Every Indian kitchen runs on cooking oil. It goes into the tadka, the sabzi, the paratha, the achaar, and even the Sunday deep-fried treats. Yet most households have never questioned what goes into the oil itself. If your kitchen uses a refined oil, the answer includes hexane solvents, bleaching agents, and deodorising chemicals. Wood-pressed oil offers a very different answer, and it starts with a wooden churner, raw seeds, and nothing else.
What is Wood Pressed Oil?
Wood pressed oil is extracted from seeds using a traditional wooden ghani or kolhu press rotating at 15–25 RPM, without external heat, chemicals, or solvents. The oil temperature stays below 40°C, preserving Vitamin E, Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, and natural antioxidants stripped away in refined oils. Wood-pressed oil is cooking oil extracted by crushing oilseeds inside a traditional wooden churner called a Lakdi Ghani. The seeds are placed into a cylindrical wooden mortar, and a heavy wooden pestle rotates slowly to crush and release the oil. No external heat is applied, no chemical solvents are used, and no bleaching or deodorising takes place.
The wooden components of the Ghani absorb the friction heat generated during crushing, keeping the temperature below 40°C throughout the process. This low-temperature extraction is what preserves the oil's natural colour, aroma, fatty acid profile, and micronutrients. Indic Wisdom extracts its entire range of cold-pressed cooking oils using this in-house Lakdi Ghani method, followed by modern quality testing before every batch is packed.
In different parts of India, this method is known by different names: Chekku in Tamil Nadu, Ghani in Hindi-speaking regions, and Kolhu in parts of North India. The technique has been used for over 5,000 years, dating back to the Indus Valley Civilisation.
Step-by-Step Process of Making Wood Pressed Oil
Knowing what wood-pressed oil is starts with seeing how it is made. The process has remained largely the same for centuries:
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Seed selection and cleaning: High-quality oilseeds (groundnut, sesame, mustard, coconut, or others) are sourced, cleaned, and sorted to remove dust, stones, and damaged seeds.
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Sun drying: Seeds are dried naturally in sunlight for one to two days to reduce moisture content, which improves oil quality and shelf life.
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Loading the Ghani: Dried seeds are fed into the Lakdi Ghani, a large wooden mortar with a rotating wooden pestle.
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Slow crushing: The pestle rotates slowly, crushing seeds at temperatures below 40°C. The wood absorbs friction heat, preventing nutrient loss.
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Oil collection: The extracted oil flows out naturally and is collected in containers.
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Natural filtration: The oil is filtered through muslin cloth or allowed to settle naturally. No chemical filtering or refining is done.
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Quality testing and packing: At facilities like Indic Wisdom's manufacturing unit, each batch undergoes lab testing in a GMP-certified environment before packing.
The entire process is designed to keep the oil as close to its natural state as possible.
Top Wood Pressed Oil Benefits
So what is wood-pressed oil really giving you that refined oil does not? The wood pressed oil benefits come directly from what the extraction process preserves. A 2024 study by ICAR-Indian Institute of Oil Palm Research confirmed that cold-pressed vegetable oils retain important bioactive compounds, including antioxidants, polyphenols, and essential fatty acids, that refining removes.
Here are the key wood pressed oil benefits for everyday cooking:
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Full nutrient retention: Vitamins (especially Vitamin E), polyphenols, phytosterols, and essential fatty acids remain intact because no high heat or chemicals touch the oil.
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Zero chemical residue: No hexane, no bleaching clays, no synthetic additives. The oil contains only what the seed naturally provides.
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Natural flavour and aroma: Groundnut oil tastes nutty, mustard oil retains its sharp bite, and sesame oil keeps its earthy depth.
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Heart-friendly fatty acid profile: The original monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat ratios stay undamaged, which may support healthier cholesterol levels as part of a balanced diet.
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Diabetic-friendly choice: The preserved monounsaturated fatty acids in wood-pressed oils may help manage blood sugar response when used as part of a controlled diet.
Why Wood Pressed Oils Are Better Than Refined Oils
The difference between wood-pressed oil and refined oil is not just about taste. It is about what each process adds and removes:
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Refined oils use hexane (a petroleum-derived solvent) for extraction; wood pressed oils use only mechanical force.
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Refining heats oil above 200°C during deodorisation; Lakdi Ghani extraction stays below 40°C.
