Soyabean is the most important and popular legume in the world. In India, the commercial understanding of soyabean started around four decades ago. Soyabean (Glycine max) also known as soybean belongs to leguminous plants native to East Asia. Even though it belongs to the leguminous family it is considered as oil seed due to its high oil content and is popular as a good source of vegetable oil and industrial application oil as bio diesel.

Fat-free soyabean meal is a significant and cheap source of protein for animal feed and packaged meals. soyabean products, such as textured vegetable protein (TVP), are ingredients in many meat and dairy substitutes. The beans contain significant amounts of phytic acid, dietary minerals and B vitamins. Soy vegetable oil, used in food and industrial applications, is another product of processing the soyabean crop. Traditional unfermented food uses of soyabeans include soy milk, from which tofu and tofu skin are made. Fermented soy foods include soy sauce, fermented bean paste, natto, and tempeh.

In India, the crop has established itself as the major rainy season crop in the rainy ecosystems. Introduction of soyabean crop has increased the profitability received from per unit area in India. In the coming years, soyabean is going to be a major oil seed crop in India. Owing to the varieties of crops that have been bred, the production is estimated to get double of the current volume. A number of researches show that with the current variety of soyabean the productivity is around 2.1t/ha, with the national average being around 1.2t/ha.

As we become successful to fill this large yield gap, the soyabean cultivation will double in the upcoming years. The further growth of soyabean production, the quality of oil and seeds to be obtained by new research methodologies and advanced technologies. 

Benefits of Soyabean Crop 

Soyabeans have a treasure of health benefits, including the ability to increase metabolism, gain healthy weight, protect heart health, reduce the effects of menopause. 

The health benefits of soyabean include:

• Improves metabolic activity
• Healthy gain weight
• Has anticancer potential
• Boosts heart health
• Reduce the effects of menopause
• Boost digestive health
• Long term solution for bone health
• Control Diabetes 

This detailed guide gives you all the necessary information related to soyabean farming. The topics have been discussed thoroughly and after reading the blog post you will get a good grasp on the knowledge of soyabean cultivation. This guide includes: 

• Soyabean plant and its properties
• Variety of soyabean crops
• Soil and climatic condition for soyabean cultivation
• Propagation of soyabean crop
• Preparation of land for soyabean cultivation
• Manure and fertilizer preparation for soyabean cultivation
• Weed management for soyabean crop
• Pest and disease control in soyabean crop
• Harvesting and yield of soyabean crop
• Post harvest management of soyabean crop
• Loans and subsidies for soyabean cultivation in India

 

Soyabean Cultivation in India

Soyabean is a leguminous crop cultivated in rainfed areas in India and is categorized as a determinate and indeterminate crop. The crop grows up to a height of 100cms with a well-balanced structure. The following are the characteristics:

• The crop has a taproot system and grows up to a depth of around 1.5 m. The lateral root develops from taproot to around 300 m. Like most leguminous plants even soyabean crop contains bacteria which helps in nitrogen fixation. Hence cultivation of soyabean crop will help in maintaining the nitrogen content of the soil.

• The crop has alternately arranged leaves and has different shapes. The colour is mostly dark green and sometimes tinted with brown, blue or red lesions. The leaves drop off when the seed pod ripens indicating the arrival of the harvest season.

• The inflorescence of soyabean crop produces purple or white flowers. In indeterminate type, flowers appear on the main stem on 4th to 8th node. With determinate variety, the flower appears from 9th node and proceed forwards.

• The fruit of the seeds appear in the form of pods and is usually in black or brown in colour sometimes tinted with purple or green. The pods have three seeds with round shape, hard and lined with a smooth texture.

• The mass of the seeds around is generally 12 to 25 gm per 100 seed. The colour is either red, yellow, green depending on the variety. The reason why soyabean is cultivated as oil seed crop is that the seeds contain about 17 to 22% of oil and around 40% protein. 

 

Variety of soyabean crops

The variety of soya bean seed you choose must be able to harvest in 4 to 5 months. The variety must have the highest yield in the particular season. The seed must be disease resistant and must have a sufficient time interval between maturity and pod shattering. Some determinate and indeterminate variety includes:     

• Indeterminate Soyabean crop: serenade, safari, sage
• Determinate Soyabean crop: status, sequel, sentinal, santa. 

