Expeller pressed oil is oil extracted from nuts or seeds by crushing them. This is different than many types of oil extraction methods. Many companies first make expeller pressed oil and then treat the oil with chemicals like Hexane to extract the remaining oil from the source. Usually expeller pressed oil only can get about 66% of the oil from the nuts or seeds, so yield of oil is lower.

However, some natural foods companies feel that it is better to have a lower yield than to chemically treat the seeds. They are concerned that expeller pressed oil treated with chemicals might leave residuals of the chemicals in the oil. Expeller pressed oil is generally more expensive, but many companies that solely produce expeller pressed oil feel that the quality is better and healthier.

Expeller pressed oil also is likely to be more expensive because the pressing process takes more work. Though most frequently the pressing is done by machine, machines take extra power to do their work. Chemical treatment of nuts and seeds is cheaper, yields more oil, and uses less machine and people power.

It is verifiable that hexane in great quantities can be very dangerous. When inhaled it is can cause sleepiness, nausea, and headaches. Chronic hexane inhalation may result in cramping and muscle weakness. Muscles may also deteriorate. These effects will steadily decline after exposure to hexane ends. But in inhaled form, it is most definitely a toxin that affects the central nervous system.

When expeller pressed oil, or any oil source is treated with hexane, it is also heated. This kills off the majority of the hexane. It is unclear whether trace amounts, if any, still exist in the oil after heating. It is also unclear whether tiny amounts of ingested hexane have health risks.

If there are small amounts of hexane in oil, it could become an inhalant if the oil is cooked. So people who do a large amount of cooking with oil, like frying food everyday, might possibly be inhaling very small amounts of hexane. To reduce risk it would make sense to use expeller pressed oil to avoid this risk, minimal though it may be.

If one is having trouble locating expeller pressed oil at local grocery stores, consider asking for the store to carry it. As well, try natural foods and health food stores as they are more likely to carry expeller pressed oil. There are numerous large companies that now use expeller pressed oil methods. Thus it should not be too difficult to find.