There’s a growing interest and a significant value for health in integrating Ayurvedic principles with the GAPS method for managing many conditions including IBS. However, if you have a medical condition consult with a healthcare professional before making significant dietary changes. About 10% of the UK population has IBS, but this section is relevant to more than just IBS, since the main focus is healing intestinal permeability. Which means it is relevant to most of us.

Ghee for IBS: An Ayurvedic and GAPS Perspective

Both Ayurveda and the GAPS (Gut and Psychology Syndrome) diet emphasise the importance of gut health. Ghee (clarified butter) is a revered ingredient in Ayurveda and is also seen as beneficial in the GAPS protocol due to its unique properties.

Ayurvedic Principles: Reducing Inflammation and Soothing Digestion

From an Ayurvedic perspective, IBS is often linked to an imbalance in the digestive fire (Agni) and an accumulation of toxins (Ama). A Vata dosha imbalance is also frequently implicated, leading to symptoms like bloating, gas, irregular bowel movements, and abdominal pain. A pitta imbalance is also implication. Ghee, with its unctuous (sneha in Sanskrit) and sweet (madhura in Sanskrit) qualities, is considered highly beneficial for calming Vata and supporting healthy digestion.

Here’s how adding ghee to meals and sipping it with warm water can help reduce inflammation according to Ayurvedic principles:

Pitta Pacifying: While IBS can involve any dosha, inflammation often relates to Pitta dosha. Ghee has a cooling potency (shita virya – meaning a cooling – shita, effect – virya) which helps to pacify aggravated Pitta, thereby reducing inflammation in the gut lining.
Lubrication and Smooth Passage: Ghee’s unctuous nature lubricates the digestive tract, facilitating smoother bowel movements and reducing the dryness and erratic contractions often associated with Vata imbalance in IBS. This can help alleviate constipation or alternating bowel patterns.
Improved Digestion (Agni Support): While counterintuitive to some modern beliefs, Ayurveda considers ghee to subtly kindle Agni without aggravating Pitta. This needs a little more explanation, here it is. Ghee nurtures and protects the delicate digestive lining while providing the fuel Agni needs. It’s like adding refined, high-quality fuel to a fire that allows it to burn cleanly and steadily, rather than haphazardly or with excessive heat and smoke. It supports the function of Agni (digestion, transformation) while simultaneously balancing the fiery qualities of Pitta, preventing irritation, inflammation, or acidity.
This unique combination of cooling potency, unctuousness, and sweet nature allows ghee to be a rare substance that strengthens digestion (Agni) without over-stimulating or aggravating the potentially inflammatory nature of Pitta.
It helps in the proper digestion and absorption of nutrients from food, preventing or reducing the formation of Ama (undigested food particles that can lead to inflammation).
Vata Balancing: Ghee is a supreme Vata pacifier. By calming the erratic and cold qualities of Vata, it helps to regulate the nervous system’s influence on the gut, which is often overactive in IBS, leading to spasms and discomfort.
Building Ojas (subtle vitality or vigor): Ayurveda believes ghee helps build Ojas, the subtle essence of vitality and immunity. A strong Ojas supports overall health and resilience, including the health of the gut lining.
Reduced Friction and Irritation: In an inflamed or irritated gut, the passage of food can cause further friction. Ghee acts as a protective layer, reducing this irritation and allowing the gut lining to heal.

GAPS Perspective: Reducing Intestinal Permeability
The GAPS diet focuses on healing and sealing the gut lining to address a range of health issues, including those linked to increased intestinal permeability. Increased intestinal permeability is a common finding in individuals with IBS and is believed to contribute to systemic inflammation and various symptoms.

From a GAPS perspective, ghee can contribute to reducing intestinal permeability in several ways:
Butyrate Content: Ghee is a good source of butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid (SCFA). Butyrate is the primary fuel source for colonocytes (cells lining the colon). A healthy supply of butyrate is crucial for maintaining the integrity of the gut barrier and promoting the healing of damaged intestinal cells. By nourishing these cells, butyrate helps to tighten the “tight junctions” between them, thereby reducing intestinal permeability.

Fat-Soluble Vitamins: Ghee is rich in fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K2. These vitamins play vital roles in immune function, tissue repair, and reducing inflammation, all of which are essential for healing a compromised gut lining. Vitamin A, for instance, is crucial for maintaining mucosal integrity.
Anti-Inflammatory Properties: Beyond butyrate, the overall fatty acid profile of ghee, including conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), contributes to its anti-inflammatory effects. By reducing systemic inflammation, ghee can indirectly support the healing of the gut lining.

Support for Healthy Microbiome: While not a direct probiotic, a healthy gut environment supported by ghee’s healing properties can foster the growth of beneficial gut bacteria, which in turn contribute to gut barrier function and overall gut health.

Digestibility: For many, ghee is easier to digest than other fats, especially for those with compromised digestive systems, as the milk solids and lactose have been removed. This reduces the burden on the digestive system, allowing it to focus on healing.

Practical Application:
Adding Ghee to Meals: Incorporating 1-2 teaspoons of ghee into your cooked meals (e.g., drizzled over vegetables, grains, or used for sautéing) helps to coat the food, aid in digestion, and provide a continuous supply of its beneficial compounds.

Sipping Ghee with Mildly Warm Water: Sipping a teaspoon of ghee mixed with a small amount of mildly warm water throughout the day, especially between meals, can provide a soothing, lubricating effect on the gut lining. This frequent bathing of the gut with ghee can help reduce irritation, support repair, and deliver butyrate and other beneficial compounds directly to the intestinal cells. The warm water itself is also soothing and aids in digestion.

Important Considerations:
Quality of Ghee: Always opt for organic, grass-fed ghee. The nutritional profile will be superior.

Individual Response: While generally beneficial, individual responses can vary. Start with small amounts and gradually increase to assess tolerance. Ghee in larger amounts is less favourable for predominantly Kapha types, and a little less so for Pitta/Kapha types. If you don’t already know it, it would be good to find out your type from the quiz.

Holistic Approach: Ghee is one component of a holistic approach. Addressing stress, incorporating mindful eating, and potentially working with a qualified practitioner who understands both Ayurvedic and GAPS principles can further enhance outcomes for IBS management.

In summary, the addition of ghee to meals and sipping it with warm water aligns with both Ayurvedic principles of calming Vata and Pitta, reducing inflammation, and supporting Agni, and the GAPS method of providing essential nutrients like butyrate to heal and seal the intestinal lining, thereby reducing permeability linked to IBS.