Natural Snacks & Oils

Why Cold-Pressed Oils — and What Really Happens with Refined Oils

Most oils in supermarkets are refined: heated to over 200°C, decolorized, deodorized. What remains afterward is chemically pure fat — without polyphenols, without vitamins, without flavor. And with oxidation products that arise during heating.

Cold pressing below 27°C — only with mechanical pressing below 27°C do heat-sensitive polyphenols, vitamin E, and natural antioxidants remain fully intact. Refined oils completely lose these substances
No trans fats — industrial refining and partial hydrogenation create trans fats, which increase LDL cholesterol and lower HDL. Cold-pressed oils contain none
Flavor as a quality indicator — a good cold-pressed oil tastes like its source: olive oil fruity-peppery, pumpkin seed oil nutty-roasty. Flavorless oil is always a sign of refining

Why Olive Oil and Pumpkin Seed Oil — Two Oils with Scientifically Proven Added Value

Not every oil is the same. We have focused on two oils that are scientifically best documented — and that have a natural home in Austrian cuisine.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Oleocanthal as a natural anti-inflammatory — Oleocanthal is a polyphenol found exclusively in freshly pressed olive oil. According to a study in the Annals of Internal Medicine, it works similarly to ibuprofen — anti-inflammatory, without side effects. Only present with acidity <0.8% and genuine cold pressing
Olive Oil: Mediterranean diet and heart health — the PREDIMED study (7,447 participants, 5 years) showed: daily consumption of extra virgin olive oil reduces the risk of heart disease by 30% compared to a low-fat diet
Styrian Pumpkin Seed Oil PGI: Austrian quality product — protected geographical indication, only from Styria. Rich in vitamin E, zinc, phytosterols, and Omega-6. Studies show positive effects on prostate health and urinary tract function (Journal of Medicinal Food, 2009)
Pumpkin Seed Oil: not for heating — like all cold-pressed oils with a high proportion of unsaturated fatty acids, pumpkin seed oil oxidizes with heat. Use cold: over salads, soups, or yogurt

Why Organic — Pesticides are Fat-Soluble

This is the decisive chemical fact: pesticides dissolve in fat, not in water. This means that when pressing conventional olives or pumpkin seeds, pesticide residues are directly extracted and concentrated into the oil — higher than in the original product.

Concentration during pressing — 1 liter of oil is produced from 5–10 kg of olives. Pesticides on these 5–10 kg of olives end up concentrated in this one liter. Organic raw materials eliminate this risk at the source
No synthetic fungicides on the peel — conventional olives are treated with fungicides. Since the peel is pressed with them, these get directly into the oil. For organic olives: forbidden
Organic pumpkin seeds: no seed treatment — conventional pumpkin seeds are treated with fungicides before sowing. Organic seeds are untreated — which affects the entire harvest and the oil pressed from it

Best in combination

Olive oil + Organic vegetables or salad — fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) from vegetables are only absorbed with fat. A tablespoon of good oil doubles nutrient absorption from salad
Pumpkin seed oil + Hay milk yogurt or organic Skyr — classic Austrian combination: pumpkin seed oil over yogurt or soup — fat improves the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins from yogurt
Natural snacks + Nuts & seeds — nutrient-dense combination that satisfies without a blood sugar spike