Cold pressing is the method of oil extraction from oilseeds which may include sesame seed, sunflower seeds, canola, coconut or olive without really using heat to extract as that may degrade the oil’s flavour and nutritional quality. Cold pressing method is the process involving crushing seeds or nuts and forcing out the oil through pressure.
Cold-pressed oils retain healthy antioxidants that are otherwise damaged by being exposed to heat. Antioxidants help combat free radicals that cause cell damage in the body.
Most cold-pressed oils are rich in vitamin E, which has anti-inflammatory and healing properties. They are also rich sources of oleic acid that help boost your immune system. All these oils, when cooked on low heat, are excellent oils; however, they lose all the nutrients once exposed to too much heat.
These oils are much healthier than regular refined oils because they contain unsaturated (read healthy) fats. Many farmers in the Farmizen farmer network press their own cold-pressed oils at the village level, package them and send them to customers through Farmizen. One such entity is Anantha Naturals, a farmer collective in Ananthpur district, Andhra Pradesh.
Click here to buy cold-pressed groundnut oil from Anantha Naturals on the Farmizen app
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