Remember the smell of oil at your grandmother’s house? That rich, nutty aroma that filled the kitchen the moment she started cooking? Chances are, that oil wasn’t the refined, odourless kind sitting in most kitchens today; it was wood pressed oil, made the way oil was meant to be made.
At Sips N Bites, we believe good health starts with going back to basics. And nothing represents “basics done right” quite like wood pressed oil.
What Is Wood Pressed Oil?
Wood pressed oil, also known as Lakdi Ghana or chekku oil, is extracted using a traditional wooden churner (called a ghani) that slowly crushes oilseeds at a low temperature. Unlike modern refining methods that use heat and chemical solvents to extract every last drop of oil quickly, the wood pressing process takes its time, often several hours for a single batch.
This slow, cold extraction is the whole secret. Because there’s no high heat or chemical treatment involved, the oil retains its natural colour, aroma, flavour, and nutrients. Nothing is stripped away, and nothing artificial is added.
You’ll often see this method used for groundnut oil, mustard oil, coconut oil, and sesame oil all oils where the natural flavour is worth preserving, not masking.
How Is It Different from Refined or Cold-Pressed Oil?
It’s easy to get confused between “cold-pressed” and “wood pressed” the terms are often used loosely. Here’s the real difference:
Refined oil is extracted using heat and chemical solvents, then bleached and deodorised to give it a neutral smell and long shelf life.
Cold-pressed oil is extracted mechanically without heat, but often using a steel expeller at higher speed.
Wood pressed oil goes a step further it uses a wooden ghani that rotates slowly, keeping temperatures naturally low and preserving even more of the oil’s original nutrition and taste.
In short, all wood pressed oil is cold-pressed, but not all cold-pressed oil is wood pressed.
The Benefits of Switching to Wood Pressed Oil
1. Retains natural nutrients
Because there’s no chemical processing, wood pressed oil holds on to antioxidants, vitamins, and healthy fatty acids that are otherwise lost during refining.
2. Free from chemicals and additives
Refined oils often go through solvent extraction and bleaching. Wood pressed oil skips all of that what you get is pure oil, exactly as nature intended.
3. Better for heart health
Many wood pressed oils are naturally rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which support healthy cholesterol levels when used in moderation.
4. Authentic taste and aroma
This is the difference people notice first. Wood pressed groundnut oil actually tastes like groundnuts. Wood pressed mustard oil has that sharp, pungent kick your food deserves. Refined oil simply can’t compete on flavour.
5. Low processing, low toxins
The low-heat extraction process means the oil isn’t exposed to the free radicals and trans fats that can form when oils are processed at high temperatures.
6. Supports traditional, sustainable practices
Choosing wood pressed oil also means supporting small-scale, traditional oil-pressing communities and a more sustainable way of producing everyday essentials.
Why Sips N Bites Chooses Wood Pressed Oil
At Sips N Bites, we’re not interested in shortcuts. We source our wood pressed oils the traditional way slow-pressed, unrefined, and untouched by chemicals so every drop reaches your kitchen exactly as nature made it. Whether it’s for your everyday tadka, your salad dressing, or your grandmother’s favourite recipe, our wood pressed oils are made to bring back real flavour and real nutrition.
The Bottom Line
Wood pressed oil isn’t just a trend it’s a return to how food was meant to be made. If you’re looking to make one simple swap for a healthier, more flavourful kitchen, start with your oil. Your food (and your body) will thank you.
Ready to make the switch? Explore Sips N Bites’ range of wood pressed oils and taste the difference purity makes.
