Cold-Pressed Oil Vs Refined Oil: Which Is The Healthier Choice?

When you do grocery shopping, you don’t just choose ingredients, but also your health. However, when it comes to oil, most will pick whichever bottle they find. While it may seem harmless, oil is one of the most used ingredients in your kitchen. Therefore, choosing the right one matters to you.

When picking cooking oil, most people are faced with a dilemma: Cold-Pressed Oil vs Refined Oil, which one to choose?

In this post, we will help you understand the key differences between cold-pressed and refined oils across factors such as nutrients, taste, extraction methods, and more. Read till the end to know which is the best cooking oil in India.

What Is Cold-Pressed Cooking Oil?

Cold-pressed oils are extracted by mechanically crushing and grinding seeds and nuts to extract the oil naturally. No external heat or chemicals are used in the cold-press or kacchi ghani method.

The minimal heat ensures that oil is extracted from the raw material. Now, additional chemical steps are involved in the cold-pressed oil-making process. Therefore, the oil retains its nutrients, colour, taste, and aroma.

The cold-pressed method preserves the oil’s natural vitamins, healthy fats, antioxidants, and other essential nutrients for our bodies. Research has proven that the fatty acids (MUFAs and PUFAs) and polyphenols in the oil indicates it’s stability in the long term (source).

What Is Refined Cooking Oil?

Refined oil is one of the most popular options in the Indian market. They are light, odourless, colourless, and have a neutral flavour that fits in every dish. A perfect oil that dominates the Indian market.

But is it really perfect? A straight answer is no. The neutrality of the refined cooking oil comes with a health hazard.

A refined oil is made using the solvent extraction method. In addition to the solvent, various other chemicals are used to degum, neutralize, and bleach the oil to remove its natural colour, taste, and aroma. This heating and chemicals often eliminate the vitamins and healthy fats, leaving just bad fats.

As per a report by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), refined oil should be avoided or used in moderation as the refining process includes chemicals, preservatives, and strips away the antioxidants and fatty acids (source). Therefore, refined oils are one of the leading causes of cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Cold-Pressed Oil Vs Refined Oil: What’s The Difference?

Here is a more detailed comparison of Cold-Pressed Oil Vs Refined Oil.

	Cold-pressed oil	Refined oil
Extraction method	A mechanical press is used to crush the nuts and seeds to slowly extract the oil at a low temperature.	A chemical-based extraction method is used to squeeze the oil and remove its colour, odour, and taste to increase its shelf life.
Nutrition profile	The oil retain it’s nutrient profile, including unsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, phytosterols, and more.	The oil loses 80-90% of its nutrients during the extraction process.
Taste & Aroma	The oil retains the flavour and aroma of the original nuts and seeds. For Pure Groundnut oil, it retains the nutty flavour and aroma that creates a unique characteristic of many Indian dishes.	The refined oil has a neutral taste and aroma as they are stripped of the oil during chemical extraction.
Chemical usage	The cold-pressed method uses zero oil during the entire process.	Includes multiple chemical interventions for extraction, neutralization, degumming, and bleaching.
Digestibility	They are more digestible and easy on the body as it is free of chemicals and retain the necessary vitamins, fatty acids, and antioxidants.	While they are digestible, it might be difficult to process for patients with existing health conditions or inflammation.
Price	Due to its natural extraction process, they are slightly expensive.	They are very affordable but can be harmful to your health in the long term.

Best Cooking Oil in India: Cold-pressed Groundnut Oil

Groundnut oil has been one of the classics in Indian households. The availability of high-quality peanuts and its nutritional profile are two reasons of it’s popularity.

Here are the benefits of cold-pressed groundnut oil:

• Retains the natural nutrients, unsaturated fatty acids, vitamin E, Resveratrol, and more.
• Its nutty flavour and aroma are signature components of Indian dishes.
• The smoking point of cold-pressed peanut oil is 160°C, ideal for curries, tadka, stir-fries, and deep frying.
• It is ideal for heart patients due to a higher percentage of monounsaturated fatty acids, which increases good cholesterol and reduces bad cholesterol.
• It is perfect to improve insulin sensitivity.

Choose High-Quality Cold-Pressed Groundnut Oil

Choosing a trusted Pure groundnut oil manufacturer is essential to enjoy all the above benefits. That’s where Gopinath Cooking Oils comes. We are situated in Gujarat, known for our transparent production process. We provide high-quality cold-pressed groundnut and sesame oil in India.

You can check our client reviews before you buy the best cold-pressed groundnut oil!

Conclusion

Cold-pressed oil vs refined oil; this is one of the most confusing questions indian consumers have. While the refined oil is known for its neutrality, it doesn’t add any nutritional benefits to your food.

The chemicals and excessive heat used in the refining process strip away the natural nutrients and vitamins. The cold-pressed oils are extracted slowly by mechanically crushing and churning the seeds and nuts. Thus, it retains the natural nutrients, flavour, and aroma.

Buying cold-pressed oils, especially pure groundnut oil, is a healthier option for your family's health.

FAQ

What are the benefits of cold-pressed groundnut oil?

A few benefits of using cold-pressed groundnut oil are:

• It’s a good source of monounsaturated fatty acids and fat-soluble antioxidants
• It can help you regulate your cholesterol levels
• It has anti-inflammatory effects
• Its higher smoking makes it ideal for indian cooking
• It retains the nutty aroma and flavour of peanuts

Is cold-pressed oil healthier than refined oil?

Yes, cold-pressed oils are much healthier than refined oils because they:

• Extraction of oil by mechanically crushing the raw material
• Retain the nutrients from the original nuts and seeds
• Enhances the flavour of the dishes
• Retain the antioxidant properties
• Are free of any additives and preservatives

Which oil is healthiest for everyday cooking?

Cold-pressed groundnut oil is considered one of the best oils for everyday cooking due to its natural flavour, nutrients, and antioxidant properties. Other excellent options are cold-pressed sesame, coconut oil, and mustard oil. You can also use rice bran, olive oil, or avocado oil if available.

Is it okay to deep fry in cold-pressed oil?

Yes, you can deep fry food in cold-pressed oil. However, you must check the smoking point of oil to ensure it doesn’t become toxic at higher temperatures. Identify what is the maximum temperature that you need and choose an oil that fits that range.