Are all cooking oils equal? The short answer is no, the educative one is below. You must’ve heard several words floating around the food verse like raw, organic, virgin, extra virgin, refined, unrefined, cold pressed, and the list is long. It can get very confusing for the ordinary Joe and Jane to finally make up their minds on which oil is best for them. We’re here to clear up the confusion. Let’s begin by understanding their basic difference.
What are the types of oils?
- Refined
- Unrefined
- Cold pressed
How are they different from each other?
Well, it all depends on how the oil is extracted and processed, whether chemically with the help of heat or mechanically. Refined oil is hot-pressed oil; which means it is extracted using heat. It is exposed to temperatures ranging between 225° and 250° Celsius, removing taste, colour, and odour. In the process, chemical solvents are introduced and the oil is bleached and deodorized. Overall, several nutrients are also lost.
Unrefined oil, on the other hand, is mechanically extracted. The traditional Indian method of extraction follows the same principles. However, while in olden times, a bullock-pulled Ghani did the job, today machines make the process a lot more efficient. Unrefined oils are expeller-pressed, that is, they are extracted without the use of any outside heat or chemicals. However, some natural yet minimal heat can be produced due to friction. In this process, the flavour, colour, and odour of the oils retain their original properties.
Taking it a step further, cold-pressed oils are also mechanically processed. However, here extraction and processing are done in low-temperature environments. Hence, these oils retain their nutty tones and nutrients. Furthermore, there are many additional attributes that determine the quality of your oil. Let’s take you through some of them.
Organic Seeds
Oils prepared with organic seeds have many benefits. These seeds are cultivated, harvested, and processed without chemicals, pesticides, artificial hormones, or biogenetic modification. So, to understand the quality of your oil, you must go back to the soil and root of the issue, making sure that the produce used is organic. This can be done by simply checking the packaging for recognized organic certifications.
Kinds of Seeds
Depending on the kind of seeds or nuts used, each oil has its own flavour profile and set of nutrients. Here’s listing a few:
Groundnut Oil
Groundnut oil is considered one of the healthiest vegetable oils. It is trans-fat-free, cholesterol-free, and low in saturated fats. Being a rich source of antioxidants, vitamin E and phytosterols, it benefits your heart’s health and checks your cholesterol. Its unique taste and aroma is especially loved in Indian cooking.
Click here to buy Cold Pressed Organic Groundnut Oil
Sunflower Oil
Enriched with vitamins, omega 6, and antioxidants, sunflower oil gives your food nutrition, along with a mild and pleasant flavour. It is the ideal and most preferred cooking oil for deep-frying and stir-frying due to its high smoking point. The oil is light on your stomach and is a staple in most households.
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Mustard Oil
Mustard oil or Kachi Ghani is a widely used oil. It possesses natural monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA), omega 3, and omega 6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA). It’s known for controlling cholesterol, boosting heart health, and improving hair growth. Mustard oil adds piquancy to your food and is loaded with natural vitamin E. It also fights bacterial infections and acts as a fungus and insect repellent.
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Sesame Oil
Sesame is also known as the queen of oilseeds owing to its multi-utilitarian nature. It has culinary, cosmetic, and medicinal uses. Sesame oil, popularly known as til ka tel, has a slightly nutty flavour that makes it perfect for stir-frying and salad dressing. It helps lower cholesterol and inflammation in the body while reducing blood pressure. Rich in antioxidants, MUFA, and omega 6 PUFA, it benefits your hair, heart, skin, and joints. Due to its excellent antibacterial properties, it is considered an effective mouth rinse in Ayurvedic treatment.
Click here to buy Cold Pressed Organic Sesame Oil
What’s special about BB Royal Organic Oils?
The seeds for BB Royal Organic Oils are sourced from organic certified farms and taken to BRC and organic certified processing facilities. Here, using the traditional stone-grinding method, the seeds pass through a 4-stage filtration process and are cold pressed to extract unadulterated oil. This process does not use any excessive heat, chemicals, refining agents, or other substances. Therefore, you get the healthiest and purest form of oils that hold the original properties and nutrients of the organic seeds used.
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Cold pressed is good for health
Cold pressed mustard oil is best for health. Always change oil. It is good for health