Cold-pressed groundnut oil is becoming more popular due to its healthier status as compared to refined oils. This oil is extracted naturally, thus maintaining all its nutrients and flavour. Cold-pressed groundnut oil does not have any high heat or chemical treatment in comparison to refined oils. Hence, it provides several health benefits and has become the preferred choice of many. In this article, we will explain why cold-pressed groundnut oil is better than refined ones.
What is Cold-Pressed Groundnut Oil?
Cold-pressed groundnut oil is extracted by pressing groundnuts at a low temperature. This process prevents the alteration of natural flavour, colour, and nutrients in the oil. This ensures that the oil does not lose its healthy fats and antioxidants during the process. Additionally, the cold-pressing procedure does not use any chemicals, thus the extracted oil is pure and natural.
Health Benefits of Cold-Pressed Groundnut Oil
Cold-pressed groundnut oil is a very nutritious oil that provides the essentials for health. It is an excellent source of monounsaturated fats, which are known to help keep one’s heart healthy. Therefore, it is used in reducing levels of bad cholesterol and preventing other heart diseases. It also provides vitamin E, an excellent antioxidant that helps keep harmful free radicals from entering the body.
Additionally, cold-pressed oils have anti-inflammatory properties. Intake can help reduce inflammation and improve joint health. It supports healthy skin by providing hydration and nourishment to the skin. The antioxidant content in this oil slows down the ageing process and encourages youthful skin.
Nutritional Value: Cold-Pressed vs. Refined Oils
Cold-pressed groundnut oil has a very different nutritional content from refined oils. Cold-pressed oil contains all the original vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that are present in the original oil. Moreover, most of these nutrients are removed from refined oils in the refining process. Refined oils require high heat and chemicals for refining, which can lower the quality and nutritional value of the oil.
Besides, the cold-pressed oils do not contain bad fats that are trans in nature. Refined oils can have this unhealthy fat present, which leads to a plethora of health disorders such as obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. Therefore, it is better to use cold-pressed groundnut oil for day-to-day cooking.
Cooking with Cold-Pressed Groundnut Oil
Cold-pressed groundnut oil has a high smoking point. Therefore, it is perfect for different cooking methods, be it frying, sautéing, or baking. It will not break down easily with high temperatures, making it a major advantage over most refined oils, which tend to release harmful substances when heated.
This also has the natural flavour of cold-pressed groundnut oil, thereby giving it an exceptional flavour. Its mild, nutty taste complements various food dishes and makes it an ideal choice for all sorts of recipes, savoury as well as sweet. However, its use in traditional Indian cooking is very suitable due to its strong flavour characteristics, where people prefer the richness of flavours that oils impart to dishes.
Environmental Benefits of Cold-Pressed Groundnut Oil
The process of making cold-pressed oils is more eco-friendly than refining oils. Furthermore, cold pressing uses minimal energy and does not require the use of chemical additives, which makes it a much more sustainable choice for an environmentally conscious consumer. Comparatively, refining processes use more energy and contribute to pollution through the use of chemicals and high heat.
Therefore, cold-pressed groundnut oil can be assumed to be a small choice towards reducing your environmental footprint. It also increases the growth of organic agriculture as most of the oils are cold-pressed and obtained from organically grown crops.
How to Choose the Best Cold-Pressed Groundnut Oil?
Cold-pressed groundnut oil should be chosen from a good brand that provides quality products. The best oils are those free from additives and 100 % pure. The best cold-pressed oils are usually contained in dark glass bottles, which do not allow the oxidation or spoilage of the oil.
However, the oil should be kept in a cool, dry place for its quality to be preserved. Cold-pressed groundnut oil has a shelf life of about six months to a year, so use it within the recommended time frame for maximum benefits.
Conclusion
Finally, cold-pressed groundnut oil is always better than refined oils. With such processes, the nutrients in those ingredients never stand reduced along the extraction process. Therefore, cold-pressed oils have a lot of healthy fat, antioxidants, and several vitamins that help increase cooking in daily usage while avoiding environmentally unfit products and enhancing farm usage, which supports sustainable agriculture. Furthermore, cold-pressed groundnut oil is therefore the perfect option for healthier, tastier oil for cooking. Switch over to it today and discover the many benefits this oil can give you.
