Is Ghee Dairy?

People who have an aversion to dairy products are always looking for alternatives that won’t cause them digestive distress. Is ghee considered dairy?

The Short Answer

Yes, ghee is a dairy product.

The Long Answer

Ghee is created by simmering butter, which is ordinarily churned from cream. Impurities are skimmed from the surface and the clear liquid fat is retained. Any solid residue is discarded. By this definition, ghee would be considered a dairy product, as it is milk-based at its core.

However, lactose intolerant individuals might have some luck with this product of the Indian peninsula. During the process of creating ghee, milk solids are almost completely removed, and all that is left behind are healthy butter fats. Because of this, there is virtually no lactose, so even if other dairy products tend to cause a bad reaction, ghee is far less likely to be harmful. Our immune systems target proteins. Ghee, as it is only oil, contains none of these and thus, can normally be tolerated, even by individuals with severe lactose intolerance.

Lactose intolerance is caused by a lack of lactase, an intestinal enzyme which breaks down lactose and allows it to be absorbed into the intestines. As humans age, their bodies typically stop producing lactase, causing lactose intolerance to become more commonplace in older people.