Soil and climatic condition for soyabean cultivation 

The temperature conditions don’t allow us to follow a wide range of the spectrum when it comes to soyabean cultivation. Temperature too high or too low could adversely affect the growth and yield of the soyabean crop. Temperature below 13-degree Celsius and above 30-degree Celsius is considered unsuitable. But during plantation, 15-degree celsius is the appropriate temperature to stimulate germination. The seeds have a tendency to get damaged when exposed to extreme temperatures. The duration of the day matters a lot during soyabean cultivation.

The minimum rainfall requirement for soyabean crop is around 500mm to 900mm. Due to the presence of the taproot system, the crop can handle scanty rainfall and is tolerant to dry weather. Water logging damages the yield but for maximum benefit, the root must be 50% logged in water.

Fertile soil is a pre-requisite for soyabean cultivation. The soil must be well drained with a lower pH value. But pH value below 5.2 with compact type oil can hinder the nitrogen fixation process. High clay content is considered good for the crop. 

Propagation of soyabean crop   

Propagation of Soyabean crop is dome through seeds. Seeds more than 2-year-old do not yield and hence fresh seeds must be purchased brought every year.

 

Preparation of land for soyabean cultivation 

The land for soyabean oil must be developed from a certain depth. The soil must be loosened, but unnecessary tillage must be avoided. There are chances that the soil may lose moisture while loosening and hence proper care must be taken to maintain good moisture content in the soil.  The soil may also get damaged due to wind and water and hence proper care must be taken during tilling. Two tilling methods are followed during soyabean cultivation: 

• Conventional tillage: The land surface is inverted to keep no residues of the crop on the soil bed.
• Conservation tillage: Tillage implements are used that leaves the traces of crop on the land surface to protect it from wind and rain.

Planting of soyabean crop is done from May until June in non-irrigated regions. I irrigated conditions, plants are only cultivated when the soil temperature crosses 15-degree Celsius. Minimum depth of planting is 1.5 inches. Early planting varieties are planted at shallow depth. Whereas late planting in dry soil conditions is done at a much deeper level.

The seeds are planted at a distance of 5 to 15 cm with a row spacing of about 40 to 90 cm, depending upon the type of plant you choose. Row spacing differs on the irrigation and water availability of that region. It is observed that a row length of less than 30 cm has several advantages.  

Manure and fertilizer preparation for soyabean cultivation 

• Soil testing is always recommended before planting any crop. It helps you gauge the nutrient requirements of your soil

• Lime is added to bring the pH value above 6. Anything below 5.8 affects the crop negatively.

• In normal conditions, this crop doesn’t require any nitrogen-containing fertilizers since the bacteria present in the root nodules help in nitrogen fixation. The nitrogen is produced only after modulation and until then the crop consumes the pre-existing nitrogen from the soil.

• The average nutrient requirement of the crop includes potassium and phosphorous at 20-30 kg/ha for medium quality soils and 40-50 kg/ha for poor quality soil.

• Other than these major nutrients, soyabean cultivation also demands minor nutrients like calcium, magnesium and sulphur. 

 Weed management for soyabean crop

Weeds drastically reduce the yield and growth of soyabean crop by consuming the important nutrients from the soil.

• Weeds grow fast and hinder the growth of soyabean crop

• Manual removal of weeds is preferred during the early stages of the crop, but after plant attain a height of 5 to 10 cm, mechanical removal is more beneficial.

• Plantation of the crop with a distance of 30 cm or less reduces the growth of the weeds

• Herbicides are sprayed to control the growth of weeds but should be applied carefully since the soyabean crop is also sensitive to this sprays. 

