Ghee, a common ingredient in Indian cuisine, has potential health risks if consumed in excess. Overuse may lead to heart ...

Ghee is regarded as a healthy addition to the diet. However, not every food that is consumed with ghee will yield benefits.

"While ghee and clarified butter may seem similar, they are not quite the same," says Bhavin Chhatwani, executive chef of Tamasha Modern Indian restaurant in Raleigh, NC.

Simple habits like overheating or poor storage can quietly reduce the nutritional power of ghee in your daily meals.

Unlike regular butter, which consists of butterfat, milk, solids and water, clarified butter is just the butterfat. "I'm a big proponent of it, it is truly pure fat," says Strausman.

One of the biggest benefits of ghee is that in removing the water and milk solids, the smoke point increases. Normally butter would smoke at 350 degrees, but ghee can increase to 450 degrees or more.

Ghee has a higher smoke point than butter, which means it's better for searing and frying. Also, because ghee is lactose- and casein-free, it's a good alternative to those who follow special diets.