Maintaining an energetic and healthy lifestyle is the need of the hour. The cooking oil that you use in your everyday diet must be infused with all important nutrients. Nowadays, there are a plethora of options available in the market in terms of cooking oils. This includes rice bran oil, canola oil, sesame oil, etc. It is best to use nutritious edible oils to get maximum health benefits. Cold pressed oil is the purest form of edible oils. They are now being incorporated into daily cooking by a large number of health-conscious people.
Facts about Cold-Pressed Oil
Cold-pressed oils are organic oils extracted from various seeds, nuts, and vegetables by application of age-old moderate pressure techniques such as using steel presses and heavy granite millstones. These oils, also known as virgin or pure oils, are more nutritious and safe for our bodies as compared to the highly processed refined oils.
Used in cooking, cold-pressed oil augments the taste of food along with providing amazing health benefits. For example, cold-pressed groundnut oil is rich in antioxidants and helps in reducing heart disease along with protecting against cancer.
Cold-pressed oils have a shelf life of typically six months. It is best to store them in a dry place away from direct sunlight. They are even safe for deep frying.
Benefits of Using Cold-Pressed Oil
- They are Loaded with Nutritive Contents
Cold-pressed oils are rich in nutrition and are free from solvents and preservatives. They contain all the essential nutrients required for a wholesome and healthy diet such as vitamins, phospholipids, lecithin, antioxidants, and proteins as well.
- Cold-Pressed Oil Does Not Contain Harmful Chemicals
Oil refining is a process that involves using various chemicals such as hydroxide, propyl, BHT, sodium, bleaching agents, hexane, BHA, sodium bicarbonate, etc. These chemicals reduce the health benefits that can be accrued from using oils.
Cold-pressed oil, on the other hand, is organic and free from any chemicals and preservatives. For healthy living, it is best to switch to using organic cold-pressed oils without chemicals for daily cooking.
- They Have Low Cholesterol Content
Cold-pressed oil is extracted with relatively less heat as it does not destroy important nutrients. Rather it saves the nutritive value, thus making it excellent for the body. Cold-pressed oils are low in trans-fat, making them ideal for a robust and healthy lifestyle.
These oils also assist in shedding weight since they are easy to digest because of low cholesterol levels. Switching to cold-pressed oils reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
As these oils are manually filtered, they retain the authentic flavor and aroma. They are also safe for deep frying in cooking and are a significant part of a healthy diet.
- They Help in Losing Weight
Organic oils are more viscous and have a gelatinous texture. This helps in lesser consumption as compared to industrially processed refined oils.
Infused with natural antioxidants, cold-pressed oils help diminish radical cell damage in the body. Also being rich in vitamin E and Lecithin, they exhibit properties such as healing and anti-inflammation.
For example, cold-pressed coconut oil contains cocositol that helps in many neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s. They also aid in fighting numerous pathogens such as fungi and bacteria.
Wrapping Up
Cold-pressed oil not only makes for great cooking oil for roasting, sautéing, and baking but also is an ideal ingredient in sauces, salad dressings, and marinades. Since minimum heat is used for crushing or pressing the seeds for extraction and no chemical solvent is added, the resultant oil retains all nutrients, making it ideal for a healthy diet.
The more any oil is refined the less nourishing it will be for the body. The chemicals used for refining only increase the shelf life of the oil but strip it of its nutritive value. Cold-pressed oils contain beneficial plant compounds, potent antioxidants with a gamut of anti-inflammatory effects.
Cold-pressed oils retain more nutrients than oils treated with heat. They are high in vitamins and micronutrients that impart immense health benefits and are vital for holistic well-being as well as a healthy lifestyle.