Pest and disease control in soyabean crop 

Some common pests and insects can be found in soyabean farms such as cutworm, wire worms, boil worms etc. The following control measure can be taken:

• Crop rotation
• Using good fertilization and manures
• Control Weeds
• Inter cropping
• Avoiding too much water lodging in the farm

Soyabean crop is also prone to many diseases such as soyabean rust, Sclerotinia stem, purple seed stain etc. Some of the the efetive control measure includes:

• Crop rotation
• Using fresh and certified seed for cultivation
• Deep ploughing
• Water management
• Deep ploughing 

Harvesting and yield of soyabean crop 

Harvesting of soyabean crop must be done at the appropriate time to avoid unnecessary waste. The best sign of harvest is when the crop starts shedding its leaves and the moisture of seed drops below 15%. For inexperienced farmers, detecting of harvest season by observing its leaves is an easy option. Based on the size of the farm, the following harvesting methods are employed:

• For small firms with the availability of labour force, hand harvesting is preferred. This reduces loss occurring during harvest and gives you seed with high viability. You can employ this method when your aim is to produce high-quality seeds.

• Mowing is an activity cut the crops using a mower and the clean the harvest using a mechanical mower.

• Large farms use machines to harvest the crop. The losses occurring are inevitable. The machines are designed to cut the crop close to the ground without damaging the seeds.

• Storage of soyabean seeds demands a dry atmosphere. Moisture content promotes the bacterial reaction in the seeds. Grains should get a sufficient amount of air to maintain their overall temperature.

• Soyabean seeds can be stored for a longer period of time without fumigation.

( Fumigation is a pest control method which involves completely filling an area with gaseous pesticides—or fumigants—to suffocate or poison the pests within).    

Post harvest management of soyabean crop 

• Sorting is done to remove unwanted material from the harvested crop.

• Next, the seeds obtained are graded to rate the quality of the produce. Each country or geographical location has its own standard based on colour, variety and quality.

• Different grades have different packages. The packages are properly sealed before transporting

• Drying of beans below 14% less moisture content is preferred. Beans dried below 14% can be stored for 6 months and the one dried below 11% can be stored for 11 months. 

 

Loans and subsidies for soyabean cultivation in India

• NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development) is an apex of developing financial help for rural India. It can provide subsidies for farmers based on the climatic condition and size of the project.

• Apart from NABARD and other rural banks, there is The Soybean Processors Association of India (SOPA) which represents the national level body of soyabean farming.

• At present, it is the only regulatory body in India representing the soyabean processors, brokers, farmers and exporters working towards the aim to strengthen soybeans as a viable crop.

• The main objective of SOPA is to encourage the development and promotion of Soy-Based products in the interest of the farmers as well as the processors.

Out of a dozen of oils available in the market, soyabean oil is the most widely consumed oil and the reason being that it is the healthiest oil available. Especially, for vegans, it is a great source of proteins, good fats and is the first choice of many health freaks.

What is Soyabean Oil?

Soyabean also called as soybean is the vegetable oil extracted from soyabean seeds (Glycine max) by heat treating it a specified temperature and then refining the crude oil to make it edible. It is the most widely consumed cooking oil in the world.

What are the health benefits of Soyabean oil?

Here we write 9 health benefits of using soyabean oil; these benefits prove why this oil is so widely consumed all over the world.

● Soyabean oil helps you boost your immune system

Soyabean is a good source of protein, consuming it everyday will boost your immune system which will help you combat sickness and immune related diseases. Protein forms the building blocks of our body and is very important for cell regeneration.

● Soyabean oil aides hair growth

Hair fall is something which can bother people of any age group and it doesn’t differentiate between genders. Factors like stress, hormonal imbalance, anxiety and pollution being the leading cause. Consuming Soyabean oil increases the level of amino acids and keratin like fibres in your body and strengthens your hair from the scalp root.

● Nourishes your skin

Many skin care products contain soyabean oil or soy derivatives to nourish your skin. Including soyabean oil in your daily diet will help you in the long run to maintain your skin health. It is rich in antioxidants and helps avoid early ageing of your skin. Using soyabean oil benefits you by keeping your skin soft, free of wrinkles and pigmentation.

● Increases your body weight in a good way

When the majority of the population is looking to lose weight, there are some people who are advised to gain weight healthily.

Many people opt for eating junk food but it invites problem in the long run. Instead, you can add soyabean oil in your daily diet. They contain a good ratio of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, so substituting it with refined oils can prove beneficial.

● Vital for preventing osteoporosis

Women possess this gifted hormone called estrogen which helps in maintaining bone health. But after pregnancy and menopause, it is found that the level of estrogen becomes significantly low, leading to problems like osteopenia and osteoporosis.

