The traditional Indian kitchen staple of ghee carries an unquestioned trust built over generations, yet this very sense of safety often leads people to overlook how quickly unmeasured dollops add up, especially considering that ghee is densely packed with 883 kilocalories per 100 grams and consists of nearly 62 percent saturated fat, an excessive amount of which forces the liver to struggle with cholesterol clearance and results in fatty deposits narrowing the arteries that feed the heart—a serious issue particularly for South Asians whose unique fat distribution and lower BMI threshold of 23 create layered cardiovascular vulnerabilities—making it essential for healthy adults to limit daily ghee to 1 or 2 teaspoons within a broader daily fat intake of 20 to 50 grams and keep saturated fat under 7 percent of total energy intake, while those dealing with heart conditions, diabetes, or high cholesterol should reduce their daily limit to a single teaspoon and rely on better-tolerated oils such as mustard, groundnut, or sesame for their overall cooking fat requirements.
Too Much of a Good Thing? How Excessive Ghee Can Hurt Your Heart
