It is extremely important to be aware of things on our plate, and choose the best for our loved ones. Cold pressed oils belong to the group of highly useful products that contain several nutritional values and also provide distinct flavours to the food.
Extraction of cold pressed oil involves continuous crushing of oil-bearing seeds and nuts in a cylinder under pressure while using low heating methods, until the oil from them is collected. The process requires a very low amount of heat and thus helps in retaining the original flavour, aroma and nutritional value in the oil. The extraction method is crucial for its quality and flavour, and that’s what makes it a wise choice for people with chronic disorders.
Cold pressed oils contain huge amounts of healthy antioxidants, vitamins A, E, C, D, etc, essential fatty acids and many other healthy nutritional qualities. These nutrients are preserved in their natural forms during extraction from ingredients. It also contains rich source of oleic acids which helps in boosting immune system.
Consuming cold-pressed oil is considered as a healthy and safe option for good cardiovascular health and people with chronic disorders. It can protect the heart by reducing the levels of bad cholesterol in blood and blood pressure levels. It suppresses oxidative stress and protects liver from oxidative damage.
This oil is best suited while cooking at medium to low heat as they have low smoking points, whereas regular and refined oils should be used while cooking at high temperatures due to their high smoking points.
Regular or refined oils are produced using a lot of harmful chemicals and hydrogenation processes in order to increase their yield capacity and shelf life. While cold-pressed oils are minimally processed and unfiltered, and thus have a shorter life span and low yield. This makes is expensive and might be difficult to choose over regular oils. But this little transformation can make a huge difference to the health of your loved ones.
Along with physical health, cold-pressed oils are also beneficial for healthy skin, when applied topically. The antioxidants in it help in reducing cell damage. It can also be used as moisturizer, toner, hair masks, etc. They can be mixed with aroma ingredients to be used on face and neck, as well as with foundation creams to be applied as a base during make-up.