Organic Cold-pressed Oils
Cold-pressed oil: healthy, fine and with a magnificent bouquet
Oil is a sensitive food product, it is fine and filigree; it can only take on its proper flavour and retain the vitamins and essential fatty acids if it is processed gently and with great devotion to detail.
Bio Planète is a small oil mill in the foothills of the French Pyrënées and was established in 1984 by one of the pioneers of French organic farming. The founder's daughter, Judith Moog, still runs the mill today, producing a wide range of oils of the very best quality. They process only carefully selected organic raw materials and press them in keeping with age-old craftsmanship traditions. As the manufacturer, they can therefore guarantee that you will receive nothing but the very finest edible oil grade from the first cold pressing.
The oils are produced in the traditional way by 'cold pressing', which is simply a method of squeezing the seeds to produce the oil, without the use of heat or chemical solvents. There is no refining of the product, and all the oils are virgin oils, giving the full essence of the seed, without adding or taking away anything.
Our Brazil Nut oil is an EqualExchange fairtrade product, not from Bio Planète, but produced in a similar way.
The Range
Olive Oil
-available in 500mls, cases of 6 x 500ml, and box of 3 litres - BUY NOW
The Source
The olive tree has existed for more than 35,000 years, as fossil remains prove. Olive oil has been an indispensable part of daily life in the Mediterranean area for the past 6,000 years, and is used not only as a supply of nutrition, but also as a medicine and for beauty care purposes.
The shiny silver evergreen tree has to grow for a few years before it begins to bear fruit. Olive trees can be up to 2,000 years old. The green olives turn violet in December when they are beginning to mature, to be harvested when they are deep black in colour.
Processing
To produce “Native Olive Oil”, the ripe, black olives are ground to a paste and pressed slowly in a plunger-press. “Extra Native Olive Oil” is produced particularly quickly; the proportion of free fatty acids must be below 1%. Extra Native Olive Oil is therefore specially fine and of the highest quality. From December until well into March just the ripe olives are picked by hand from each tree. The oil-masters always process the fresh olives on the day they are picked.
The oil is decanted using an old, traditional method : The oil rests in deep basins until the fruit’s water has sunk to the bottom. The pure olive oil floats to the top, is skimmed off and filtered through paper.
Culinary Uses
Extra native olive oil endows your salads and raw dishes with a touch of Mediterranean flair. Our olive oil sparkles in the spoon with a golden sheen, welcomes you with an enchanting scent and has a deep, fruity flavour You can also use it for steaming and frying, but please make sure that it does not start to give off smoke.
Good and Healthy
Olive oil contains a high proportion of monounsaturated fatty acids. It can regulate the cholesterol level in the blood, help to prevent cardiac and circulatory illnesses, and improve the output of the thyroid gland.
Olive oil can also be used as a lotion. It helps disinfect the skin and soothe inflammation.
- 100g extra virgin olive oil can contain 10.5mg of Vitamin E;
- 15.5% saturated fatty acids;
- 77% mono-saturated fatty acids;
- 7.1% polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Safflower Oil
available in 500mls, and cases of 6 x 500ml BUY NOW
The Source
Safflower oil is extracted from the seeds of the safflower (carthamus tinctorius, or “dyer’s thistle”). The safflower was cultivated for centuries in Europe to produce yellow and carmine red dyes from its blossom. Nowadays the safflower is important for organic farmers in countries with dry climates, because the thistle cannot stand much rain. It flourishes best in desert-like conditions and draws moisture from very deep layers in the soil. Its roots extend down as far as two metres into the ground for this purpose. This naturally loosens the soil, creating good conditions for the next generation of seeds.
Processing
Our safflower seeds (saffola) have an oil content of about 40%. The seeds resemble sunflower seeds in shape, but are almost white. The seeds are shelled, to remove most of the husks and then carefully pressed in small worm presses. Our safflower oil stands out on account of its inherent and decidedly mild flavour. Cold-pressed safflower oil from organic 
cultivation contains more linoleic acid than any other oil (78.3%). Linoleic acid is the most important unsaturated fatty acid. It is essential to life, because the human body needs it but cannot produce it itself. Safflower oil is particularly suitable for a balanced, natural diet because of its high linoleic acid content.
Cooking
Polyunsaturated fatty acids are not stable when subjected to heat. Many healthy ingredients are lost at high temperatures. Thus heat safflower oil carefully, if at all, and only ever use it for steaming. It is best used cold in salad dressings and raw dishes. Its unobtrusive flavour beautifully underlines the natural flavour of your dishes.
Health
Linoleic acid plays a particularly important role in the metabolic system and should therefore be supplied to The body in a sufficient quantity to ensure a balanced diet.
- Cold-pressed safflower oil is rich in Vitamin E, 100 g of it contain 43.2 mg.
