Is Dalda Good for Health – Know the Real Facts About Ghee

Dalda ghee is a popular product among Indian homes. This Vanaspati ghee is an alternative for the traditional ghee that is made from the milk. The term “Vanaspati” comes from the fact that the ghee is made using Vegetable oils. As the traditional ghee has many benefits for health, many people often question that is Dalda ghee good for health? The answer is no; it isn’t. You might be shocked to hear this, but Dalda Vanaspati ghee is not as healthy as it is advertised. Go through all the factors listed below, which makes it unsafe and an unhealthy option for you and your family:

Is Dalda Good for Health?

Vegetable Oil

Unlike the traditional ghee, Dalda ghee contains trans fat. This trans fat comes from the hydrogenated vegetable oil that is used in the making of the ghee. Cow milk is used in the preparation of Traditional or Desi ghee, whereas companies use Palm oil in making the Dadla ghee. This type of vegetable oil is hydrogenated. The oils are further cooled in the refrigerators to crystallize the oil into a grainy structure that has the same resemblance when it comes to the structure of the ghee. Companies prefer using the oils that are cheaper as it cuts down the cost of production.

Hydrogenation and trans fatty acids

The process of hydrogenation is used to harden the soft oils used in the making of the Dalda ghee. Generally, the vegetable oils don’t contain any trans fatty acids, but they are produced during the process of hydrogenation. The partial hydrogenation process produces trans-fatty acids, and it subsides if the process is completed. These trans-fatty acids are not safe and healthy. It can also lead to high cholesterol in the people consuming this type of ghee regularly without exercising or paying attention to their diet.

Chances of Obesity

As mentioned above, the trans fats in the hydrogenated oils can lead to higher cholesterol levels, which can also cause Obesity. These types of fats tend to make you overweight as compared to traditional ghee. This is also one of the reasons why people food at cheap restaurants or food joints start gaining weight. A lot of restaurants use cheap alternatives for oil and ghee, which can lead to a drastic increase in weight. There are only a few good restaurants in India that make the use of traditional or desi ghee in their preparations. Consuming food items made in Dalda ghee can also increase the amount of belly fats in the person.

Heart Diseases and Hypertension

Many cuisines all around the world use traditional ghee in their preparation as the cow’s milk has nutritive qualities. Traditional ghee has short fatty acids that can be easily digested by our systems and do not cause any problems. Its saturated fats and trans fat that cause the problems. Vanaspati ghee reduces the level of High-Density Lipids (HDL), which is also termed good cholesterol. It increases the overall cholesterol level, which significantly affects the functioning of the heart and might lead to cardiovascular diseases. The risk of getting heart disease or hypertension increases if the consumption of such Vanaspati ghee is higher.

Type 2 Diabetes

The fats found in the Dalda ghee cause insulin resistance in the body of the people consuming it. This resistance leads to the risk of type 2 diabetes, which is due to the sedentary lifestyle and is developed in adulthood. Unlike type 1 diabetes, type 2 comes under the lifestyle disorders which people undergo due to their dietary habits.

Concluding Remarks

It is quite clear that the Dalda ghee is not suitable for health due to the oils used in its making along with the process. For bringing awareness, the FSSAI allows a maximum of 5% trans fat in the food and has also asked the manufacturers to mention all the nutritional values on the package itself. Make sure to check the information given on the packaging of the food you buy to avoid the risk of diseases. So the bottom line is to eat Desi ghee made at home or buy the one that doesn’t have such high trans fat. Make sure to eat at the restaurants that only used traditional ghee instead of such cheap alternatives.