For thousands of years, Indian kitchens relied on oils extracted slowly from seeds and nuts using wooden or stone presses. These oils were not only cooking mediums but also an important source of nourishment.
In recent decades, however, the traditional process was largely replaced by industrial refining methods that prioritise shelf life, large volumes and low cost. Unfortunately, this shift has also changed the nutritional quality of the oils we consume daily.
At The Way We Were, we believe in bringing back the wisdom of traditional foods. Our cold-pressed oils are produced using slow, gentle extraction methods that preserve the natural goodness of the seeds.
What Are Cold-Pressed Oils?
Cold-pressed oils are extracted from seeds or nuts using slow mechanical pressure without excessive heat or chemical processing.
Because the oil is not exposed to high temperatures or chemical solvents, it retains its:
* Natural nutrients
* Original flavour and aroma
* Antioxidants
* Healthy fatty acids
This is the way oils were traditionally made in villages using wooden ghani (Kolhu) systems.
Why Refined Oils Became Popular?
Industrial refined oils became common because they offer:
* Longer shelf life
* Neutral smell and colour
* High-volume production
* Lower cost
However, the refining process usually involves:
* High heat
* Chemical solvents
* Deodorising and bleaching
These steps strip the oil of many natural nutrients.
Why Choosing the Right Oil Matters
Cooking oil is one of the most regularly consumed ingredients in any household. When oils are highly refined and stripped of their natural compounds, the body loses access to important nutrients that were naturally present in seeds and nuts.
Traditional cold pressed oils contain beneficial compounds such as:
* Natural Vitamin E
* Antioxidants
* Healthy fatty acids
* Plant nutrients
These compounds are naturally present in seeds and are preserved during gentle extraction.
Our Approach at The Way We Were
At The Way We Were, our philosophy is to keep processing as gentle and minimal as possible so that the oil retains its natural integrity.
While many cold pressed oil producers extract oil using mechanical presses, they often pass the oil through a filter press soon after extraction. This helps them bottle and sell the oil quickly while maintaining lower inventory.
However, filtration can remove some of the natural suspended particles that are present in freshly extracted oils.
At The Way We Were, we follow a slower and more patient approach.
After cold pressing, the oil is allowed to rest naturally for several weeks, giving time for heavier particles to settle naturally at the bottom. Instead of mechanical filtration, we rely on this traditional settling process.
This allows the oil to retain more of its natural flavour, character and nutrients, while also helping improve its stability during storage.
Another important difference lies in the number of extractions.
In many commercial cold-pressed oil setups, the same seeds may be pressed multiple times (often 3–4 cycles) in order to maximise oil yield. While this increases production efficiency, it also requires applying greater mechanical pressure to the seeds.
At The Way We Were, we prefer one or at most two gentle extractions. This means the remaining seed cake may still retain some oil, but the oil that is extracted is obtained under lower pressure and gentler conditions.
We believe this traditional, less aggressive extraction approach produces oil that is closer to its natural state and easier for the body to digest.
The residual seed cake that still contains a higher percentage of natural oil is not treated as waste. Thanks to the ecosystem of our farm, this nutrient-rich cake becomes valuable feed for our in-house cows.
In this way, nothing goes to waste. The same system that helps us produce quality oils for humans also supports nutritious feed for our cattle, strengthening the natural farm cycle.
Our oils are therefore:
✔ Cold pressed using traditional slow extraction
✔ Naturally settled for weeks instead of forced filtration
✔ Extracted in limited cycles to avoid excessive pressure
✔ Produced within a farm ecosystem where by-products support our cattle
✔ Bottled in small batches
Because good food often requires time, patience and respect for natural processes.
Why Some Cold Pressed Oils Still Behave Like Refined Oils
Today, many oils in the market are labelled “Cold Pressed”, yet consumers often notice that they look extremely clear, have very mild aroma, and behave almost like refined oils during cooking.
This happens because the term " cold-pressed " only refers to the extraction method, not necessarily to the entire processing philosophy.
In some production systems, oils may still undergo steps that move them closer to industrial processing, such as:
Multiple extraction cycles
Seeds are pressed repeatedly (sometimes 3–4 times) to maximise oil yield. Higher pressure applied in later cycles can affect the natural characteristics of the oil.
Immediate filtration
Many producers pass freshly extracted oil through filter presses to remove suspended particles. This makes the oil look very clear and allows it to be bottled quickly.
Rapid processing for faster sales
To maintain fast inventory movement, oils are often processed and packed soon after extraction rather than being allowed time to settle naturally.
While these practices may improve production efficiency and shelf appearance, they can gradually move the oil away from the traditional character that cold-pressed oils were once known for - their natural aroma, body and nutrient richness.
At The Way We Were, we follow a slower path.
Our oils are cold-pressed, allowed to rest for weeks, and extracted only once or twice, ensuring a gentler process that respects the natural qualities of the seeds.
Because sometimes, the difference between food that is processed for efficiency and food that is prepared with patience can be felt in both taste and nourishment.
