Diet doesn’t mean only restricting the consumption of some kind of food. It is invariably engaging in eating healthy because that is at the crux of healthy life. We focus on excluding so many foods from our diet and altering it. But have we ever thought about refined oil that is used widely in Indian kitchens? Refined oil doesn’t bring good health to you. It increases your risk of diseases like heart diseases, obesity, cholesterol, and many other ailments.

But this doesn’t mean you stop eating tasty foods. In fact, you can choose healthy alternatives and switch to cold-pressed oils.

 

What is cold-pressed oil? 

 

Cold-pressed oils are extracted from nuts, seeds, and vegetables but by moderate pressure and it is an old method. These oils are more nutritious while refined oils only enhance the taste of your food but don’t lead to healthy eating.

 

Why choose cold-pressed oils over refined oils?

 

Oil is so vital to cooking thus, it has to be nutritious but when advertisements encourage the consumption of refined oils and convince us that they aid in losing weight, then it’s a bit confusing, isn’t it? But what advertisements project and promote as refined, blanched, lite, and under numerous names is actually oil highly processed through extreme heating. It goes through a rigmarole of chemical processing. This leaves the oil with fewer nutrients. So, how would such oils improve your diet plan and help you burn calories? Moreover, they don’t lead to good health. Cold-pressed oils on the other hand are a better choice.

The extraction process of refined oils:

 

• The refined oil extraction process is typically commercial and industrial, it starts with mechanical extraction by pressing the constituents then followed by chemical extraction.
• The mechanical extractor presses the oilseeds to make a ‘meal’.
• This meal is then put through high temperatures say up to 270°C to start the extraction process.
• Solvents like petroleum ether and hexane are utilized to extract oil from this meal.
• Then the edible oil dissolves in the solvent transported through the meal.
• The mixture of oil and solvent goes through neutralization.
• This oil is bleached to arrive at a uniform color.
• In the end, it is deodorized to remove odors.

Cold-pressing process:

 

This is a simple process. Oil is extracted by using a traditional ‘Ghani’. It has a mortar and pestle arrangement. The oilseeds or coconut pieces are pressed with no application of heat. Thus, this is referred to as cold pressing. This extracted oil is filtered and ready to use.

Benefits of cold-pressed oils:

 

• They are nutritious –

cold-pressed oils have essential nutrients like vitamins, lecithin, antioxidants, and phospholipids.

 

• Healthy and nutritious

 – Refined oils involve commercial processes and they use high temperatures resulting in antioxidants. This process produces free radicals, trans fatty acids (TFA), and polymeric components.

All of these are carcinogenic agents, which means they cause cancer. Free radicals can lead to other health issues like Alzheimer’s. Cold-pressed oils don’t have these free radicals as the heating process is not involved externally nor generated.

• Boosts immune system–

cold-pressed oil has natural antioxidants that help to reduce radical cell damage in your body. They have Vitamin E blessed with properties like heating and anti-inflammation. Cold-pressed oils have oleic acid and lauric acid that are great for our immune system.

• Free from harmful chemicals –

During the refining process chemicals like Bleaching Agents, Hydroxide, Sodium, Hexane, etc. are used. While cold-pressed oils are organic and chemical-free. They don’t have preservatives like other oils that are toxic. If you choose organic foods and avoid chemically-laden foods then switching to cold-pressed oil is a natural choice.

• Low cholesterol –

Cold-pressed oils are extracted with the least heating. This saves nutrients, helps weight loss, is great for your skin, and is easy to digest owing to the low cholesterol level.

• Improves good cholesterol –

Cold-pressed oil improves HDL or good cholesterol in your body. It is a carrier to aid the removal of LDL or bad cholesterol.

• Retain healthy properties –

High temperatures destroy Vitamin E and beta carotene in the oil. But high temperatures are used to make refined oil. Cold-pressed oils retain all the healthy properties of oilseeds. Vitamin E has anti-inflammatory and healing properties.

• Safe for your health –

Solvents like hexane and petroleum ether can have bad effects on your body especially when the solvent plus oil mixture is not processed properly. Hexane leads to depression of the central nervous system and dermatitis. Cold-pressed oils don’t need chemicals for production.

• Natural and healthy –

The cold pressing method maintains natural healthy antioxidants in the oil, which get eliminated due to heating.

Coconut oil, Sesame oil, Groundnut oil, Olive oil, Flaxseed oil are some cold-pressed oils that you can include in your diet based on your health requirements.

Let’s look at virgin coconut oil – it is made from pressed milk that is extracted by cold pressing coconuts. The milk is then fermented for two days that turns into oil and it is filtered. The degumming process that removes healthy vitamins and minerals is not involved.

Cold-pressed oil energizes the body. You will feel energetic with regular consumption of cold-pressed oils.

Tips: If you are used to refined oils and have been consuming them for a long period don’t suddenly switch to cold-pressed oils. Introduce it gradually in your diet. Cold-pressed oils are free from chemical preservatives that are harmful so, make it a point to consume them within 3 to 4 months. Store them in a cool place and a dark container.

It’s time you switch to cold-pressed oils!!

Visit Navmi website www.navmi.co.in to buy cold-pressed oil  as our focus inception has always been serving customers with natural foods of the best quality. All our products like coconut oil, flaxseed oil, ghee, A2 milk, different types of natural honey, jaggery, turmeric, etc are chemical-free. Unprocessed foods contain higher amounts of antioxidants, they reduce the risk of heart disease, cancers, and other health issues.

 

Visit our site (Nirlesh Foods Private Limited or Navmi) www.navmi.co.in to know more about nutritionally pure and unprocessed food. Make a conscious and healthy choice of foods.

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Why Cold-Pressed Oils Are A Better And Healthier Option?

@Nirlesh Foods Private Limited