In our final article on ghee (at least for now), we cover the combining of ghee and herbs. Actually, this whole series began based on this comment we received the other day.
I use ghee in most of my cooking. Upon reading your guide on how to take shilajeet, I match the type that benefits from taking it with ghee.
I take He Shou Wu and Black Ant.
My rational was that if ghee is a good medium for Shilajit, why not for the others too…
Even though these two herbs are not bitter, I mixed with 2ml of warm ghee. It mixed well and no bad after taste.
I will try with the ones with no intolerable taste to see how it goes.
I also would appreciate a reply in case my rational of “Ghee for All” is incorrect.
I also got two 250ml miron glass for each herb and it fit the whole bag of 3.5oz perfectly. I cut the label from the bag and applied to the glass jar, perfect.
Thank you so much for providing great quality products!
Respectfully,
Ricardo Batista
Cast your mind back to our first article. And if you missed them:
In that first article we talked about ghee’s properties as discussed in Ayurveda. How it enhances ojas and agni, how it stimulates the mind and is a rasayana, or restorative, substance.
With these properties, ghee also does something else very well…
“When used with various herbs, ghee carries their medicinal properties to the tissues.”
– Dr. Vasant Lad, Ayurveda: The Science of Self-Healing [1]
So in short, yes, ghee can be great to combine with any and all herbs as it will help absorption and delivery inside your body.
Many different herbs where traditionally prepared and used with ghee. Dr. David Frawley and Dr. Vasant Lad list in The Yoga of Herbs the following:
“Typical herbs prepared in ghee: bitter herbs generally, amalaka, ashwagandha, bhringaraj, calamus, garlic, gokshura, gotu kola, jasmine, licorice, manjishta, pomegranate, shatavari, triphala.” [2]
Here is a recipe for Licorice Ghee:
“First prepare a licorice decoction by taking one part of licorice powder and adding eight parts water. Boil the liquid until one-fourth remains. Take one part of this decoction and add to it an equal part of ghee. Then add an equal part of water and boil until all the water evaporates. What remains is licorice ghee.”
– Dr. Vasant Lad, Ayurveda: The Science of Self-Healing [1]
And here is a recipe for Shatavari Ghee:
“Shatavari ghrita is made by decocting 1 part shatavari root in 4 parts ghee and 8 parts water and 8 parts milk (or just 16 parts water), over a low heat, until all the water is evaporated and only the medicated ghee remains. After it cools vitamin E can be added to preserve it, if desired.”
– The Way of Ayurvedic Herbs by Karta Purkh Singh Khalsa & Michael Tierra [3]
There they also mention Gotu Kola Ghee:
“The well known Brahmi Ghrita contains the popular herb gotu kola, and is used for a broad variety of brain conditions in a dose of 1 Tbs. per day.” [3]
In the following video I show you making shatavari ghee, and also talk about the gotu kola ghee I had made before.
The more traditional way would be to start with the raw herbs and you cook them in a decoction along with the ghee. This will likely make them work in synergy better, but does take some additional steps.
References:
-
- Lad, V. (2009). Ayurveda: the science of self healing. Twin Lakes, WI: Lotus Press.
- Frawley, D., & Lad, V. (2008). The yoga of herbs: an ayurvedic guide to herbal medicine. Twin Lakes, WI: Lotus Press.
- Khalsa, K. P., & Tierra, M. (2010). The way of ayurvedic herbs: the most complete guide to natural healing and health with traditional ayurvedic herbalism. Delhi: Motila Banarsidass
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Hello,
How does one figure dosage when mixing herbs with ghee?
Christine Shekoski