Vegetable oils are, today, essential in our diet for their nutritional values and their taste; they are the stars of our beauty rituals . They have become essential for fans of natural beauty and “home” or DIY (do it yourself) cosmetics.
However, there are two types of vegetable oils – virgin and refined .
But then, which oils should we choose to benefit from the nutrients essential to our body's metabolism and the beauty of our skin and hair ? Should we favor virgin oils or rather turn to refined oils? To make your choice, it is important to understand the difference between these two categories of vegetable oils.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN VIRGIN OIL AND REFINED OIL?
A vegetable oil will be qualified as virgin or refined depending on its extraction process. If the extraction takes place by mechanical pressure , it is called virgin oil. If the extraction is carried out using solvents (chemicals such as hexane) it is called "refined oil" which makes it possible to obtain a "standardized" oil by modifying its fatty acids.
Whereas in the case of a “virgin” or “extra-virgin” oil, we end up with an oil that is pure and free from foreign substances (preservative, solvent, etc.), clarified exclusively by physical means and which cannot have undergone no treatment.
The majority of marketed vegetable oils are for the most part refined and hot extracted (between 200 and 400°C) except those which are mentioned: "virgin and cold extracted". So why it is important to read product labels.
After hot solvent extraction , a chemical antioxidant BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) and BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) is added as a preservative. Without these additives, the oil becomes rancid and takes on an unpleasant taste and smell.
Cold-extracted virgin oils contain their own natural antioxidant, which allows preservation without chemical antioxidants.
WHAT ADVANTAGES OF REFINING AN OIL?
Inexpensive BHA and BHT also have the advantage of being resistant to high temperatures. Without its additives, the oil quickly oxidizes and tastes rancid. Refining therefore makes it possible to obtain an oil that is stable over time, easy to store, lightly colored, flat in aromas with a yield close to 97%, much more profitable for the industry.
On the other hand, the oil obtained by "pressure", which preserves all its nutritional qualities, is more expensive to produce. Up to 20% of the material can be lost during extraction.
WHAT TYPE OF OILS IS BEST SUITABLE FOR MY SKIN AND MY DIET?
After the refining of an oil, its natural composition is profoundly modified with a destruction of almost all of the high nutritional quality components. Here are the main essential nutrients that are disappearing:
- Vitamin E with antioxidant, regenerating and anti-inflammatory action.
- Essential fatty acids, which the body is not capable of manufacturing and which are essential for our body. The biological activity of these acids also allows you to have hydrated, plumped, dense, supple and luminous skin.
- Beta-carotene , a powerful antioxidant active ingredient.
- Phospholipids and sterols which play a vital role in cell growth and the functioning of the plasma membrane.
Therefore, for healthy, nourished and glowing skin, it is essential to opt for virgin oils. This is why Bioriental.com only selects virgin oils: argan, jojoba, prickly pear seed, coconut, sesame, castor, sweet almond...