Celebrities have been known to get behind some pretty surprising health ‘tricks’, from Miranda Kerr’s daily shot of coconut oil to Beyonce’s lemon juice and cayenne cleanse. And now Kourtney Kardashian’s adding her own secret to the list.

The 36-year-old revealed on her paid website and app this week that she makes sure to down a teaspoon of a clarified butter called ghee every single morning, playing up the health benefits of the vitamin-packed substance.

‘A teaspoon a day does a body good,’ she wrote, offering details on her ghee routine, where she buys it, and what, exactly, it’s supposed to do.

Ghee, she explained, is a ‘clarified butter that originated in ancient India and is commonly used in South Asian cuisine.’ It has a nutty flavor, and can be made by simmering ‘local, grass-fed organic, unsalted butter’ until the liquid evaporates.

In fact, she said, her mom Kris has been making ghee in her kitchen for years, since being taught by her ex-husband Robert Kardashian’s mother, and has been cooking with it since Kourtney was a little girl.

Kourtney, though, prefers to buy hers from Martha Soffer, who sells an organic variety for $23 for 16oz.

‘She taught me to take ghee every morning and I trust all of the ingredients and I know she makes it herself,’ Kourtney explained.

Every day, the reality star starts her morning by melting a teaspoon of the stuff in a pan on the stove and pouring it into a ‘cute little ceramic white cup’. She drinks it, and then waits 20 minutes before downing a glass of water and eating food.

She also cooks with ghee and coconut oil over regular butter, adding it to recipes for French toast, grilled cheese sandwiches, and quesadillas. She’ll even put a little in her kids’ warm milk.

Kourtney added that ghee can be stored unrefrigerated, and should never be kept in a bronze container for more than ten days (because it can go rancid).

So what, exactly, does ghee do? The health-conscious star notes that it’s low in dairy (making it great for people who are lactose intolerant), packed with vitamins A,D,E, and K, and also has K2 and CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid) antioxidants.

She adds that it promotes weight loss, keeps the gut healthy, strengthens the immune system, hydrates skin, makes hair grow thick, and nourishes the nervous system, ‘translating into calm energy and clarity of the mind throughout the day’.

There are certainly some studies to back up her claims. In 2012, scientists from the National Dairy Research Institute reported in the Indian Journal of Medical Research that ghee could also help protect people from cancer.

For anyone who wants to follow her lead, the mother-of-three included a few more bits of wisdom for introducing ghee into your diet.

She said that she tends to up her ghee intake during the summer, when it’s hot and she feels ‘a kind of weakness’.

And it’s important not to mix it with honey, which can make it unwholesome, and not to eat it with a cold substance or protein.

‘I just stick to eating it with some sort of carbohydrate like a cracker,’ she said. ‘You can use ghee while cooking oatmeal, stir fries, soups, quinoa dishes, rice, lentils, and veggie sautees.

‘For soups, add ghee to the base (as opposed to olive oil or butter) before cooking in the vegetables and adding in seasoning; same goes for stir fries and veggie sautees.’

Kourtney has offered plenty of health and diet tips on her site, offering everything from recipes for ‘protein-packed pancakes’ and ‘Paleo bites’ to teaching fans how to eat chocolate candy like Kit Kats and Reese’s peanut butter cups slowly in order to consume less.

In past posts, she’s discussed the health benefits of sesame seeds, ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, and Manuka honey.

Source: Daily