|  Up until now, Olive Oil was among the few select oils known to provide healthy nutrition due to the presence of monounsaturated fats and antioxidant vitamin E in it. But it is now set to lock horns on Indian grocery shelves with another healthy contender – Grape Seed Oil.
Grape Seed Oil has been used extensively around the world and is made by cold-pressing grape seeds, a by-product of the winemaking process. Grape seeds contain very little oil, so it was only with the advent of industrialization in winemaking, did Grape Seed Oil become possible which makes this product a recent phenomenon. In India, imports can be found in inconspicuous corners of shelves at select grocery stores, next to branded bottles of Olive Oil, which are quickly gaining popularity among Indian consumers.
So how does Grape Seed Oil compare with its firmly established counterpart, Olive Oil?
Nutrition
Grape Seed oil is high in the antioxidant vitamin E - about 3.9 mg in a serving (tablespoon). Olive Oil has about 1.9 mg per serving.
Fat Content
While Grape Seed Oil is low in saturated fat and monounsaturated fat compared to olive oil, it is high in polyunsaturated fat (almost seven times higher) in comparison to olive oil. Polyunsaturated fat, in excess, is undesirable in the human body as it can create an imbalance, which can cause inflammatory damage, thyroid damage, increase in stress hormones, and lowered rates of metabolism.
High-temperature cooking
 Grape Seed Oil has a high smoke point of 215°C, which means that it can cook at higher temperatures without splattering or burning. This makes it ideal for deep-frying. In comparison, olive oil has a smoke point between 160-207°C.
In addition, Grape Seed Oil provides benefits of its own. It is already present in many cosmetic products due to its ability to nourish and moisturize the skin. It is also increasingly being used as massage oil and in the preparation of hair care products. When it comes to health benefits, the list is endless. It can be used to treat acne, dermatitis, sun burns, age spots, diabetes, high-blood pressure, rheumatoid arthritis, wrinkles, and stretch marks, just to name a few.
Rajeev Samant, known to be a man of many firsts in the wine industry, is the first producer of Grape Seed Oil in India. Talking about its benefits, he says, “It is one of the most easily absorbed oils of all, which makes it amazing for the skin, for the hair, for cosmetic properties, and is also a fantastic oil to use with food. It has a bit of a nutty taste, so we generally mix it up with olive oil or something else.”
On being asked as to how he plans to market it, Samant explains, “Our production is very small. So right now, we have a tie-up with Godrej Nature's Basket; later we expect to have tie-ups with other retail stores. We are also going to approach spas and salons to incorporate it in massages, and salon chains to incorporate in some of their hair and skin treatments. To start with, we have a couple of thousand cases to sell. It’s not a lot, but it’s 100% from Nashik, and Maharashtra.”
 The used must undergoes an industrial process in which the rest of the stuff is removed from the seeds. These are dried before being ground into oil. The quantity of production is extremely low. One needs tons of must to get a few bottles of oil, Rajeev explained. This would also indicate why other producers cannot yet explore this venture to use the waste. Incidentally, Rajeev also impressed the visitors by telling them that nothing, absolutely nothing was going as waste and everything was being recycled and used up.
On seeing the benefits of Grape Seed Oil, it’s difficult to believe that it was considered a waste product for many centuries. Now with Sula realizing the potential of this “miracle oil’ we are sure that they are going to make a splash in the market with Sula Grape Seed Oil, the first of its kind to be produced in India! At Rs. 295 for a 250 ml bottle it may not be a bargain, but its benefits may soon prove it to be another alternative to olive oil for health-conscious consumers.
Rishi Vohra, CSW
 Rishi Vohra is the Mumbai Correspondent of delWine and is a Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) from the Society of Wine Educators - USA. He has done an MBA in Sustainable Business from San Francisco State University and a Masters Diploma in Environmental Law from WWF-India. His debut fiction novel, ‘Once Upon the Tracks of Mumbai,’ is a bestseller and was recently awarded an honorable mention in the General Fiction category at the Hollywood Book Festival, and was the only book from India to be awarded at the festival. He can be contacted at wineguymumbai@gmail.com.
Tags: Rajeev Samant, Sula, Grape Seed Oil, Nashik, Sula Grape Seed Oil |