Walk through the cooking oil section of any Indian grocery store today and you will find dozens of options competing for shelf space. Most of them are affordable, odourless, and marketed with health claims in bold font. But there is one category that gets consistently overlooked by the majority of shoppers, often because the price makes people hesitate, and that is cold-pressed or wood-pressed oil.
The higher price tag on cold-pressed oils is not a branding trick. It reflects a genuinely different way of extracting oil, one that preserves what the seed or nut naturally contains rather than stripping it away in the name of efficiency. This buying guide explains exactly what makes cold-pressed oils different, why the difference matters in your kitchen and for your health, and how to decide which variety belongs on your shelf. If you are shopping for oils online, the Ulamart oils collection covers both groundnut and sesame varieties in cold-pressed form.
What Cold-Pressing Actually Means
The term cold-pressed refers to an extraction method where seeds or nuts are crushed mechanically at low temperatures, typically below 50 degrees Celsius, without the use of chemical solvents, added heat, or steam. In India, this method is often referred to as wood-pressed or chekku oil, named after the traditional wooden press, called a chekku or ghani, that was used in village kitchens for centuries.
When you apply heat to the extraction process, as is done in most commercial oil production, the yield increases significantly. A single batch of peanuts produces more oil under high heat. But the heat also degrades polyunsaturated fatty acids, destroys naturally occurring antioxidants like vitamin E, alters the flavour compounds, and reduces the overall nutritional density of the final product. Solvent extraction using hexane, the most common commercial method, goes even further and requires deodorising and bleaching to make the resulting oil palatable.
Cold-pressing sacrifices yield in exchange for integrity. Less oil comes out of each kilogram of seeds, which is the primary reason why the cost per litre is higher. What does come out, though, carries the natural fatty acid profile, the vitamin content, and the distinct flavour that the seed possessed to begin with.
How Cold-Pressed Oils Differ from Refined Oils
| Factor | Cold-Pressed / Wood-Pressed | Refined / Commercial |
|---|---|---|
| Extraction temperature | Below 50 degrees Celsius | High heat, often above 200 degrees |
| Chemical use | None | Solvents like hexane commonly used |
| Nutrient retention | High, vitamins and antioxidants intact | Reduced significantly by processing |
| Colour and aroma | Natural, distinct to each oil | Pale, odourless after deodorising |
| Shelf life | Shorter, 3 to 6 months typically | Longer due to preservatives |
| Smoke point | Moderate, suitable for most Indian cooking | Higher due to refining |
| Price | Higher per litre | Lower per litre |
One thing worth noting on the smoke point comparison: cold-pressed groundnut oil and sesame oil both handle everyday Indian cooking well. Tempering, sauteing, and shallow frying at moderate heat are all well within their range. Where they are less suitable is deep-frying at very high sustained temperatures over long periods, where refined oils with higher smoke points perform better. For most home cooking, though, cold-pressed oils are not the fragile, temperamental alternatives they are sometimes assumed to be.
Cold-Pressed Groundnut Oil: The South Indian Kitchen Essential
Groundnut oil, called nallennai or kadala ennai in Tamil, has been the default cooking oil across South India for generations. The cold-pressed version carries a warm, roasted peanut aroma that most people raised in South Indian households will recognise immediately as the smell of a proper tadka. It is not as sharp as mustard oil or as mild as refined sunflower oil. It has a presence. Cold-pressed groundnut oil from Ulamart retains this character in full.
From a nutrition standpoint, cold-pressed groundnut oil has a favourable balance of monounsaturated fatty acids, primarily oleic acid, and polyunsaturated fats. The natural vitamin E content in unrefined groundnut oil acts as an antioxidant both in the bottle and in the body. Research has pointed to oleic acid’s role in supporting healthy cholesterol levels, and the absence of trans fats (which are a byproduct of certain industrial processes) makes cold-pressed groundnut oil a cleaner choice for regular use.
Where it works best in the kitchen: tempering mustard seeds, curry leaves, and dried red chillies for dals and chutneys, cooking rice dishes like tamarind rice or lemon rice, making traditional sweets where groundnut flavour is welcome, and as a finishing oil over cooked vegetables where the aroma adds depth.
Cold-Pressed Sesame Oil: The Ancient Oil That Has Never Gone Out of Fashion
Sesame oil, known as gingelly oil or til oil and called nallennai in many Tamil Nadu households specifically to refer to sesame oil, is one of the oldest cultivated plant oils in human history. Cold-pressed sesame oil has a deep amber colour, a rich nutty fragrance, and a flavour intensity that you will not find in refined versions. Cold-pressed sesame oil at Ulamart is extracted from untoasted sesame seeds, which gives it a flavour profile that differs from the darker toasted sesame oils used in East Asian cuisine.
Sesame oil is particularly high in two lignans, sesamin and sesamolin, which have shown antioxidant properties in research settings. It also contains a notable amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids alongside natural vitamin E. In Ayurvedic tradition, sesame oil holds a particularly respected position, used both for cooking and for oil-pulling, body massage, and hair oiling practices.
In the kitchen, cold-pressed sesame oil is excellent for finishing dishes, especially chutneys, rice preparations, and kozhukattai. It is used widely in traditional Tamil Nadu cooking as the oil for making idli and dosa batter smoother, for adding depth to sambar, and as the primary oil in Pongal. It also tolerates moderate heat well enough for daily cooking when used at home temperatures.