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Refined oils contain synthetic anti-foaming agents like Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS); wood-pressed oils contain zero additives.
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Refining strips away up to 70% of natural Vitamin E; wood pressing preserves 90 to 95% of it.
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Refined oils may generate 0.5 to 2% trans fats during high-temperature deodorisation; wood-pressed oils contain zero trans fats.
How to Use Wood Pressed Oils in Daily Life
If you are wondering what wood-pressed oil is good for, the answer is nearly every cooking method in an Indian kitchen:
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Tadka and tempering: Heat wood-pressed mustard or groundnut oil on a medium flame, add cumin, mustard seeds, and curry leaves. The oil's natural aroma adds depth that refined oil cannot match.
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Everyday cooking: Use wood-pressed groundnut or sesame oil for sabzi, dal, and rice preparations. These oils handle medium-heat cooking well (160 to 180°C).
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Salad dressings and chutneys: Cold applications like salad dressings, podi with sesame oil, or achaar with mustard oil let you taste the oil's full, unprocessed flavour.
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Portion-controlled cooking: NAVA Wood-Pressed Oil Sprays offer a convenient spray format for tawa cooking, roasting, and air fryer use.
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Skin and hair care: Speciality oils like wood-pressed coconut and castor oil double as natural skin moisturisers and hair treatments.
How to Identify Real Wood-Pressed Oil at Home
Once you understand what wood-pressed oil is, the next step is learning to spot the real thing. With growing demand, mislabelled oils are common. Here is how to check:
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Test |
What to Look For |
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Smell test |
Real wood-pressed oil has a distinct seed aroma: nutty for groundnut, pungent for mustard, earthy for sesame. Odourless oil is likely refined. |
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Colour check |
Genuine wood-pressed oil has a natural golden to amber colour with slight cloudiness. Crystal-clear oil has been heavily filtered or refined. |
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Taste test |
A drop on the tongue should taste rich and seed-like. Flat, tasteless oil is not wood-pressed. Bitterness indicates rancidity. |
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Sediment check |
A thin layer of natural sediment at the bottom of the bottle is normal and a sign of minimal processing. |
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Label check |
Look for "Wood-Pressed" or "Lakdi Ghani" on the label. Verify the FSSAI licence number and check for any mention of solvents or additives. |
Conclusion
Now that you know what wood-pressed oil is, the choice is straightforward. It is cooking oil the way India made it for thousands of years: seeds crushed slowly in a wooden churner, filtered through cloth, and poured straight into the kitchen. No chemicals, no shortcuts, and no compromise on nutrition or flavour.
Explore the full range of cold-pressed cooking oils from Indic Wisdom and bring the Lakdi Ghani back to your kitchen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is wood pressed oil good for diabetes?
Wood-pressed oils retain their natural monounsaturated fatty acids, which may help manage blood sugar levels as part of a balanced diet. They are free of trans fats and chemical additives, making them a better cooking oil choice for diabetic households compared to refined alternatives.
What are the health benefits of wood-pressed oil?
The key wood-pressed oil benefits include full retention of Vitamin E, antioxidants, and essential fatty acids; zero chemical residue; no trans fats; and preserved natural flavour. These nutrients support heart health, better cholesterol balance, and overall dietary quality.
How to identify wood-pressed oil?
Check for a distinct seed aroma, natural golden colour, slight cloudiness, and mild sediment at the bottom. The label should clearly state "Wood-Pressed" or "Lakdi Ghani" and list no solvents or additives. Tasteless, odourless, crystal-clear oil is almost certainly refined.
Is wood-pressed oil better?
For nutrient retention, flavour, and chemical-free cooking, wood-pressed oil is better than refined oil. It preserves the full nutritional profile of the seed, contains zero hexane or trans fats, and tastes distinctly like the oilseed it came from.
Is wood pressed oil the same as cold pressed oil?
Yes. Wood pressed and cold pressed oils use the same low-heat mechanical extraction. 'Wood pressed' specifically refers to the traditional Indian wooden ghani (kolhu) press, distinguishing it from modern stainless-steel cold press machines. Both avoid chemicals and refining.
How do I know if wood pressed oil is genuine and not refined?
Genuine wood pressed oil is unrefined, unbleached, and free of hexane or chemical solvents. Look for natural sediment, a distinct nutty or seed aroma, and a label confirming cold press or kolhu extraction method. Third-party lab testing or FSSAI certification adds further assurance.