Running a ghee business means answering the same questions over and over, and a lot of them come from things people have been told by relatives, WhatsApp forwards or confident videos. Some myths are harmless. Some cause people to throw away perfectly good ghee, or pay too much for ordinary ghee. Here are the ones we hear most.

Myth 1: Liquid ghee is fake ghee

Ghee melts at room temperature in warm weather. In an Indian summer, genuine ghee is often completely liquid. In winter, it sets. A jar that is liquid in May tells you nothing about purity. If anything, ghee that stayed liquid through a cold North Indian winter would be more unusual.

Myth 2: Grainy ghee is always pure, smooth ghee is always adulterated

Graininess mostly comes from how slowly ghee cools and sets. Slowly cooled ghee forms larger crystals. Rapidly cooled ghee is smoother. Both can be perfectly genuine. And adulterated ghee can be made grainy. We explained the science in why ghee turns grainy.

Myth 3: Yellow ghee is cow ghee and white ghee is fake

Cow ghee is usually yellow and buffalo ghee is usually white, because of how each animal handles beta-carotene from fodder. But white ghee is not fake; it is most likely buffalo ghee. And yellow does not guarantee cow ghee, since colour can vary with season and can even be added to other fats. See cow ghee vs buffalo ghee.

Myth 4: A2 ghee is rich in A2 protein

Ghee is almost pure fat. Nearly all the milk proteins, including A2 beta-casein, are removed during clarification. A nutrition panel on ghee shows 0 g protein. "A2" on a jar describes the milk the ghee came from, usually indigenous cows, not what is in the jar. See what A2 means.

Myth 5: The palm test or the fridge test proves purity

Popular home tests, such as melting ghee in your palm, freezing it to see if it layers, or burning it, can catch crude adulteration. They cannot prove purity. Well-made adulterated ghee can pass them. We covered which home tests are useful and their limits. The only reliable verification is laboratory testing.

Myth 6: Ghee is unhealthy and should be avoided completely

For a generation, many Indian families were told to replace ghee entirely with refined oil. The reality is more balanced. Ghee is a saturated fat, and health authorities advise keeping saturated fat moderate. That is different from saying ghee must be avoided. Indian dietary guidance generally recommends a variety of fats and a moderate total amount. For most people, a reasonable amount of ghee in a balanced diet is compatible with good health. If you have a specific condition, follow your doctor's advice.

Myth 7: Ghee is a medicine for everything

The opposite myth is just as common now. Ghee is often described online as a remedy for joint pain, poor memory, weight gain or diabetes. These claims are not supported by good evidence. Ghee has a long place in traditional practice and in Ayurveda, and it is a delicious, useful food. It is still a fat, with around 120 to 130 kcal per tablespoon. Eating more ghee in the hope of treating a medical condition is not a good idea.

Bonus: "More milk per litre means better ghee"

Some brands advertise how many litres of milk go into their ghee as a quality claim. A higher figure may reflect thinner milk or less efficient processing rather than better ghee. The number helps explain price, as we showed in how much milk goes into bilona ghee, but it is not a measure of quality on its own.

What actually tells you about a ghee

If you have heard a ghee claim and are not sure whether to believe it, message us on WhatsApp. We are happy to give you a straight answer, even when it does not help us sell a jar of A2 Gir Cow Ghee.