You picked a good oil. You spent money on it.
But your food is still unhealthy. The problem is not the oil. It’s how you cook.
Mistake 1: Heating Your Oil Until It Smokes
If your oil is smoking, it’s already damaged.
Every oil has a smoke point – a limit after which it starts releasing harmful compounds. By the time you see smoke, the damage has already begun.
Smoke points of Ajanta oils:
- Sunflower Oil: ~230°C (great for frying)
- Soybean Oil: ~240°C (very stable)
- Mustard Oil: ~250°C (high tolerance)
How to cook?
- Heat the pan first
- Add oil later
- Avoid smoke and reduce the flame if it starts smoking.
Mistake 2: Reusing Oil Multiple Times
Reusing oil feels practical, but it’s not safe.
Each time oil is heated, it oxidises. Reheating it again makes it worse, even if it was a premium oil.
The Fix: Use fresh oil. If needed, reuse once for low-heat cooking.Then discard.
Mistake 3: Storing Oil Near the Stove
Keeping oil near heat and light slowly damages it.
Oils lose quality when exposed to heat, air, and light especially mustard oil.
Fix:
- Store in a cool, dark place.
- Keep bottles closed.
- Finish within 2 – 3 months.
Mistake 4: Using the Same Oil for Every Type of Cooking
Not all oils are meant for all cooking.
- Sunflower oil → frying, high heat
- Mustard oil → tadka, pickles, flavour
- Soybean oil → daily cooking
Fix: Use 2–3 oils. Choose based on the dish.
Mistake 5: Believing the Label More Than the Cooking
Health claims on oil packaging, words like natural, pure, ancient, organic, appear on labels that do not always match what is in the bottle.
What matters more than any label is how you cook.
An oil used at the right temperature, stored correctly, not reused excessively, and matched to the right dish – that is a healthy kitchen.
The Fix: Focus on cooking behaviour, not just product selection.
Ajanta’s refined soybean oil, refined sunflower oil, and cold-pressed mustard oil are made for home cooks who want quality without noise. Each oil is built for a purpose. Use them right, and they do exactly what they are supposed to do.