The prices of regular rapeseed oil on store shelves range from approximately 3–4 Euro per liter (including tax). The cheapest rapeseed oil is refined oil, whose quality leaves much to be desired. It is important to remember that during refining, the oil loses significant nutritional values, including minerals, vitamins, and cholesterol-lowering phytosterols. During the refining process, the oil undergoes intensive thermal treatment, which removes essential unsaturated fatty acids. The cheapest refined oil is not a good choice if you want to support the proper functioning of your body. Additionally, the taste and aroma of refined oil are minimal, as it is essentially flavorless and odorless.
On store shelves, we can also find cold-pressed oils, such as pumpkin seed oil, rapeseed oil, sesame oil, sunflower oil, coconut oil, and many others, typically sold in small glass bottles. But can we always be 100% sure that the oil was pressed with due attention to detail? As the saying goes, “the devil is in the details.”
The price of cold-pressed rapeseed oil starts at around €4.70 per liter and can go up to €11,80-€14,20 . Meanwhile, 1 kg of rapeseed from a reasonably good source can be purchased for as little as €1,5–€2. Of course, depending on the farm the seeds come from and any certifications the seller can provide, prices can rise to €3–€3,5 per kg. To produce 1 liter of rapeseed oil, about 3–4 kg of seeds are needed. This means we can obtain 1 liter of oil at a cost of approximately €4,5–€7 . If we choose ecologically certified seeds, the cost per liter rises to around €9–€14 . These amounts are comparable to store prices.
The situation is different for less common oils, such as black cumin, milk thistle, or pumpkin seed oil. Here, the difference between producing your own oil and buying it ready-made in a store becomes more noticeable.
Pumpkin seed oil
To produce 1 liter of oil, about 2–2.5 kg of pumpkin seeds are needed, which costs roughly €11.06–€14 Ready-made oil on store shelves costs between €19 and up to €36.50.
Freshly pressed black cumin oil
Using 3–4 kg of black cumin seeds allows us to obtain about 1 liter of oil. The cost of 1 liter of black cumin oil purchased in a store is at least €23.50–€28.20, while producing it at home costs around €22.