Soyabean oil is rich in Isoflavones known as phytoestrogens which are estrogen look-alikes. They bind to the estrogen receptors in your bones and trigger good bone formation. So the consumption of soyabean oil increases the level of estrogen in the blood and prevents you from facing conditions like osteoporosis and osteopenia.

● Treats Alzheimer’s and boosts memory power

Alzheimer’s is a disease affecting millions of people all over the world. It results in cognitive dysfunction of a person’s brains as the neurons transmitting information in our brains breaks and collapse, therefore making everything from remembering the past to performing daily tasks difficult. Soyabean oil is rich in vitamin K and is known to boost memory power and in some cases reverse the effects of Alzheimer’s.

The fatty acids present in the soyabean oil have neurogenerative properties boosting the cognitive function of the brain and needs to be externally added through our diet.

● Helps in preventing colon and breast cancer

The phytoestrogen mentioned above helps in maintaining a good estrogen level in the body. This also prevents the risk of breast and colon cancers. Research has shown that women who consume soyabean oil on a daily basis are less likely to develop breast cancer and colon cancer than women who don’t. Hence it is advised to use this to its maximum benefit.

● Reduces the risk of Anaemia

Anaemia is caused by the deficiency of iron in the body. One of the main concerns for vegetarians is that their diet food doesn’t provide enough iron and especially women after pregnancy possess a higher risk of suffering from anaemia.

Though it is a vegetable oil, soyabean oil contains a good amount of iron and is highly beneficial for the vegetarians. The iron present in the form of ferritin is easily absorbed by the body and maintains a healthy amount of iron in the blood.

● Maintains a healthy digestive system

Presence of too many insoluble fats in the body causes problems in the digestive track and leads to problems like constipation, acidity, ineffective digestion etc. Consumption of lecithin through soyabean oil helps in diluting the insoluble fats and increases the metabolic rate and discards toxic substances from our body.

What Are The Uses of Soyabean Oil?

● The neutral flavour of soyabean oil makes it perfect for cooking where you want to maintain the real taste.
● Soyabean oil works well with other fats and oils making it perfect for salad dressing, sauces and baked goods.
● Liquid soyabean oil is used in making cooking oils, mayonnaise, salad dressings and sauces.
● It has proved its application in snack foods, bakeries, food service and other food manufacturing industries.
● Soyabean oil has good emulsifying properties and therefore preferred over other cooking oils in the general food industry.

Summary

Soyabean is one of the known ‘superfoods’ and has gained popularity due to its various healthy properties. Presence of vitamin E, phytochemicals and essential fatty acids makes it a popular choice of cooking oil all over the world.

It is advised to consume soyabean oil accompanied by a lot of fibres and protein in your diet to extract the maximum benefit.

Oil is an essential commodity for everyday cooking. Right from deep frying food items to adding tadka to vegetable, cooking oils play a vital role in the Indian diet. Many people have the habit of saving the oil left after deep frying food items. But have you really thought what consequences you may face by this activity?

Did you ever visit a snack shop and see the same oil is used throughout the day? I guess many people don’t even know how to identify good cooking oil.

It is important to understand how temperature works for different oils. Heating oils above its smoking temperatures change its associated chemical bond and this can lead oils to produce undesirable characteristics.

Since oil is a costly commodity many people reuse the oil after frying a food product to avoid wastage. But they are unaware of all the unhealthy diseases they are inviting by this activity.

Why you should avoid food cooked in reused oil?

Many cooking oils are made up of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. These fats are essential for our body and have numerous health benefits. Heating oil above its smoking point changes the chemical composition of oil molecules and turn fatty acids into trans fats and they are extremely dangerous to our health.

Overheating of oil also releases free radicals which can inhibit the normal functioning of our body. A free radical is an electron lost due to various reasons and since electron possesses the tendency to attach itself to other molecules, this free radical can attack our healthy cells to accommodate itself.

Naturally, oils like sunflower oil are anti-oxidant, meaning that they provide an additional electron for these free radicals to combine, sparing your healthy cells from getting damaged.

But when you reuse the oil, the antioxidant property of oil vanishes and the oil itself may produce free radicals. Free radicals are associated with many problems in the human body; they can block your arteries and damage your skin. Free radicals are also carcinogenic meaning they can lead to cancer. Re-using the oil can also increase the level of bad cholesterol in the blood.