- 9.8% saturated fatty acids
- 11.5% monounsaturated fatty acids
BUY ORGANIC SAFFLOWER OIL NOW 500ml; 6 x 500ml carton
Soya Oil
Available in 500mls and cases of 6 x 500ml BUY NOW
The Source
Soya was developed in China even before the time of written records. The name of the soya bean comes from “sou”, meaning “big bean”, and is one of the five holy plants of the Chinese people. 5,000 years ago, the Emperor himself planted soya every year in a ritual ceremony.Nowadays, as a member of the legume family, it has an important position in ecological agriculture. Legumes supply the soil with nitrogen and are therefore highly suitable for use in the rotation of crops. In addition to its agricultural value, the soya bean also supplies an especially healthy oil which is making more and more friends.
The plant itself is a short bushy plant 20-180 cms in height. It is grown in normally cultivated fields in rows.
Recently, there has been a massive boom in the production of genetically engineered soya beans, which can resist certain herbicides. Vast areas of north and south America have been planted with these GM Soya plants. The Soya used in the production of our oil is exclusively from organic farmers in France who belong to a cooperative near Albi. The cultivation associations pay very conscientious attention to ensure that no GM soya seed is used - to the extent that they produce their own organic seed.
Processing
Soya is a basic component of the diet in Asian countries and forms the basis of tofu. Soya oil from the first cold pressing has a full aroma which deliciously emphasises the natural flavour of your salads and raw dishes. Industrially refined soya bean oil is a product which one should regard with particular scepticism; with regard to flavour and nutritional significance, industrially refined soya bean oil has simply nothing to offer. When our soya bean oil is pressed, the whole oil mill is filled with a magnificent aroma of fresh beans. The processor has to press some 10 kilos of soya beans in order to extract one single litre of oil.
Cooking
It is not really advisable to heat coldpressed soya bean oil. Our soya bean oil has a delicate bean-like flavour, It is thus ideally suited to enhance salads of hearty noodle, potatoes and beans. If you find the soya flavour too dominant, simply mix it with a little safflower oil.
Health
Soya bean oil possesses more lecithin than any other oil. It is thus a real power food for the brain and nervous system. Stress-bound managers and all mothers with small children should always keep a small store of cold-pressed soya bean oil at hand.
- 100 g of cold-pressed soya bean oil contain 31 .7 mg of Vitamin E.
- 13.7% saturated fatty acids
- 25.3% monounsaturated fatty acids
- 60.8% polyunsaturated fatty acids, of which 6.5% linolenic acid
Sesame Oil
Available in 500mls & cases of 6 x 500ml - BUY NOW
Source“Open, Sesame”. In the fairy tale “All Baba and the Forty Thieves” the sesame fruit serves as a symbol for wealth. When the fruit capsule opens, it releases a real treasure - the sesame seeds. However, a great deal of manual work is necessary before this point is reached. That is why sesame is hardly ever cultivated in western industrialised agricultural areas.
The sesame (also known in some areas as simsim) seeds are protected by a capsule, which does not burst open until the seeds are completely ripe. The ripening time tends to vary. For this reason, the farmers cut plants by hand and place them together in upright position to carry on ripening for a few days. The seeds are only shaken out onto a cloth after all the capsules have opened.
The sesame seeds in our oil come directly from an organic cultivation project in Manduras, Ethiopia. The initiators of the project themselves come from Ethiopia. They know the country and the people well and have 
belonged to the village community for many years. The project encourages the cultivation of regional seeds.
Processing
Sesame is not only one of the oldest oil plants in the world, at around 50% it also has one of the highest levels of oil content. The plants adore the subtropical climate. During blossom, the herb-like growth exudes an enchanting scent. There are white, yellow, brown, and black varieties of sesame. We only use white sesame, which is also used in the form of flour for making bread. When we press the pure, untreated seeds, not only are the healthy ingredients retained, but also the plant’s own content of sesamolin; this provides natural protection against oxidisation and gives our oil its shelf-life. As we do not roast the seeds as is common elsewhere, our sesame oil surprises with its particularly mild flavour
Cooking
Cold-pressed sesame oil has a very mild, nutty flavour, It adds a touch of Asiatic flair to your dishes. Only heat sesame oil with great care. Use it to enhance the flavour of vegetables, fish, rice, and noodles shortly before serving them.
Health
Sesame oil is the pearl of macro-biological cooking, with many health-giving properties. In Asian countries it is used for improving mental concentration. In this respect it is very similar to the natural form of Green Tea.
- 100g of cold-pressed sesame oil contain 11 .8 mg of Vitamin E.
- 13.6% saturated fatty acids
- 39.0% monounsaturated fatty acids
- 47.2% polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Peanut Oil
Available in 500mls & cases of 6 x 500ml BUY NOW
Source
Peanuts have come a long way. They were originally cultivated by the Incas.
