Gingelly Oil

Gingelly Oil : Best Heart Healthy Cooking Oil

Gingelly Oil or Sesame Oil are the oils which are extracted from the dry Sesame seed the only difference between these two oils is slight variation in their extraction process. In India, for Sesame Seed we generally use terms like Gingelly, Sesame, Nallenai and Til, hence, oil extracted from this seed is also commonly known as Sesame Oil, Gingelly Oil, Nallennai Oil and Til Ka Tel.

Usually, this Gingelly oil is extracted by Cold Pressed Method where raw sun-dried Sesame seeds are crushed at low pressure in a Wooden Ghani Machine. Oil produced by Cold Pressed Method is also known as Cold Pressed Gingelly Oil or Cold Pressed Sesame Oil. This unfiltered oil is used for cooking as well as for various medicinal and cosmetic purposes.

Different Varieties of Gingelly Oil

Based on the oil extraction Method, Gingelly oil has broadly three varieties.

  1. Unrefined Cold Pressed Gingelly Oil: The Gingelly oil which is extracted in a wooden Ghani Machine at low temperature and low pressure without involving heat and filtered by sedimentation method is termed Cold Pressed Gingelly Oil or Wood Pressed Gingelly Oil. It has a light pale yellow colour and a strong aroma.
  2. Roasted Gingelly Oil: In this method of oil extraction, oil seed is roasted prior to its crushing in the machine and oils produced by this method have a dark brown colour.
  3. Indian Gingelly Oil: This is the commercial method where normal oil expellers are used to crush the oil seeds at high temperatures and a mechanical filtration process is used to get oil. Oil produced by this method is low in nutritional value.

Gingelly Oil vs Sesame Oil

Often people get confused when they come across Gingelly Oil & Sesame Oil. In fact, both oils are extracted from the same parent oil seed which is Sesame Seed (Til in Hindi). The only difference is their extraction process.

The Gingelly Oil extraction process involves the generation of heat as a result oil extracted becomes less nutritive, low smoke point and amber in colour and can be used for stir-frying.

While Sesame Oil is generally extracted by Cold Pressed Machine at very low temperature and oils produced by this method has more nutritional values as heat is not involved in the extraction process, the oil has a high smoke point, dark brown in colour and is ideally best suited for deep frying. Health experts prefer Cold Pressed Sesame Oil over Gingelly Oil.

Gingelly Oil Benefits

In India, gingelly oil comes under the top 4 most consumed edible oils. A large number of oil consumers come from the South Indian States. In north India, Gingelly oil use gets increases in the winter season. The main reason for this high demand for gingelly oil is its various health benefits and medicinal and cosmetic uses.

  • Good for Heart Health: Gingelly oil contains a compound called “Sesamol”, an anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory agent which keeps your heart healthy by keeping your arteries clean by reducing the deposition of fats. It also contains a high value of Magnesium which is an important mineral for controlling Blood Pressure Levels.
  • Gingelly Oil also helps to keep bad Cholesterol in control and helps to keep your heart health in good shape.
  • Prevents growth of Cancer Cells:
     Gingelly Oil contains a high percentage of Sesamin” which is considered an anti-cancer compound which helps to reduce the growth of cancer cells in the body.
  • Prevents Diabetes: Regular use of Gingelly Oil keeps Blood Glucose levels in control thus helping to control the chances of diabetes.
  • Prevents Cell Damage: Anti-Oxidant Sesamol present in gingelly oil helps to protect internal body cells from harmful radiation.
  • Keeps Bones Healthy: Gingelly oil is a good source of Zinc which helps to keep our bones healthy. Oil also contains a good quantity of Calcium which is an essential mineral for healthy bones.
  • Good for Intestinal Health: Gingelly oil has anti-inflammatory properties which help to control the condition of the Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) of the alimentary canal.
  • Maintains Oral Health (Oil Pulling): In Ayurveda, the use of gingelly oil for Oil Pulling (An Ayurveda Practice) is mentioned, in Oil Pulling, 2 teaspoonfuls of Gingelly oil is put into our mouth and swishing between your teeth for 10-15 minutes and spit out in the end.
  • Oil pulling in the morning time just before brushing your teeth helps to improve overall oral health.
  • Good for Skin & Hair if applied externally: The use of gingelly oil for external application makes this oil more useful in routine. It is considered a good natural moisturiser for the skin, it reduces wrinkles and light fungal infections, and also acts as a natural protecting shield against harmful UV rays. Gingelly Oil also prevents hair damage & hair loss.

Conclusion

Gingelly Oil is loaded with a number of health benefits and can be considered a part of your routine diet provided it is extracted from good quality Sesame Seeds and the process by which it is extracted.