Ghee (or better yet, Ghruta) is a fantastic food staple for people of all ages, and the benefits of ghee for kids are just as important as for adults. During childhood, the growing body is constantly changing. It is learning how to perfectly develop the 7 dhatus. All of this requires a healthy diet with healthy fats that provide the child with vital energy. In Ayurveda, Ghee is a perfect example of the ideal food: rich in prana, sattvic in nature, and beneficial to agni. Ghee is so important that its original provider, the A2 gir cow, is considered holy and sacred.
Benefits of Ghee for Kids
Here are some of the most promising benefits of ghee for kids.
1. Improving Brain Development
The brain is made of around 60% fat, and many of the fat-soluble nutrients that it needs to function and develop can be found in the sattvic ghee.
2. Help Maintain Weight
Ghee can be useful for helping kids maintain their weight. It is especially helpful for underweight children who struggle to maintain a healthy amount of fat. Ghee is a rich source of fat, but the fats it provides are nourishing to the growing body.
3. Aids in Digestion
Ghee is very soothing for the gut and can be reliably given to kids as it rarely causes tummy troubles. It helps to stimulate and stoke the digestive fire (also know as agni) in a supportive and consistent manner. Which in turn helps develop a healthy gut and microbiome which will set them in good stead for the rest of their life.
4. Helps Developing Bones
It's important that babies and young children receive proper nourishment for the development of bone, bone marrow, and nervous tissue to develop properly. Ghruta will provide this proper support and nourishment.
5. Provides Lactose-Free Nutrients
Kids that are lactose-intolerant can usually still tolerate ghruta. Ghurta or ghee has had the milk sugars and proteins removed. This allows them to enjoy the rich, nourishing fats that would otherwise not be tolerated.
When to Introduce Ghruta to Children?
You'll want to introduce ghee to your children around the same time that they start eating solid foods. For most parents, this is around the ages of seven or eight months. To start with, just add a few drops of ghee into their food while you're cooking for them. You can also add ghee to premade baby food. It goes great with mashed meals, which are already easy to digest.
How Much Ghee Is Safe for Children?
Babies can begin to consume ghee from as early as six months. Cow ghee, from the A2 gir cow, is much more preferable for babies. Ghee can be made from other sources, like buffalo or mixed milk, but these sources are recommended for adults or older children. Babies under the age of 12 months shouldn’t be given more than a 5-6 drops of ghruta or ghee on a daily basis. Once they’re past the 12 month mark, they can begin to have 1/2 tsp, and this amount can gradually be increased as they progress through infancy and into childhood. Remember that breastfed babies are still consuming a significant amount of fat from their mother’s milk. If the mother is consuming ghee, some of its nutrients will remain in her milk.
Conclusion
There are lots of benefits of ghee for kids. Keep in mind that humans need fat to thrive, and ghee is one of the best fats that you can use.