Our country India is primarily known for its food and varied culture. Spice and oils are some food ingredients without which Indian people cannot think of cooking. According to our geographical factors and topographical features, our ancestors always use cold-pressed oils that contribute to exceptional health and taste. In recent years, due to rumors and misinformation, people have stopped using these oils and switched to refined oils. People are assuming that refined oils will never have any impact on their lifestyle and health.
But we still long for the traditional bonda, vada, or papad fried in the cold-pressed groundnut, sesame, or coconut oil. According to a recent study, people know that cold-pressed oils are a healthy substitute for refined oil due to their nutritional benefits. Now before jumping to further conclusions, let us take a detailed look into refined and cold-pressed oils and know how they are different from each other.
Refined Oils
Seeds and nuts like soybean, sunflower, corn, and many more are chemically processed and treated to get the required oil. They have to go through the refining process as they are obtained through various chemical reactions. This refining process removes the natural benefits and nutritional properties of the oil. These are exceptionally unhealthy to consume, but people tend to incline more towards it due to the lower price.
Refined oils are also famous as there is a higher yield. The manufacturing companies heat the oils at high temperatures, increasing and expanding the quantity. Refined oils extracted from the low standard seeds, make the odor, taste, and color of the refined oil neutral. The different varieties of refined oils are present in the market at a reasonable price and include a longer shelf life due to the additives and preservatives presence.
Cold-Pressed Oils
Cold-pressed oils get extracted without any heat application from the oilseeds like sesame, coconut, sunflower, olive, peanut, and groundnut. Nowadays, companies implement heavy machines to acquire the bulk amount of cold-pressed oils with the help of extreme pressure. These oils not only deliver taste but also give numerous nutrients and control the body’s heat. It also increases our stamina and boosts our immune system. Cold-pressed oils are the best substitutes for refined oil as they give the genuine taste of the nuts or the seeds from which they are extracted and thus deliver the same flavor to the food.
Are Cold-Pressed oils Healthy Alternatives to Refined Oils?
In comparison to refined oils, cold-pressed oils are much less exposed to high heat and are therefore an outstanding option to use in our daily cooking regime. The oils consist of a high amount of Vitamin E, which includes anti-inflammatory and healing properties. Cold-pressed oils are also high sources of antioxidants and oleic acid, helping to enhance the power of the immune system. It also fights the free radicals that destroy the cell in the body, thus preventing cancer.
Cold-pressed oils include all the essential nutrients which one will need for the body, like vitamins, lecithin, proteins, and even phospholipids. Due to less exposure to high temperature and heat, it is low in cholesterol that assists in easy weight loss and food digestion. It is also highly nutritious for the skin and enhances its glow. These oils are considered as one of the best refined oil substitutes as they are free from harmful chemicals like Gallate, propyl, BHA, and BHT and are organic. The above chemicals are dangerous for the health and are present as preservatives in refined cooking oils.
There are even different chemicals, like bleaching agents, hydroxide, sodium bicarbonate, Hexane, sodium bicarbonate. The most famous cold-pressed oils that act as the top substitutes of refined oil are olive oil, groundnut oil, flaxseed oil, sesame oil, and coconut oil.
If someone starts cooking with the cold-pressed oils, they need to be careful with this oil as constant exposure to heat for deep frying or sautéing might break down the unsaturated fat. The process makes it unsafe to use. Some refined oils also offer a false promise of weight loss to the customer by adding various labels on the brand. They use the terms like blanched and lite, which fool the customer as they are processed with chemicals and include no nutritional value.
Cold-Pressed oils use high standard seeds, while refined oils use low-quality ones as the company neutralizes them for taste, odor, and color. Refined oils have more shelf life as they do not contain anything organic like the cold-pressed ones. One of the most shocking facts of the refined oil companies is that they sometimes mix cheap oils like palm and cottonseed oils for additional profit. Consumers will not be able to tell the difference between the mixed and the pure ones.
Shop Cold Pressed Oils
Thus using cold-pressed oils is one of the healthy substitutes for refined oil, but you have to make sure that you are not cooking your food by exposing them to higher heat and temperature. You can also add them to your salads and bread to give it an ideal blend of flavor and health.
Final Words
So by now, you have already understood why cold-pressed oils are considered a great substitute for harmful refined oils. Each variety of cold-pressed oils is suitable for specific cooking purposes and health benefits. Though their aroma and taste might differ, one of the most common factors for all of them is that they are all-natural. Thus whichever option of cold-pressed oil you select, you will be getting only all-natural and chemical-free oils, full of all the goodness of that nut or seed.
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