Spanish and Portuguese conquistadors took “mani” - “the rattling nut” – to India and Asia. It even travelled to Africa in the slave-trading era. Here at home, it is only possible to buy them in the roasted form, because roasting them greatly increases their shelf-life.
The plant is a legume, and therefore a very useful plant in agriculture as it adds nitrogen to the soil by 'fixing' atmospheric nitrogen in the roots. It is also known as the Groundnut. This is because after flowering, a stem is produced which heads for the soil, burying the developing 'fruit' (the peanut shell of normally two nuts). The nuts develop underground, which is a benefit to propagation in its natural state.
Processing
We can offer you a pure peanut oil from the first cold pressing, one that is not steam-treated either before or after pressing.
These processes are a simple way to combat aspergillus fiavus. This is a mould that is particularly fond of growing on peanuts and which is killed by roasting or steaming. For our peanuts, the processors believe in making a particularly careful selection in order to obtain only the healthy, shelled nuts of the very best quality as well as strict control of storage temperature and humidity starts as soon as the nuts are transported by sea. The raw goods are checked in the laboratory as soon as they arrive. They then press the nuts at once and run checks on them at several stages in production. The harmful effects of mould spores cannot surface in the finished oil.
Cooking
Our peanut oil really tastes of peanuts. It is one of the few really healthy oils that is suitable for heating, so it can be used for frying and even deep-frying. It is also ideal for dishes prepared in the wok.
Health
Unlike solid frying fat, peanut oil has a relatively high level of essential linoleic acid, Its shelf life is fairly long and its combination of fatty acids means that it goes hard at around 13oC. Peanut oil is the healthy alternative to conventional frying fat.
- 100 g of cold-pressed peanut oil contain 23.4 mg of Vitamin E.
- 18.6% saturated fatty acids
- 43.2% monounsaturated fatty acids
- 37.5% polyunsaturated fatty acids
Rapeseed Oil
available in 500mls & cases of 6 x 500ml BUY NOW
Source
Those blankets of yellow flowers covering Britain and other parts of Europe's fields are rapeseed and used to produce this mild-tasting cooking oil. Scientifically known as Brassica napus olifera, also known as Rape, Oilseed Rape, Rapa, Rapaseed and (one particular cultivar) Canola, is a bright yellow flowering member of the family Brassicaceae. The name is derived through Old English from a term for turnip, rapum.It is very widely cultivated throughout the world for the production of animal feed, vegetable oil for human consumption, and biodiesel. In the 17th century it was grown for the oil to light oil lamps, for a source of lubricant and in the production of soap. Today, leading producers include the European Union, Canada, the United States, Australia, China and India. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, rapeseed was the third leading source of vegetable oil in the world in 2000, after soybean and oil palm, and also the world's second leading source of protein meal. In Europe, rapeseed is primarily cultivated for animal feed (due to its very high lipid and medium protein content), and is a leading option for Europeans to avoid importation of GMO products, as genetically modified rapeseed is now widespread across the world.
The Souce of the rapeseed
A group of 10 organic rapeseed farmers in Burgandy, France formed a co-op in the 1990's, and are the producers for Bio Planete's oil. Organic rape production is difficult as normally the crop uses high levels of nitrogen fertiliser. The Burgundian farmers use specially bred varieties of rape to produce the seed under organic conditions.
Processing
For centuries, humans and animals could not consume rapeseed oil, as it had a high erucic acid content. However, rapeseed varieties are now available for cultivation which have a lower erucic acid content.
Processing of rapeseed for oil production provides rapeseed animal meal as a by-product. The by-product is a high-protein animal feed suitable for cattle feeding, but also for pigs and chickens (though less valuable for these). The meal has a very low content of the glucosinolates responsible for metabolism disruption in cattle and pigs.
The Rapeseed oil offered by Graig Farm is, like all our vegetable oils, produced by cold-pressing the oil - this in itself is a rarity. Elsewhere, steam or solvent extraction is normally used, which destroys much of the health benefits within the oils.
Cooking
The mild flavour of rapeseed means it can be used anywhere requiring a light oil taste, for example when frying Oriental dishes or desserts, where the taste of fruity olive oil would be too intrusive.
Health
Rapeseed oil has been discovered to have more cholesterol-balancing monosaturated fat than any other oil except olive oil. It has only 7% saturated fatty acids; with 61% monounsaturated and 31% polyunsaturated fatty acids. It is also low in Sodium. It is also a good source of Vitamin E & K.
