Is desi ghee healthier than banaspati ghee or cooking oil?

Question

Many Pakistani kitchens use desi ghee, banaspati ghee or cooking oil, and claims about which is healthiest keep going viral. People want a clear answer, especially when someone at home has high cholesterol or heart disease.

DoctorOS Team · Answer

Banaspati (vanaspati) ghee is the least healthy choice, because it can contain industrially produced trans fat. Desi ghee is a saturated fat, which can raise cholesterol when you eat too much of it. For everyday cooking, WHO advises replacing ghee with plant oils such as canola, sunflower, soybean or corn oil, so keep desi ghee to small amounts.

How the three compare

Banaspati ghee. WHO lists vanaspati ghee among foods that can contain industrially produced trans fat. WHO links more than 278,000 deaths a year worldwide to this kind of fat, and says a high intake raises the risk of dying from heart disease (dil ki bimari) by 28%.
Desi ghee. WHO and the NHS both list ghee with butter and lard as a saturated fat. Too much saturated fat can raise cholesterol, which increases the risk of heart disease (NHS).
Plant oils. WHO names canola, sunflower, soybean and olive oils as sources of unsaturated fat, and advises using oils rich in polyunsaturated fat in place of butter, lard and ghee. Replacing saturated fat with unsaturated fat can help lower cholesterol (NHS).

How much is too much

WHO advises that no more than 10% of your daily energy comes from saturated fat and no more than 1% from trans fat, a far stricter limit. The NHS says men should eat no more than 30g of saturated fat a day and women no more than 20g. WHO also advises keeping total fat to 30% or less of daily energy, so use even healthy oils with care.

Practical tips

Measure cooking oil (khana pakane ka tel) with a spoon instead of pouring from the bottle.
Read labels. "Partially hydrogenated vegetable oil" in the ingredients is a sign of trans fat (NHS).
Cut down on fried snacks, bakery biscuits and fried street food, which WHO says often contain trans fat.

When to see a doctor or dietitian

If you or a family member has high cholesterol, heart disease or diabetes, ask your doctor about a cholesterol test (lipid profile), and see a nutritionist for a cooking plan that suits your family's food. A change of cooking fat does not replace any medicine your doctor has prescribed.

Sources

General health information from the DoctorOS Team, not a diagnosis. For advice about your own situation, see a doctor.