Cooking oils are essential components in Indian kitchens, with multiple varieties to pick from. Mustard, sunflower, olive oil, you name it! To top it off, there’s often a debate surrounding cold-pressed and refined oils.
Does the processing method really matter, though? Well, it certainly impacts the taste and nutritional value of your meals.
So, let’s understand the primary differences between cold-pressed and refined oils. We’ll also help you pick the right type of cooking oil on a grocery app for the perfect balance between budget, taste and nutrition.
What are Refined Oils?
Often considered unhealthy, refined oils are highly processed. That’s because heat is used to extract the oil from seeds. You can also call them hot-pressed oils. Additionally, they undergo some chemical processing to elevate the purity of the oil.
It helps make oils like the Saffola tasty oil smell and taste clean. So, that’s great if you’re averse to strong odours. Resultantly, you also get an oil that has a high smoke point, which is ideal for certain recipes. It tastes neutral and appears clear too.
Key Features of Refined Oils
Good quality refined oils from well-reputed brands like the Saffola tasty oil have distinct characteristics. They’re typically extracted as bran oil, sunflower oil, canola oil, etc. Take a look at the features:
● Neutral or very light flavour
● Longer shelf life in kitchens and on a grocery app
● A high smoke point
● Consistency in taste and appearance
Pros
Here are some reasons to use refined oil for cooking:
● Great for deep frying
● Stable, with a good shelf life
● Readily available at any grocery app
● Affordable
Cons
Here are some disadvantages of incorporating refined oil into your recipes:
● Lacks nutrients due to heavy filtering
● Reduced health benefits
● Trans fat and other harmful compounds
● Possibility of having traces of chemicals
What are Cold-Pressed Oils?
Have you come across the term “Kacchi-Ghani” on Indian grocery apps? That’s cold-pressed oil for you! This extraction process, although it’s simpler, somehow takes much more effort.
Your seeds are first thoroughly cleaned, then dried and crushed. The resulting oil is devoid of chemicals and heat processing. Hence, it’s unrefined and pure, basically in its natural element.
Key Features of Cold-Pressed Oils
Since the natural goodness remains intact, cold-pressed oils are preferred by health-conscious people. Look at the key characteristics of good-quality cold-pressed oils:
● Rich in taste and aromatic
● Presence of sediments
● Darker hue
● Rich nutrient profile
Pros
The following are the advantages of buying cold-pressed oil from a grocery app:
● Contains Omega fatty acids
● Contains antioxidants
● Natural and chemical-free
● Can be consumed raw
Cons
● Costlier
● May need refrigeration
● Shorter shelf life
● Lower smoke point
Which One to Pick?
While cold-pressed oils are healthier, they’re also quite expensive and have a short shelf life. Thus, you can also keep refined oil in your pantry. They serve different purposes; you just need to find a balance:
Use cold-pressed oils for:
● Prioritising nutrition
● Salad dressings and dips
● Lighter, healthier meals
Use refined oils for:
● Deep frying
● Occasional cookouts and festive meals
Conclusion
Despite the perception not all refined oils are bad. Healthier, low-absorbing refined oils like the Saffola tasty oil can be used in moderation for some delicious yet nutritious meals. You can check out your local grocery app, like the Swiggy Instamart, for good deals.