Sunflower
Available in 500mls & cases of 6 x 500ml BUY NOW
Source
Sunflowers always turn towards the sun during their growth phase. This enables them to store a particularly large quantity of solar energy. Something like 2,000 seeds develop in each flower head. Sunflowers are not harvested until the brilliant yellow colour has gone from the petals, when the plants have dried out naturally in autumn. The seeds then have a high oil content (44%) and contain a wealth of flavour and healthy ingredients.
The seeds for this oil are produced by two organic farming co-operatives in France.
Processing
The black, oil-rich sunflower seeds are carefully cleaned and shelled. A part of the husks are removed in a separate working step. This makes the oil milder and there are fewer bitter ingredients than if pressed together with the husks. After that, the seeds are pressed carefully in worm presses. Careful is the word! Because pressing creates heat. The processors make quite sure that we only exert just enough pressure on the seeds to ensure that they really are cold-pressed and that they lose none of their valuable ingredients.
Our sunflower oil has a magnificent taste of its own, with a fine and particularly mild underlying flavour
Cooking
Sunflower oil is at its most beneficial when used untreated on salads and other raw dishes. It enhances the natural flavour of cooked vegetables when sprinkled over them. It can also be warmed up gently and used for steaming, but please do not use it for frying or roasting.
Health
Our cold-pressed sunflower oil is rich in Vitamin E and the vital linoleic acid that is essential for cell formation and healthy growth.
Our tip: a course of oil treatment. Chew a dessertspoon of sunflower oil around in your mouth for a few minutes before cleaning your teeth. The oil will draw toxins, disease agents and pollutants out of the mucous membranes. Thus do not swallow the oil – spit it out and rinse thoroughly. This will give you a splendidly fresh and clean feeling in your mouth and throat.
- A dessertspoon (7.5 g) of untreated sunflower oil contains about 4.65 mg of Vitamin E (45% of the recommended daily intake).
- 10.6% saturated fatty acids
- 21.5% monounsaturated fatty acids
- 67.8% polyunsaturated fatty acids (linoleic acid)
Walnut
Available in 250ml & cases of 6 x 250ml BUY NOW
Source
The walnut has been cultivated in Europe since before the Roman period. The greeks distributed walnuts in the bedroom of a bridal couple on their wedding night as a symbol of fertility. The Romans, dedicated it to the god Jupiter, and also regarded it as a symbol of fertility.
Processing
Walnuts are often roasted before oil extraction, which leaves a rather dark flavour to the oil. Ours, from Bio Planète, is uniquely crushed without prior roasting. The resultant oil is sensitive, being high in essential linoleic acid. It should therefore be used within a few weeks of opening. Oil yields from walnuts are surprisingly high at around 30%.
Uses
Considered the gourmand's oil, it is widely used in haute cuisine. With its creamy soft aroma it complements many cold foods, such as salad dressings, potato salads, etc. It also works wonderfully with fish or root vegetables, if a little is poured over the food just prior to serving.
Health
Walnut oil is high in Vitamin E, pro-vitamins A & D, and has low saturated fatty acid levels (8%); monosaturated fatty acid levels are at 17% and, due to the linoleic acid, polyunsaturated fatty acids are at 75%. It is also high in lecithin.
It is said to increase mental and physical performance. It is second only to Safflower oil in its polyunsaturated fatty acid levels.
Brazil Nut Oil
Available in bottles of 250mls, and cases of 6 x 250ml BUY NOW
Winner, Gold Award, Great Taste Awards 2005
This fairtraded oil is the first organic Brazil Nut oil available. The quality is very high, and with acidity less than 1%, it can be called Extra Virgin oil.
Source
Brazil Nuts (sometimes called Amazon nuts) grow wild throughout the rain forests of the Amazon. Each ripe pod contains many brazils arranged like the segments of an orange. They drop to the floor of the forest during the rainy season (January to March) where they are collected by gatherers. The huge 70kg bags are filled deep in the forest and then transported by boat or on the gatherer’s backs to the shelling and drying factory. Nut gathering is a traditional family activity where each group leaves the town for several months and lives in the forest collecting and transporting the nuts. This income provides local people with a real alternative to clearing rainforest for agriculture.
CANDELA is a small non-profit trade development company promoting commercial and social development of small-scale producers in Peru. It works under the principle and Code of Practice of the International Federation for Alternative Trade (IFAT).
CANDELA provides over 50 families with credit, food and river transport to their forest concessions to support the harvesting activity.
Processing
The nuts are, like all our oils, cold-predded to extract the oil at the Candela factory.
Health
Great for a snack, and high in Omegas 3, 6 (over 30%) and 9, Brazils provide an excellent source of Selenium.
Cooking
Brazil nut oil has a deliciously nutty flavour, which does not affect the taste of other foods. It can be used in the preparation of salad dressings, mayonnaise, main dishes or deserts.It is ideal for salads, salad dressings or dipping with your favourite breads - great with balsamic!
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