Oils whether normal or refind play an important role in our lives. Anyone who works in the kitchen knows the weight of the sentence. No food is ever complete without the usage of oils. Vegetable oil puts not only taste to the food but also adds to the healthy additions to it. There are two types of oil namely refined and normal oil. Normal oil also goes by the name of virgin oil. The process of extracting such oil plays the role in describing the difference between the two.
Normal Oil vs Refined Oil
The main difference between Normal oil and Refined oil is that Normal Oil is virgin oil that is not exposed to excessive heat whereas refined oil undergoes excessive heat. Normal Oil conserves its natural aspect while refined oil isn’t natural. The process of pressing extracts normal oil. The process of standardization whereas extracts refined oil. So when a foreign substance is added by modifying the contents of oil, the difference starts to exist.
Normal oil is commonly known as unrefined oil. It contains a good percentage of nutrients which is more preferable and acceptable. Normal oil is preferred for its natural state and unprocessed nature. These oils are also included in the refining process but are not much perceived to excess heat. It is authentic in taste and odor because of its raw nature. It is believed to have a much more percentage of oleic acid in it.
Refined oil is what comes out after washing and deodorizing the raw oil. In order to remove the other components existing in extracted oil, it is deeply processed. This removal process includes chemical preservatives and enhanced aroma. The process of removal may be filtration or degumming which takes most of the essence out of the oil. Refined oil is attained once all the undesirable components are removed and further components are added.
Comparison Table Between Normal Oil and Refined Oil
| Parameters | Normal Oil | Refined Oil |
| Meaning | Oil output is achieved after eliminating toxic substances from the oil. | Oil output is achieved after standardized processing of the extracted oil |
| Components | Pure composition | Includes Chemical solvents |
| Nutrients | Full of natural nutrients | Degraded nutrients |
| Process | Extraction by pressing | Extraction by standardized heating |
| Health | Normal oil is unrefined hence pure from any impurities and hence is believed to be healthy | Refined Oil undergoes filtration which involves including various chemicals and impurities. Hence It is believed to be unhealthy |
What is Normal Oil?
Normal Oil commonly known as virgin or vegetable oil is a natural state of oil that excludes chemical inclusion. The extraction of normal oil is done through extraction by pressing. The oil does not undergo excessive heat treatments and hence is safe and pure. Vegetable oil is often considered healthy and is included in diets. The nourishing taste and aroma are pure and chemical-free. It contains all the necessary nutrients required and is included in almost all the recipes. The oil is considered to improve metabolism and is hence considered good for health. Normal oil has been used for centuries and included even in diet charts. The use is immense because of its pureness. Normal oil remains with the same composition as it was when it was extracted. The aroma remains pure and true colored.
The process of extracting the normal oil is through pressing. The process can be named alternatively depending upon the source of oil. There are different names such as crushing, malaxation, centrifugation. Virgin olive oil and coconut oil are extracted in a similar manner.
What is Refined Oil?
A refined oil may also be a vegetable oil or some other. The oil is purified by the method of settling. In simple words, the process involves treating the oil with various acids to remove impurities. The oil is filtered and bleached after the process of extraction. Due to the inclusion of various acids and chemicals, refined oil is considered unhealthy for the immune system. The presence of trans fats triggers various deadly diseases. When oil goes through physical treatments and processing, certain chemicals are used to make it more desirable. That state changes the contents of oil and degrades its natural state. The refined oil comes out to be non-aromatic and non-colored. To be more understandable the oil becomes more desirable on the outside. Refined oil is expensive because of the extra processing done. The oil industry benefits more from refined oil.
Due to excessive processing and refining, the oil comes out with excess omega fatty acid and it is often advised to avoid such refind oil.
The natural state of oil is disrupted through processing and all the vitamins and minerals are stripped. Hence the use of refined oil is decreasing and people are becoming aware of the importance of natural state
Main Differences Between Normal Oil and Refined Oil
- The main difference between normal oil and refined oil is the process of extraction they undergo. The normal oil is extracted through the process of pressing which included minimum heat and no chemicals while refined oil is extracted through processing and excess heat.
- Normal oil includes all the basic nutrients and vitamins which we require and which are included in the natural state. Refined oil undergoes excessive heat which degrades the composition of nutrients. Refined Oil includes acids and chemicals which get mixed when processed.
- Normal oil is considered healthy to consume while refined oil invites various health complications. According to various research, refined oil is believed to increase the level of cholesterol and trigger various health diseases,
- Normal oil is the natural state of oil extracted while processing of oil changes its composition and state. Refined oil change while undergoing processing and hence the state is not called pure.
- Normal oil involves the natural aroma and color which is quite different from what is found in refined oil. The processing is done to make the aroma more pleasant and the color more attractive. Hence the color and aroma differ in both
Conclusion
The normal and refined oil are both products of the same oil but they differ when extracted. They differ when the process of extraction is different in both cases. The pressing and standardization are both sed to make the natural oil and refined oil. Although refined oil is more processed to suit the needs of people yet the health consequences of it cannot be ignored.
References
- http://ljs.utcluj.ro/A08/43_52.pdf
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140988313002338
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030142150400031X