We feel it, we inhale it, we coat ourselves with it, we enjoy it… vegetable oil represents a treasure trove of pleasures that our palates appreciate just as much as our epidermal cells. What is this secret formula for beauty, health and sensory appetite made of? Where do vegetable oils get their many benefits from? What makes them so special?
Oil is the name given to a fatty substance in a liquid state at room temperature, while the term “fat” refers to the fatty substance from semi-fluid to solid state (butter, lard in particular). Most vegetable oils and fats are derived from oil plants, with the exception of some such as evening primrose or borage oil.
What is the difference between an industrial vegetable oil and an organic vegetable oil?
This is the manufacturing process for a conventional vegetable oil:
The seeds are cleaned and peeled to be crushed and heated to a hundred degrees. The heating stage allows a larger quantity of oil to be produced but causes it to lose active ingredients as it passes.
Then they are pressed several times in live presses, which gives a crude pressing oil. The pressing residue is extracted by solvent (from petrochemicals).
The refining stage: to remove solvents, pesticides or moulds, the oil will be mixed with phosphoric acid and neutralized with soda. Finally it will be deodorized by heating. The oils will be stored in plastic or clear glass bottles.
It is understandable that they lose many of their properties during all these stages. On the other hand, it gives oils that are more resistant and easily preserved.
Manufacturing process of an organic vegetable oil:
First, this production requires raw materials of biological origin. They therefore do not contain pesticides at the base.
The seeds are cleaned and then mechanically pressed. The temperature will not exceed fifty degrees in order to preserve all their quality. The oil is then filtered on cotton canvas and then on blotting paper.
These vegetable oils are much more fragile than industrial oils. They are to be protected from light and are stored in tinted glass bottles.
Why choose an organic vegetable oil?
- An organic vegetable oil will always be cold pressed. The seeds and germs are from organic farming and therefore do not contain pesticides.
- They have retained all their benefits.
- When a so-called organic vegetable oil is purchased in supermarkets, it is advisable to check these points if you want a quality vegetable oil.