha to remain healthy and energetic. Disease, illness, or an otherwise altered state of being can indicate one of the doshas is blocked or off-balance. The imbalance itself is not what causes an illness or a sense of ‘dis-ease.’ Rather, it changes the person’s Agni or digestive fire, which leads to a toxicity buildup in the body that then manifests as physical or mental symptoms.
How is Ayurvedic Balance Maintained?
Combining intentional nutrition, self-care, herbal incorporation, mental health support, and mindfulness practices help to optimize each individual’s balance. Yoga is an important and more popular branch of Ayurveda, as both practices aim to balance the mind, body, and spirit, and elevate consciousness. Despite some Westernization, yoga has never been purely about exercise; it is a sister philosophy that helps maintain and restore the balance of doshas. Various postures, or asanas, aim to facilitate holistic wellness in concert with an Ayurvedic lifestyle.
How Does Ghee Relate to Ayurveda?
Ayurveda describes ghee as a foundational healing food and powerful medicine. This belief system celebrates ghee, believing it promotes clarity and a blissful state of being by kindling one’s digestive fire (Agni) and balancing the doshas. Ghee is also said to be a medicinal carrier, as it absorbs the medicinal properties of herbs cooked within it and delivers those beneficial properties directly to the affected bodily tissues.
Ghee is Sattvik in nature, which from Sanskrit translates to being characterized by harmony and goodness. Ghee plays a spiritual role in Ayurveda as well. Since ghee is a Sattvic food, it is believed to promote purity, calmness, and emotional balance. It is also valued as an enhancer of both physical and mental strength.
In Ayurveda, topical and external therapies also involve the use of ghee. Some consider it an anti-aging tonic, but it is also said to support eye care, provide a cooling sensation to burns, lubricate joints, enhance the complexion, reduce dry skin, and promote healing of external wounds or infections.
Does All Ghee Support an Ayurvedic Lifestyle?
Traditionally, ghee was made at home by the practitioner. However, today’s society doesn’t necessarily support the time it takes for everyone to craft homemade ghee. When choosing a ghee to purchase to support a healthy Ayurvedic lifestyle, here are a few things to consider:
Slow Cooked versus Machine Processed
Authentic ghee is always cooked slowly over an open flame. The proper cooking process preserves the naturally-occurring vitamins and minerals, resulting in a healthier product compatible with a healthier lifestyle.
Richness of Texture, Color, and Flavor
Traditional and authentic ghee should be rich in both texture and flavor; some commercially-processed ghee is mild or flat. True ghee should maintain a slightly grainy texture while tasting and smelling deeply toasty and nutty. While traditionally-made ghee can sometimes be pale in color, grass-fed ghee naturally contains a higher level of beta-carotene which comes through in a deeper yellow color.
Properties of Source Materials
Mass-market ghee is often made as cheaply as possible, and its source materials lack the properties that result in optimal ghee. Often, they are produced from milk fat rather than actual butter. Grass-fed cows absorb the subtle energies (Prana) of the sun and the earth, which are brought forward into ghee when their rich butter is cooked slowly. Grass-fed ghee is abundant in various fatty acids, CLA (conjugated linoleic acid), and butyric acid that support the gut, microbiome, and metabolic health.
Plastic-Free Production
Quality, healthy ghee should be crafted with processes and products that support and align with the health of the earth alongside the health of the body. Nourishing food comes in containers that protect the food and the environment, not contaminate it. A holistic approach to crafting and cooking means considering everything that touches the food, what kinds of wastes are produced during its making, and avoiding packaging that can introduce toxins and/or microplastics into otherwise pure foods.
How Does Ahara Rasa Incorporate Ayurveda?
At Ahara Rasa, we believe in crafting ghee through an intentional process that brings forth rich flavors and nutritional value. Cooking and sharing delicious food is our love language. Crafting true ghee — not cheap, mass-produced ghee — and incorporating that true ghee into nourishing meals is one way we care for ourselves and our community.
We choose intentional cooking and eating, prioritize time for self-care, maintain a spiritual practice, and preserve a consistent daily routine. We focus on healthy, clean living and caring for our environment as part of our lifestyle. Our goal is not to be perfect Ayurvedic practitioners; rather, our goal is to share ghee as a healthier alternative to other cooking oils that can be a fantastic addition to any style of everyday cooking.
That being said, we are makers of slow-cooked, grass-fed ghee; we are not doctors. This lifestyle works for us, and we encourage you to choose practices that support your own physical and mental well-being. If you’re not sure if a shift, practice, or nutritional structure will work for you, it’s always a good idea to consult your physician.
We will say this: Cooking delicious, flavorful meals is easy with great ghee. Our selection of traditional and flavored ghees can boost the flavor of practically any dish. Check out our variety of flavors and taste a few of them for yourself. With some great recipes for inspiration, we hope you’ll find ghee that makes your taste buds — and your body — happy.
Butter in its Purest Form ™