Which Oil for Which Purpose: A Practical Kitchen Guide
| Use Case | Recommended Oil |
|---|---|
| Tempering (tadka) for dal or rasam | Cold-pressed groundnut oil |
| Making chutneys and podis | Cold-pressed sesame oil |
| Traditional sweets like ladoo or halwa | Cold-pressed groundnut oil or cow ghee |
| Marinating vegetables or paneer | Cold-pressed sesame oil |
| Rice dishes (lemon rice, tamarind rice) | Cold-pressed groundnut oil |
| Pongal and porridge preparations | Cold-pressed sesame oil or cow ghee |
| Body massage and hair oiling | Cold-pressed sesame oil |
| General sauteing and stir-frying | Either, depending on flavour preference |
For preparations where you want a neutral fat without distinct flavour, like making some types of baked goods or dishes where the oil flavour would compete with delicate spices, cow ghee is worth considering as an alternative that also supports digestive health in Ayurvedic tradition.
The Smoke Point Question: Are Cold-Pressed Oils Safe to Cook With?
This is probably the most common hesitation people have before switching to cold-pressed oils, and it deserves a clear answer. The smoke point of cold-pressed groundnut oil sits approximately between 160 and 180 degrees Celsius depending on the batch and source. Cold-pressed sesame oil is similar. For context, most everyday Indian cooking, including frying onions, making tadka, and sauteing vegetables, happens well below 180 degrees Celsius.
Problems arise with high-heat deep frying, where temperatures can reach 190 to 200 degrees Celsius or above. For that specific use case, a refined oil with a higher smoke point is a practical choice. For everything else in a typical home kitchen, cold-pressed oils are not only safe but nutritionally superior.
One additional point: when any oil is heated past its smoke point repeatedly or for extended periods, it breaks down and forms harmful compounds regardless of how it was extracted. Cold-pressed oils, with their higher natural antioxidant content, may actually be more resistant to oxidative damage at moderate temperatures than refined oils that have already had their protective compounds removed.
Storing Cold-Pressed Oils the Right Way
Because cold-pressed oils are unrefined and contain natural compounds that are sensitive to light and air, storage matters more than it does with refined oils. A few simple habits extend the shelf life and protect the quality of what you have bought.
- Store in a dark glass bottle or an opaque container away from direct sunlight.
- Keep away from the stovetop and other heat sources. A pantry shelf or a low cabinet works well.
- Seal the cap tightly after each use to limit air exposure.
- Most cold-pressed oils have a useful life of 3 to 6 months after opening. Buy in quantities you will use within that window.
- If the oil smells sour or rancid, discard it. Cold-pressed oils that have gone bad will have a noticeably unpleasant smell quite different from their normal aroma.
Buying smaller bottles more frequently is often better than buying a large can at a lower per-unit cost, simply because smaller quantities are used up before oxidation becomes an issue.
Reading the Label: What to Look for When Buying Cold-Pressed Oils
Not every product labelled as natural oil or traditional oil is actually cold-pressed. The edible oil market in India is not uniformly regulated in how terms like wood-pressed or cold-pressed are used, so some label literacy goes a long way.
- Look for: explicit mention of cold-pressed, wood-pressed, chekku, or ghani extraction method.
- Look for: unrefined and without chemical additives or solvent-free stated on the label.
- Check: the colour. Genuine cold-pressed groundnut oil is noticeably golden-amber, not pale yellow. Cold-pressed sesame oil is deep amber.
- Check: the aroma. Open the bottle before buying if possible. Cold-pressed groundnut oil should smell like roasted peanuts. Cold-pressed sesame oil should have a warm, nutty richness.
- Avoid: products that claim cold-pressed but are fully transparent and odourless. Genuine cold-pressed oils have character.
For a reliable, traceable source, the oils available at Ulamart are sourced with transparency on extraction method.
Pairing Cold-Pressed Oils with Traditional Ingredients
Cold-pressed oils work particularly well alongside other traditionally processed ingredients. When you cook with cold-pressed groundnut oil and use freshly ground homemade sambar powder or whole spices from Ulamart, the resulting dish carries a layered flavour that comes from ingredients that have not been industrially stripped of their natural compounds. The oil contributes, the spices contribute, and the result is more than the sum of the parts.
Similarly, pairing cold-pressed sesame oil with traditional millets in preparations like ragi porridge or foxtail millet pongal creates a meal that is nutritionally coherent and deeply flavourful in ways that modern packaged combinations rarely match.
According to research published by the Indian Council of Medical Research on dietary fat guidelines, traditional cold-pressed oils used in moderation are considered nutritionally appropriate as part of a balanced Indian diet. Their position on dietary fat guidelines for Indians provides useful context for anyone looking to understand the science behind oil choices.
Making the Switch: A Practical Starting Point
If you are currently using refined oil for all your cooking and want to move toward cold-pressed oils without making the transition overwhelming, a simple starting approach works well for most households.
Begin by replacing refined oil with cold-pressed groundnut oil for your everyday tempering and sauteing. Use it at moderate heat, not for deep frying. Notice the difference in aroma and taste in your dal and sambar. Once you are comfortable with it, introduce cold-pressed sesame oil for your chutneys and rice preparations.
Over a few weeks, you will find that your palate adjusts, and food that was previously cooked with refined oil starts to taste comparatively flat. That shift in perception is a useful signal that you are tasting what was previously absent. The extra cost per litre spreads out meaningfully when you consider that cold-pressed oils carry flavour intensely enough that you often need slightly less per recipe than the neutral refined alternatives.