Things to keep in mind while reusing the cooking oil?

1. If you want to reuse your oil again, make sure you know the smoking point of the oil you are using and avoid reaching up to that point. Say if you use sunflower oil for frying a food product, don’t use the oil for the same activity. Instead, use this oil for some other cooking activity which doesn’t involve oil reaching its maximum temperature.

2. Separate the oil into an airtight container as soon as you finish cooking. This will avoid food products increasing the possibility of oil spoiling before its expected limit.

3. While re-using the cooking oil check its physical appearance before and after the usage. If you see some drastic changes you better avoid the oil. Usually, the oil becomes dark in colour, high in viscosity and thicker than usual. If you see these characteristics, throw the oil immediately.

Identifying Good Cooking Oil:

Given the vast number of oils present in the market today, it is getting difficult to choose the best cooking oil. Here we list down the various qualities and smoking points of some of the cooking oils used regularly. Based on your requirement you can narrow it down as per your requirement.

Coconut Oil

Coconut has high saturated fats, which makes it resistant to heat. The fatty acids present have potential medical benefits. The oil is semi-solid at room temperatures and can last for months without going rancid and hence coconut oil is the best choice for cooking oil.

Coconut oil is one of those items which are called “superfoods” due to its various nutritional gifts. Its unique combination of fatty acids makes it different from other cooking oils. The various positive effects of this oil include better brain function, may reduce seizures and increase the percentage of good cholesterol in our body.

Coconut Oil has a smoking point of 350F or 170 C degree and is not suitable for high-temperature cooking.

Sunflower Oil

In recent years, sunflower oil has become a popular choice in cooking oil especially when it comes to deep frying the food products. Mild taste and the mixture of balanced polyunsaturated and monounsaturated acids make it a perfect cooking oil.

Sunflower oil has amazing health benefits like maintaining a good cholesterol level, promoting heart health and strengthening your immune system. Sunflower oil is an antioxidant and provides various skin benefits, and is used in many cosmetic products.

Sunflower oil has a high smoking point of 400 degrees Fahrenheit or 232 degrees Celsius making it suitable for Deep fried products.

Olive Oil

The two performance indicators while selecting a cooking oil should be its smoking point (The temperature at which the oil cracks, it must be high for cooking oils) & Oxidative stability (How resistant is the oil against oxygen). Olive oil performs well with both the indicators, making it an excellent choice as cooking oil.

Olive oil contains a good amount of monounsaturated fats making it heat resistant. Rich in vitamin E, the ability of olive oil of remaining stable even when exposed to oxygen makes them suitable for deep frying.

Olive oil has a low smoking point of 320 degrees Fahrenheit or 160 degrees Celsius and is suitable for medium-temperature requirements,

Soybean oil

Soybean is the healthiest of all the vegetable oils. Most of the soybean oil is categorized in different levels based on the process they undergo and its desired application. It has a wide variety of essential fatty acids and plant sterols making it a healthy cooking oil.

It is the most widely used vegetable oil in the world, possibly due to a reason that it is been cultivated on a large scale in different parts of the world.

Soybean Oil has a smoking point of 350F or 170 C degree and is not suitable for high-temperature cooking.

Rice Bran Oil

Relatively new in the market, rice bran oil is slowly gaining popularity. It has an ideal balance of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acid. To be precise it exactly contains – 37% of polyunsaturated fats and 45% of monounsaturated fats.

Many people today prefer Rice Bran oil for their primary cooking needs.

Rice bran oil has a high smoking point of 490 degrees Fahrenheit or 254 degrees Celsius making it suitable for Deep fried products.

Summary

To summarize all the points we have discussed, it is recommended not to reuse the cooking oil. You may be doing it to avoid wastage but this short term gain should not be traded with long term consequences. Instead, understand different profiles of various cooking oils and try to use them wisely.

What is food?

Well, technically it is the combination of various ingredients mixed and cooked proportionately.

The word ‘Mixed’ & ‘Proportion’ are the key terms here. The wisdom of knowing the exact amount of ingredients and the time it should be cooked is what makes you an exceptional cook.

