Black castor oil vs castor oil is a big debate in health circles. Black castor extracted from traditional methods of processing Castor oil is preferred by many.
Traditional methods which are followed in the Southern part of India and also in parts of Africa, involve roasting the castor beans and then subsequently boiling them to extract the oil.
The cold press method of extracting castor oil does not involve a heating application.
At dhatu, we recommend using castor oil which is extracted by roasting and boiling methods. Castor beans contain a powerful natural toxin which is lethal, called recin. This compound is denatured when castor seeds are roasted, and then subsequently boiled to extract the oil.
Our method of extraction is very indigenous to the Southern part of India, where it is still practiced in certain pockets of Karnataka state.
Cold-pressed castor oil may contain traces of ricin – the powerful toxin. Black castor oil does not contain ricin. It is safe and offers more benefits compared to cold-pressed oil.
The regular cold-pressed oils are slightly yellow in color. The roasting and boiling process of extracting the oil renders the castor oil dark/black in color.
The traditional methods’ yields are less compared to cold pressing or mechanical/chemical processing methods.
pH of black castor oil Vs castor oil
pH : Cold-pressed castor oils are acidic in nature. Black castor oil is slightly alkaline due to the increased ash content in the oil. This also renders the oil thick and black compared to cold-pressed castor oil.
Black castor oil is stronger in odor and in its viscosity. Additionally, the traditional wisdom and experience of many tell that black castor oil has more therapeutic properties compared to cold-pressed castor oil
