Oils extracted from plants have been used since ancient times.Vegetable oils play an important role in South Indian nutrition. The physicochemical properties of oil as value parameter are very important in evaluating the suitable uses of cooking oil. The oils included in the study were refined (coconut, groundnut, and gingely) as well as unrefined (coconut, groundnut, and gingely) oils. The results of physicochemical properties of crude and refined oils such as coconut oil, groundnut oil, gingely oil revealed that the acid value, peroxide value, saponification value, moisture content of the refined oil were lesser when compared to that of unrefined oil. Whereas the iodine value was significantly higher in refined oil compared to that of unrefined oil. The results of DPPH antioxidant assay showed that there was an increased antioxidant activity in refined groundnut oil when compared to that of other oils. The results show that refined oil is suitable for cooking purpose than unrefined oil.