My diet:

Ghee

No E-numberFats & oilsOrigin: Animal
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Every diet

VeganNo

Ghee is cooked butter.

Gluten-freeYes
HalalYes

Ghee is milk fat.

KosherYes

Ghee is dairy. Certification covers the equipment.

KetoYes

Ghee is concentrated butterfat.

Low-FODMAPYes

The lactose stays with the milk solids that were poured off.

The short answer
Ghee is butter with the milk solids cooked out. It is not vegan. It tolerates a hotter pan than butter because the solids that scorch are gone. The saturated fat of butter is still there.
Use in moderation

Safe in small amounts; may bother some people or raise blood sugar.

E-numberNone
Comes fromAnimal
What it doesFats & oils
Glycemic index—
Daily limitNot set
Also calledGhee, Clarified butter

Rules by country

🇺🇸 US FDANot evaluated as an additive
🇪🇺 European UnionNot evaluated as an additive
🇨🇦 Health CanadaNot evaluated as an additive
CaliforniaNo extra rules

Ghee is a dairy fat, not an E-number. It is still butterfat. Removing the milk solids lowers the lactose and the milk protein, but it does not turn the fat into a plant oil, and a person with a milk allergy should not assume the traces are gone.

Daily limit: Experts haven’t set a number because normal food amounts are far below any level of concern.

What is it?

The cook melts butter, skims the foam, and decants the golden fat. South Asian ghee is traditionally cultured and browned. Shelf jars from a factory follow the same separation with tighter filtration.

Where it comes from: Ghee is butter cooked until the water boils off and the milk solids brown and fall to the bottom. The clear fat is poured away from those solids. Clarified butter is the same idea, often stopped before the solids brown.

Why it’s in food

  • Fries at a higher heat
  • Finishes rice
  • Perfumes dal
  • Replaces oil in a sauté

Often found in

Jarred gheeIndian cookingBulletproof-style coffeeSautéed vegetablesSome keto snacksRoasted spices

Also listed as: Ghee, Clarified butter, Brown butter fat

Health & gut impact

Traces of milk can remainUnder study

Filtering removes most lactose and casein. It is not a medical guarantee. A milk-allergic person needs a product tested for milk protein, not just the word ghee.

Composition of clarified butter and ghee

The same saturated fat as butterConcern

Ghee is more concentrated butterfat, because the water is gone. The LDL question does not disappear with the milk solids.

Fatty-acid profile of ghee versus butter

What can I use instead?

Butter

Ratio: When you want the water and the milk solids back

Best for: Baking and sauces

Cocoa butter

Ratio: A plant fat for a vegan kitchen

Best for: Confectionery

Related

More fats & oils:

Beef tallowBeef tallow is cattle fat. It is not vegan. It is gluten-free and used for high-heat frying. Halal and kosher versions exist only when the animal and the plant are certified.Use in moderationButterButter is a dairy fat. It is not vegan. It is gluten-free, and a normal pat is low enough in lactose that many low-FODMAP plans allow it. Peanut butter and cocoa butter are not this food.Use in moderationCanola oilCanola oil is a neutral cooking oil from low-erucic rapeseed. Canola oil is vegan and gluten-free. The old worry about erucic acid applies to industrial rapeseed, not to the canola sold as food.Generally safeCocoa butterCocoa butter is the vegan fat of the cocoa bean. It is what makes chocolate snap and then melt. It is gluten-free and keto-friendly, and it is not a dairy butter.Generally safe

Common questions

Is ghee lactose-free?

It is very low in lactose, not a certified zero, unless the brand tests it. The milk sugar is left behind with the solids.

Is ghee vegan?

No. It starts as butter.

Is Ghee safe?

Use in moderation (74/100). Ghee is a dairy fat, not an E-number. It is still butterfat. Removing the milk solids lowers the lactose and the milk protein, but it does not turn the fat into a plant oil, and a person with a milk allergy should not assume the traces are gone.

Is Ghee vegan?

No. Ghee is cooked butter.

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Scientific sources & regulatory citations
  • Composition of clarified butter and ghee
  • Fatty-acid profile of ghee versus butter