Cold-Pressed Oils and Their Benefits
Are you very conscious about your health? Do you want to lead a healthy lifestyle? Then it's
time to switch from refined oils to cold-pressed oils. Oils play a vital role in our daily
cooking. We use oils for preparing various dishes. So it is very important to know the quality
of oil we use for cooking. The two types of oils that we use in our daily cooking are
cold-pressed oil and refined oil. If you are unclear as to which one works the best, this blog
helps you understand the differences.
What are Refined oils?
Seeds and nuts like sunflower, mustard, corn, groundnut etc, undergo an intensive chemical and
mechanical process to get their oil. As the process of refining involves chemicals, they have to
be refined. The refining process deprives the oil of its natural properties and benefits. Thus
making the oil unhealthy. The purification of oil involves treating it with acid, alkali or by
bleaching. The extraction process involves high temperature, thus making the oil expand and
increase in quantity, which gives a higher yield of oil. In this process less quantity of seeds
and nuts are used and more quantity of chemicals are used, thus the cost of refined oil is very
less compared to cold-pressed oils.
What is cold-pressed oil?
Our ancestors extracted oil using marachekku or cold-pressed method, where seeds and nuts were
cold-pressed at low temperatures. Coconuts are shelled, dried, crushed and ground. Groundnuts
are dried and then crushed to force out the oil using wooden press called marachekku. Seed coats
of sunflower seeds are removed and then any extraneous matters that are present are removed
before oil is extracted. This process of extraction involves no chemicals. The oil extracted in
this way retains the quality and nutritional benefits of the oil. It is purely a mechanical
process and only low heat is produced from crushing of the seeds and nuts. This process is
completely natural. This method of extraction is called cold-pressed oils. In this process the
quantity of raw material used is more, for example, in order to produce 1 liter of cold-pressed
groundnut oil, we need 2.5 kg of groundnuts. Hence, the cost of the oil is much higher compared
to refined oils.
Different Types of Cold-pressed Oils:
Cold-Pressed Groundnut Oil:
It is mainly composed of both monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fat, which help lower
your LDL cholesterol. Monounsaturated fats lower bad cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart
disease. This oil can be consumed if you’re trying to lower your cholesterol levels. It is high
in natural antioxidants and phytochemicals and it is said to keep diseases at bay and reduce
inflammation. It helps you in preventing cardiovascular diseases. Cold-pressed ground oil is
rich in Vitamin E and it is also good for the skin. Vitamin E helps to maintain healthy skin and
keeps your skin look young and healthy. Groundnut oil is perfect for stir-fries that involve
high heat. This is perfect for deep frying such as french fries, wada, Jalebi, etc, that involve
high heat. It has a high smoking point, which keeps the snack healthy for consumption.
Cold-pressed Coconut Oil:
It is rich in fatty acids. It is very good for the skin and can be used as a body moisturizer
and applied on the face as well. The antiviral and antimicrobial properties of coconut help in
healing wounds faster and remove scars. It has numerous benefits for your hair and scalp and has
been used for centuries to maintain good hair health. Coconut oil is good for cooking too. It is
very suitable for high-heat cooking methods like frying. Coconut oil is excellent for boosting
immunity and staying off illness. It is rich in fatty acids, which increase the good HDL
cholesterol in our body. It contains high saturated fats, which help to boost good cholesterol
and can keep heart disease at bay.
Cold-pressed Sunflower Oil:
It is rich in Vitamin A and Vitamin E. They act as antioxidants and help repair damaged skin
cells. It is a natural moisturizer and can treat dry skin. It is loaded with monounsaturated
fats, which is good for your heart. It aids in controlling cholesterol levels. The presence of
antioxidants helps prevent diseases. Sunflower oil contains protein, which aids in tissue
repair. Sunflower oil is light and easy to digest.
Cold-Pressed Sesame oil:
It is a good source of polyunsaturated fatty acids like omega 3, 6 and 9. It is well known to
prevent and treat heart disease, diabetes, and for lowering cholesterol. Sesame oil consists of
sesamol, which aids in Vitamin E absorption. It contains antifungal and antioxidant properties.
It is widely used in cooking. It is used in stress-related symptoms and used in massages. Its
antibacterial properties help in maintaining a good oral hygiene, known as oil pulling. It's
good for your skin and hair as well. It nourishes your hair and scalp.
Cold-Pressed Mustard Oil:
It is extracted from black mustard seeds. The oil is reddish-brown in color. It is loaded with
monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), which is good for the heart. It is rich in Vitamin E. It can
be applied on the skin and hair. The oil can help prevent dandruff and maintain a healthy scalp.
It lowers bad cholesterol. It contains alpha-linolenic acid, which helps in lowering the risk of
ischemic heart disease. It aids in circulation and boosting metabolism.
Conclusion:
Cold-pressed oils all have lots of health benefits and it's important to choose the right kind
of oil based on the recipe. Though their tastes and aromas might differ, the common thing for
all varieties is the fact that they are loaded with natural properties. So, it is very important
to choose the right kind of oil as it has an impact on our health and wellbeing. Cold-pressed
oils are chemical-free and are loaded with the goodness of seeds/nuts.