That said, it is hard to master cooking skills and even harder to grow confident in it. No one is born a great cook. Although, we learn to eat naturally; cooking great food needs practice. Knowing a few cooking tips can make your food delicious and even makes your whole cooking process smooth.

So, to get you started we have enlisted 10 simple cooking activities every cook should master. These activities are your stepping stones in the delicious and flavoursome journey.

● Learn how to chop efficiently

Most of the cooking items you cook involve chopping. But still many people struggle to master this necessary skill. If basic task like chopping a carrot takes forever, no wonder you will feel the whole cooking process dull and drudgery. Learning a few chopping techniques will definitely come handy while cooking, saving you from menial hard work and loss of time. With some practice, you will learn to chop ingredients like a pro.

● Don’t Overload the Pan

You might want to finish your cooking early and end up filling your pan with an extra amount of food items. Chances are that, heat may get unevenly distributed, thus affecting the flavour and nutritional value. You need to leave space of few inches in order to heat your item thoroughly.

● How to knead a dough

Kneading dough is a daunting task, but believe me, when mastered it’s fun and easy. The secret of taste and texture of chapati or a poori lies in the consistency of dough. Unless you are capable of kneading perfect dough, it’s impossible to roll the perfect roti. Knowing when you can stop kneading is another aspect which needs practice. The trick lies in applying a rhythmic & gentle force that stretches and massages the dough.

● The Art of making round Chapatis

Making chapatis is easy, but getting a round one is tough. The trick lies in applying equal pressure and giving it a proper direction. It takes some time to get the perfect round shape, even thickness and uniform size. Making roti is a time-consuming process and you may end up getting frustrated. But roti is an essential part of the Indian diet, especially in the northern and central part of India. Roti can be eaten with dal, curry, vegetable and hence it is important for every chef to master this art.

● Choosing the right cooking oil

When choosing the right cooking oil, it is important to look at the oil’s smoking point and your temperature requirement. Your family’s health requirement should also be taken into consideration. Overheating the oil can release some harmful substances leading to unhealthy consequences. Oils like sunflower oil, rice bran oil, groundnut oil and many more are available in the market. You need to try different varieties before you choose the one suitable for your needs.

● Knowing the right spices

Spices are the main ingredients to impart flavours to your deliciously cooked meal. When you are first learning how to cook, the number of spices you need to deal with may seem intimidating. There are a group of spices which works great together and there are some who don’t. It is important to know the right combination to avoid any flavour clashes. Different recipes need a different combination of spices but as long as you stay within the same family, you can mix and match.

● How to Cook rice

Rice is an item that needs to be cooked regularly. You need to know the amount, the quantity of rice grains required, the absorption method to cook delicious rice. Rice is eaten with dal, curry and forms a core ingredient for many recipes. Hence it is important to be able to cook this delicious part of the meal.

● How to preserve your food ingredients

There are some food ingredients which you need on regular basis and it is only logical to stock these ingredients in your kitchen to avoid a daily trip to the farmer’s market. But it is also important to learn how to preserve those ingredients. There is nothing frustrating than planning to make your favourite recipe and finding out that all the important ingredients are spoiled. Based on the type of ingredient, the storage method differs and it is important to know the correct method to keep produce fresher and longer.
Like for example – For preserving herbs, pour extra-virgin olive oil over it and store them in small packets in refrigerator.

● Cleaning your Utensils

Every great cook and a house-party host know the importance of effectively cleaning the utensils. Based on the cooking oil and the type of utensil you use the cleaning method differs. Clean utensils are important for both hygiene and presentation – becomes more important when we take pride in our delicious cooked food.

● Taking Safety Precautions

Even though it’s your own territory, it’s crucial to take all the precautions and preventive measures to avoid any catastrophes. Especially when dealing with oils, knives and heat, you need to take extra care. Always keep a first-hand kit near your cooking unit. Also, maintain cleanliness and hygiene around your kitchen. Some important tips include avoid wearing loose clothes near the stove, avoid dangling jewelry, cleaning the spills immediately. Get a fire extinguisher for your kitchen. You should take your best precautions to avoid kitchen fire, but sometimes it may go out of hand. So make sure you know how to use an extinguisher and all the necessary tips while dealing in the kitchen.

