Not all oils are created equal. Refined oils may look clean and light, but they often undergo high-heat processing and chemical treatment. The process strips away natural nutrients, aroma, and flavour.
Cold-pressed oils, on the other hand, are extracted without that high level of heat or solvents. This gentle method preserves antioxidants, vitamins, and the true essence of the seed or nut. This results in an oil that's not just better for your heart and digestion but also richer in taste and closer to nature.
If you're rethinking what's in your tadka, salad dressing, or weekend stir-fry, these honest brands make it easier to choose better.
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Anveshan
- Type: Wood-pressed oils like mustard, groundnut, sesame, coconut, and sunflower
- Ideal For: Daily Indian cooking - from sabzis to stir-fried breakfasts. Sourced from farmer-owned village units and tested for quality and purity.
- → Loved by those seeking hyper-local traceability.
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IndicWisdom
- Type: Wood-pressed oils including sesame, groundnut, mustard, and coconut
- Ideal For: Heritage-loving kitchens that value purity and ancient methods. Oils are made using low-RPM wood pressing to retain nutrients.
- → Great for those shifting away from refined oils.
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Gramiyaa
- Type: Wood-pressed oils from groundnut, coconut, and sesame with focus on Tamil Nadu origins
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Ideal For: Conscious kitchens seeking thoughtfully packaged, traditionally extracted oils for daily Indian cooking.
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→ Gramiyaa uses recyclable PET and Tetra Pak packaging to preserve oil quality while reducing environmental impact. Their cold-pressing is energy-efficient, and even the leftover seed husks are repurposed — a true low-waste process rooted in regional wisdom.
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Puvi
- Type: Premium cold-pressed groundnut, coconut, sesame oils
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Ideal For: Families that want high-quality, unadulterated oils with complete traceability - straight from farm to kitchen.
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→ Puvi sources directly from their own farms and trusted partners. Their oils are cold-pressed, filtered (not refined), and come with a strong focus on hygiene, quality, and safety. Minimal human handling and strict in-house quality control make them ideal for health-conscious homes that care about purity and transparency.
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Satvyk
- Type: Cold-pressed oils like mustard, groundnut, and sesame with certified organic practices
- Ideal For: Organic-first kitchens looking for small-batch, traceable oils with zero additives
- → A good fit for mindful kitchens with traditional values
Real Kitchens, Real Oils
Ishita, a home cook in Delhi, switched to Anveshan cold pressed groundnut oil. “It adds such a subtle nutty taste to parathas and I use less oil overall.”
Rahul, a young working professional, started using Puvi’s sesame oil after trying Asian-style stir-fries. “The aroma made a huge difference. It actually made me want to cook.”
Shravani, a mother of two, uses IndicWisdom coconut oil for dosas and sautéing. “It’s comforting, light, and hasn’t triggered any digestion issues in my kids.”
How to Get Started
Start by replacing just one refined oil in your pantry. You don’t need a whole shelf of artisanal oils — just one clean, cold-pressed bottle that suits your style.
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Groundnut oil → for parathas, deep-frying, and sabzis
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Sesame oil → for chutneys, tadka, dosas and stir-fry
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Coconut oil → for South Indian dishes or light sautéing
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Mustard oil → for pickles, mustard-based gravies, or Bengali meals
Pick a brand, try a sampler, and notice the difference in both taste and satiety.
A Quick Note on Cooking with Cold-Pressed Oils
Cold-pressed oils retain more nutrients but mostly have a lower smoke point than refined oils. That makes them ideal for sautéing, tadka (tempering), salad dressings, or low-to-medium heat cooking.
For high-heat methods like deep frying, you might still want to use more stable oils like Cold-pressed mustard oil, Cold-pressed sesame or coconut oil (used traditionally in Indian cooking)
⚠️ Avoid reusing cold-pressed oils for deep frying as they degrade faster and may produce harmful compounds.
Use what suits the dish and your body. The goal is balance: flavour, function, and wellness.
