Best Hiking Foods: Ghee

By Tanya Krezevska |

Ghee is a healthy and nutritious product. It’s considered to be one of the best hiking foods, especially among ketogenic diet followers. What is really ghee and why it’s so good? Well, here are the answers to all of those questions.

What is ghee?

Ghee is a clarified cow butter made by melting butter and skimming the fat off of the top. During this process, milk solids and water found in the butter start to separate, leaving behind a golden translucent liquid which has a rich nutty taste as well as a great caramel flavor. The clarifying process also removes casein and lactose, making this kinf of butter suitable for the lactose-sensitive people.

Why use

There are many benefits that are associated with using ghee and here are some reasons why you should incorporate it into your backpacking menu:

It Doesn’t Spoil Easily
As the milk solids have been removed during the production process, ghee doesn’t spoil easily. So it doesn’t need refrigeration and can be stored at room temperature for several months or even years.
It Has Higher Smoking Point
Unlike other culinary oils, ghee has a high smoke point (it doesn’t burn as easily), making it ideal for cooking.
It’s Rich In Vitamins
Fat-soluble vitamins such as Vitamin A, D, E and K which are vital for bone formation, the health of the brain and for enhancing the immunity are abundantly contained in ghee.
It’s a Good source of energy
One ounce of ghee contains 255 calories! The most of the calories in ghee comes from saturated fat that could be smart and nutritious addition to your backcountry diet.
It’s Promotes Flexibility
Ghee is a good lubricator of the joints and connective tissues; it enhances muscles flexibility. No wonder it is the preferred butter of many yoga practitioners.

How to pack for a backpacking trip?

When clarified butter is bought from grocery shops or online, they are usually packaged in glass jars, this makes them, bulky, heavy and unsafe for backpacking carriage. The perfect item you can use to pack and store ghee is a plastic screw-top jar with a wide mouth.