All in one, the ultimate advice is to have fun while making food. Nothing brings people together than great food. With each practice, your culinary skills get evolved. To become a master chef, you need to know the basics and we hope that these tips are a great place to begin.

Oils are an important ingredient in our daily food consumption. Especially, in the Indian states, oils form an essential commodity while preparing many food items. Cooking oils can affect various health aspects like maintaining cholesterol level, skin health, maintaining sugar level in the blood etc.

So, choosing bad cooking oil can adversely affect your overall well-being. A good cooking oil not only adds taste but also defines the nutritional value of the item.

Talking about choosing good cooking oil, there are many refined oils available in the market today, promising various health benefits; one such oil is the Rice Bran Oil. A relatively new member in the vast family of refined oils, Rice Bran oil is gaining popularity due to its various health benefits.

Before we discuss the benefits of using Refined Rice Bran oil, let’s first understand what rice bran oil is made of.

What is Rice Bran Oil?

Rice Bran oil is extracted from the outer husk of the rice grain called chaff (Rice Bran). Rice Bran refers to the thin coating of the rice kernel removed during the process of milling. It has a high smoking point and is neutral in taste making it suitable for many cooking applications.

Rice bran oil contains many useful components like Vitamin E, tocopherols and tocotrienols, an antioxidant known as oryzanol, high quantities of phytosterols, polyphenols etc.

Now let’s discuss the benefits of using Rice Bran Oil, and why you should include it in your diet.

● Heart-friendly Oil

Rice Bran Oil contains an optimum amount of oryzanol, an antioxidant, which helps you maintain a healthy cholesterol level in the body.

Rice Bran oil has a perfectly balanced amount of polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and saturated fats when compared to other vegetable oils. It has 37:38:25 ratio of polyunsaturated fats: Monounsaturated fats: Saturated fats respectively.

Since India is a country prone to heart diseases, making rice bran oil a part of your daily diet can help you eliminate various cardiovascular diseases.

● Has a neutral or mild taste

The rice bran oil has mild or neutral taste making it versatile for many Indian foods. Its taste doesn’t clash with your desired taste and is suitable for preparing many food items.

You can use it for stir-frying, sauteing and grilling. It may add a mild nutty flavour, but otherwise it has a light taste and clear texture.

● Helps in reducing weight

Rice Bran oil helps you maintain cholesterol level in the body and can help you in reducing your weight. The presence of unique antioxidant called oryzanol increases metabolism, further aiding your weight loss programme.

● Helps you maintain your skin health

Presence of Squalene in the rice bran oil helps you keep your skin soft and smooth and even helps delay aging of skin. It evens out the skin tone and reduces dark spots and even the dark circles around the eyes.

The moisturizing properties of the oil helps treat dry skin and eczema. The oil contains oleic acid and linoleic acid in the perfect amount and can help you treat acne.

Rice bran oil also helps you to fight other skin problems like dermatitis, rosacea and rashes.

● Has a High Smoking point

Indians love fried food items and rice bran oils form a perfect combination to deep fry your products. It has a high smoking point of around 250℃ or 490F, which helps in maintaining its nutritional value even at high temperatures.

● Boosts hair growth

Rice Bran oil contains a carbohydrate compound called inositol, which boosts hair growth, reduces dandruff and split ends. It contains the omega fatty acids which prevents the premature greying of hair.

● A good source of Vitamin E

Rice bran oil is rich in Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol). Vitamin E is an essential component in maintaining skin health, boosts immunity, promotes heart health, fights the symptoms of arthritis, promotes eye health and lowers the risk of cancer.

Daily intake of Rice Bran oil can help you maintain a healthy percentage of Vitamin E in your body, deficiency of which can cause vision problems, muscle weakness and poor transmission of nerve impulse in the central nervous system.

● Possess Anti-Inflammatory Properties

Rice bran oil possesses strong anti-inflammatory properties and its daily consumption can reduce the effects of menopause like hot flashes.

Conclusion

With various types of oils available in the market, the type of oil you use completely depends on your preference. But given the benefits of oil, it is recommended to use refined rice bran oil for cooking

The above-mentioned benefits show us that Rice Bran Oil can positively impact your health. You need to find different ways and try to include this oil in your daily diet.