If you try to sear with olive oil, the oil will smoke before it gets hot enough to sear the food. Or, if you roast olive oil-coated vegetables at 425°F, the oil will burn in the oven. Your vegetables will be bitter and carcinogenic.
Olive oil has a lower smoke point-the point at which an oil literally begins to smoke (olive oil's is between 365° and 420°F)-than some other oils. When you heat olive oil to its smoke point, the beneficial compounds in oil start to degrade, and potentially health-harming compounds form.
Caldwell Esselstyn points out, “Between 14 and 17 percent of olive oil is saturated, artery-clogging fat—every bit as aggressive in promoting heart disease as the saturated fat in roast beef.”
Contrary to what you may have heard, olive oil does not lose its health benefits or become unhealthy when heated. Olive oil has been used for cooking for thousands of years. It is a cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet.
However, with any unsaturated oil, including olive oil, heating it repeatedly to a high heat (say for deep frying) will cause the oil to develop compounds that have been found to have carcinogenic properties when tested on rats.
These potent molecules mean that even a little bit of the right olive oil consumed daily can protect from cardiovascular disease and reduce existing damage to the heart and arteries. This is why cardiologists recommend switching to high-phenolic olive oil.
Heart-healthy oils like canola, corn, olive, peanut, and sunflower oils contain monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. They help to lower harmful low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and raise healthy high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol.
Vegetables, such as potatoes, have more nutrients when fried in extra virgin olive oil then when boiled. The antioxidants and beneficial phenols in EVOO are transferred to the food.
Here's the bottom line: extra-virgin olive oil is perfectly safe to cook with. It stands up well to heat due to its monunsaturated fatty acid and phenolic compounds content and fares much better than other vegetable oils. It's a great oil to eat both in taste and health and shouldn't be avoided.
The Rich, Nutty Flavor
Extra Virgin Olive Oil is chefs' favorite for its intense flavor and aroma. Similarly, cooking with it tastes great. The rich flavor of extra virgin olive oil can enhance any dish's flavor without adding unhealthy saturated fats or artificial ingredients.
Storing it at the usual room temperature of about 70 degrees Fahrenheit is ok, but if your kitchen is routinely warmer than that, refrigerate the oil for best quality. Refrigeration is best for long-term storage of all olive oils except premium extra-virgin ones.
Even after being opened, refrigeration is not necessary as long as stored properly. However, if you won't be using an opened bottle for several weeks, refrigeration may help preserve the oil until you need it. Just be sure to let it warm to room temperature afterward so that it is completely liquid before using.
Olive oil is generally considered a healthier option than butter, as it contains beneficial fats that can improve heart health, while butter contains saturated fats that can be harmful in excess. However, moderation is key when it comes to using any type of oil or fat in cooking.
As a general rule of thumb, between one and two tablespoons a day is a good amount of olive oil to consume. This goes for both olive oil that you drink for health benefits and also olive oil that you consume with food as part of your regular cooking process.
Both olive oil and avocado oil are considered good fats and are an excellent source of monounsaturated fatty acids, which can help improve heart health. On the other hand, olive oil is slightly more nutritious on the whole because it contains more potassium, calcium, iron and vitamins.
Heart-healthy oils like safflower oil and rice bran oil are perfect because they can withstand frying temperatures of almost 500° F. You can also look to peanut oil and sunflower oil if you're frying at 450° F, or canola oil and vegetable oil to keep temperatures around 400° F.
Due to its high smoke point, vegetable oil is the best oil for deep frying. Canola oil and peanut oil are other popular options. While vegetable oil, canola oil, and peanut oil are the most popular oils for deep frying, there are several other oil options you can choose: Grapeseed Oil.
If you add a tablespoon of olive oil or avocado oil to the pan, you may also be adding some extra health benefits to your eggs. Both of these oils are considered “healthy fats” which may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Olive oil is also considered an antioxidant that may help fight inflammation.
Exceeding the smoke point results in the production of acrolein, a toxic liquid chemical. Extra-virgin olive oil has a very high smoke point, on average 180°C. In some cases it can even exceed 200°C.
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