Grape Seed Oil |
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Grape Seed oil is extracted from grape seeds after being pressed for wine. One ton of grapes are needed to make one 8 ounce bottle of Grapeseed oil. Cold-pressed Grape Seed oils are rare and hard to find because the seeds are very hard and difficult to press without heat and solvents. One exception is the Salute Santé brand, which is pressed at temperatures that never exceed the outdoor temperature at the time it is pressed (around 100° F). This company also makes a natural variety that is pressed at 100° C (212° F). This relatively high temperature is still within range of the higher temperatures at which oils are “cold-pressed.” Because of Grape Seed oil’s ability to withstand heat, this high temperature does not affect the quality of the oil as much as it does with other oils that are not as heat resistant. This unique and high quality brand is packaged in UV protective dark glass bottles or stainless steel, not the usual plastic, penny-pinching bottles that allow UV light into the oil so that it quickly degrades. Grape Seed oil has been used for centuries in Europe where, in 1569, Emperor Maximilian II of Italy granted a monopoly for the pressing of Grape Seed oil. In those days, the grape seeds were placed in giant vats, mixed with water, and covered. During the following winter, they were pounded every few days until they finally yielded a mash. This mash was then gently heated to separate the oil from the water much in the same way that traditional hand-pressed coconut oil is made today. Grape Seed oil is very high in Vitamin E, a possible factor in its especially high resistance to heat. This quality makes it as good for baking and sautéing as it is for salad dressing.
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