For thousands of years, fats and oils have been important in food preparation in India. There is even a specific mention in Sanskrit literature dating back to 500 BC to an oil-press method of extracting edible oil for cooking. That is how rich our inheritance is when it comes to the culinary science and tradition. Oils extracted by cold-press methods are non-blended and chemical free and have a range of benefits that we lose out on, when we opt for refined cooking oils that have been extracted with industrial methods.
- They are completely ‘pure’ in the sense they are not processed (no bleaching, steaming, distillation and hydrogenation or exposure to high temperatures or chemicals like phosphoric acid, calcium hypo chlorite to increase the shelf life).
- Hence the flavour and aroma as well as all its nutritive contents remain intact.
- They are rich sources of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids (good cholesterol). They also contain zinc and vitamins like vitamin A, C, E, D lecithin, and potassium. Cold-pressed oils also contain bioflavonoids (antioxidants) that help fight allergies, offer cardiovascular protection and support to the nervous system and eye health.
- Absolutely free of pesticides that are carcinogenic.
- As it is manually filtered, it is more viscous and retains and preserves the flavour to a high extent. This helps in lesser consumption/ intake (atleast by 20%) of oil as compared to the industrially processed refined oil.
- High in Vitamin E and micro nutrients that are vital for our holistic well-being.
We at m3Kitchen willingly incorporate these traditional healthy oils in cooking to keep our recipes not just flavoursome but healthful too. We take cognizance of the ingredients we use and this is the reason why cold pressed oils are again finding place in our kitchen pantries.
