Why Your Cooking Oil Choice Matters More Than You Think
Walk into any Indian kitchen and you'll find a bottle of refined sunflower or soybean oil on the shelf. It's cheap, odourless, and fries beautifully. But what is it actually doing for your family's health?
Health-conscious families across Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh are going back to the traditional wooden press, the chekku or lakdi ghani, that their grandmothers never abandoned. This guide compares the three main kinds of edible oil sold in India today: wood pressed, cold pressed and refined.
What Is Wood Pressed Oil (Chekku / Lakdi Ghani Oil)?
Wood pressed oil, called marachekku ennai in Tamil, is extracted with a slow-rotating wooden pestle that crushes oilseeds at very low speed. The friction generates little heat, typically below 40°C, and the oil is then filtered.
- Extracted using traditional wooden machinery
- Temperature stays low throughout the process
- No chemicals, solvents or preservatives added
- Rich amber colour, natural aroma and full flavour
- Shorter shelf life (3–6 months)
What Is Cold Pressed Oil?
Cold pressed oil is extracted mechanically, usually with steel expeller presses, without external heat. Friction can still raise the temperature to around 50–60°C. "Cold pressed" on a label means no external heat was applied, not that the oil was pressed in a wooden chekku. It is still a far better choice than refined oil.
What Is Refined Oil?
Refined oil goes through a multi-step industrial process:
- Solvent extraction with hexane to maximise yield
- Degumming to remove natural gums
- Bleaching to strip colour
- Deodorisation at 180–230°C to remove smell and flavour
- Hydrogenation in some oils, which can create trans fats
By the end, most of the natural vitamin E, antioxidants and flavour compounds have been removed.
Wood Pressed vs Cold Pressed vs Refined: Side by Side
| Feature | Wood Pressed | Cold Pressed | Refined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extraction temperature | Below 40°C | 50–60°C | 180–230°C |
| Chemical solvents | None | None | Hexane used |
| Natural antioxidants | Retained | Mostly retained | Largely removed |
| Flavour and aroma | Rich, authentic | Mild | Bland |
| Shelf life | 3–6 months | 6–9 months | 12–24 months |
| Best for | Daily cooking, traditional recipes | Salads, low-heat cooking | Commercial frying |
Which Oil Should You Use for Indian Cooking?
Everyday South Indian cooking (tadka, kuzhambu, rice dishes): wood pressed sesame (nallennai) or groundnut oil.
Coconut-based dishes: wood pressed coconut oil.
Deep frying: wood pressed groundnut oil handles high heat well.
The Thinai Organics Difference
Our oils are wood pressed the traditional chekku way, with no hexane or chemical solvents, unrefined, unbleached and free from added preservatives. Shop wood pressed oils, delivered across India from Chennai.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is wood pressed oil the same as cold pressed oil?
Not exactly. Both avoid external heat and chemicals. Wood pressed oil uses a traditional wooden chekku and stays cooler; "cold pressed" is a broader label that often means a steel expeller. Both are better than refined oil.
Can I use wood pressed groundnut oil for deep frying?
Yes. Groundnut oil tolerates high heat well and is the traditional frying oil in many South Indian homes. Avoid reusing oil that has smoked.
Why is wood pressed oil more expensive?
The wooden press yields less oil per kilogram of seed and takes more time. You are paying for slow extraction with no hexane, bleaching or deodorisation.