Wood-Pressed vs Refined Oils: What’s Really in Your Cooking Oil

Walk down any oil aisle and the bottles all look alike: clear, golden, neatly labelled. But how that oil was made matters just as much as which seed it came from. Two oils from the very same groundnut or sesame can end up completely different depending on the process. Let's open the lid on what's really inside.

How Wood-Pressed (Ghani) Oil Is Made

Wood-pressed oil, what our grandparents simply called ganuga or ghani oil, is made the slow way. Clean seeds, groundnut, sesame (nuvvulu), coconut, or mustard, are crushed in a wooden press that turns gently, much like the bullock-drawn ganugas of old.

A few things make this method special:

• Low heat. The slow rotation keeps temperatures down, so the oil's natural character stays intact.
• No chemicals. Nothing is added to pull more oil out of the seed.
• Nothing stripped away. The oil is simply filtered and bottled.

That is why wood-pressed oil pours out cloudy-gold and carries the honest aroma of the seed. When you open a bottle of wood-pressed sesame oil, your kitchen smells of roasted nuvvulu the way amma's used to.

How Refined Oils Are Made

Industrially refined oils take a faster, higher-volume route. To squeeze the maximum out of each seed, the process usually involves:

1. High heat during pressing.
2. Solvent extraction, where chemicals help draw out the last drops of oil.
3. Refining, bleaching and deodorising, which remove colour, smell and impurities.

The result is a very clear, almost odourless, long-shelf-life oil. That neutrality is the selling point, but it comes at a cost. The aroma, colour and many of the seed's natural compounds are processed out along the way. What you gain in shelf life, you often lose in character.

Why Traditional Oils Keep Their Goodness

Because wood-pressing skips the harsh heat and chemical steps, the oil holds on to more of what nature put in the seed, its natural aroma, its colour, and the nutrients and antioxidants that give traditional oils their reputation.

This is also why a little wood-pressed oil goes a long way in cooking. The flavour is stronger, so your tadka, your pappu, your dosa all taste fuller with less. Many families find that the richer taste means they reach for the bottle a little less often, which softens the higher price over time.

Practical Buying Tips

Labels can be confusing, so here is a simple checklist before you buy:

• Look for "wood-pressed", "ghani" or "kachi ghani". These point to traditional cold processing.
• Be cautious with "refined". It is fine to know what you are buying, just know it has been heavily processed.
• Check for aroma and natural colour. Genuine wood-pressed oil smells of its seed and is rarely crystal-clear.
• Buy smaller bottles, more often. Traditional oils have fewer preservatives, so freshness matters. Store them in a cool, dark place, away from the stove.
• Ask where it comes from. Oil sourced directly from farmers and pressed in small batches usually means better care at every step.

The AruYami Way

At AruYami Naturals, our oils are wood-pressed in small batches and sourced straight from farms we trust, no solvents, no bleaching, no artificial preservatives. Just clean seeds, a slow press, and the honest aroma your family will recognise. It is our simple promise: Eat Pure. Live Healthy.

Switching your everyday cooking oil is one of the easiest ways to bring a little more tradition back into your kitchen. Your dishes get their full flavour, and you know exactly what is, and isn't, in the bottle.

Ready to make the switch? Explore our range of wood-pressed oils and ghee and bring farm-fresh goodness to your family's table.