Why we should use Cold Pressed Groundnut Oil?

The modern method of oil extraction involves supplying a lot of heat. The oilseed is first crushed, and the pulp is heated under pressure. As a result, almost all the oil is extracted.

The downside is that the oil is heated up to temperatures of 230 degree centigrade. Heating it to such high temperatures alters the properties of the oil molecules in unfavourable ways (Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons  are formed at high temperatures which are carcinogenic) – and strips it off of its nutritional value.

After subjecting the oil to such high temperatures, manufacturers tend to use preservatives to prevent the oil from becoming unstable. Look for ingredients section, you will find antioxidants being added seperately by the manufacturers. Oils that have been refined through this process stay longer on the shelves and are more stable. This, however, is at the cost of its nutritional value.

In olden times, a long cylindrical contraption called a “ghani” was used. The oilseeds were placed inside and ground with a pestle until the oil came out. This is the simplest method for “cold-pressing” the oil out of a seed because it doesn’t involve the generation or addition of heat. The residue or the oil cake was used as fodder for cattle.

So why must we include cold pressed oils in our cooking?
1) They retain healthy anti-oxidants that are otherwise destroyed by heat. These anti-oxidants fight harmful free radicals and prevent the growth of tumors.

Rujuta Diwekar, in her article for Outlook recommends cold-pressed filtered groundnut oil. “At low temperatures, the fatty acid bonds in the groundnut don’t get destroyed, keeping its heart-protecting abilities intact, along with vitamins and minerals. Groundnuts, with their high Niacin (of the Vitamin B family) content, help stabilise blood sugars”, she writes. Cold-pressing eliminates all the harmful effects that arise from the conventional methods of oil extraction. The only problem with cold pressed oils is their short shelf-life.

To be cautious, always buy cold pressed oil in small quantities, store it away from light, in air-tight containers, and consume it within three months of purchase.

At Desi Rox, we use Wooden Expeller (Lakdi Ka Ghana) for pressing oil from oilseeds. Our Team is dedicated to provide healthy food for healthy lifestyle. We believe our Indian ancient ways practices were healthy and worth practicing even Today so that whatever illness we have invited in the name of modernization can be reversed