Cooking With Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Is It Safe?

Outside the Mediterranean region, there is a widespread misperception that extra virgin olive oil is unsuitable for cooking. We’re here to put the record straight about cooking with extra virgin olive oil.

Helpful fact: research reveals that extra virgin olive oil is one of the healthiest oils for sautéing, baking, pan frying, and more. This means that people in Italy, Spain, and Greece (who have been using this liquid gold for cooking for thousands of years) were way ahead of the rest of the world.

Are you now more curious about extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)? We got you, fam.

In this post, we’ll talk about everything you need to know about cooking with extra virgin olive oil.

Why Some People Think Cooking With Extra Virgin Olive Oil Is Not Safe

High temperatures damage fats and oils during the heating process. This applies to oils heavy in polyunsaturated fats, which include most vegetable oils like soybean and canola.

When overheated, they can produce a variety of hazardous substances. These include lipid peroxides and aldehydes, which can contribute to cancer.

Simply cooking with these oils in a kitchen can be a health hazard. Additionally, these oils release carcinogenic chemicals when heated. Hence, inhaling these toxic compounds may contribute to lung cancer.

To reduce exposure to potentially dangerous and carcinogenic chemicals, only cook using stable fats at high temperatures.

Cooking oils include two crucial properties:

The smoke point refers to the temperature at which the fats break down and convert to smoke.
Oxidative stability refers to the resistance of fats to an oxygenated reaction.

Olive oil performs well in both categories.

Why Cooking With Extra Virgin Olive Oil Is Safe

Olive oil boasts excellent health benefits. It doesn’t just include healthy fatty acids and antioxidants. Olive oil is also a mainstay of some of the world’s healthiest communities.

However, many people consider it unsuited for cooking due to its unsaturated fat content. Others argue that it’s a fantastic choice for cooking, even for high-heat methods like frying.

Here are some of the reasons why cooking with extra virgin olive oil is completely risk-free:

1. Extra virgin olive oil contains a high concentration of heat-stable monounsaturated fats.

Fatty acids can be saturated, monounsaturated, or polyunsaturated.

While saturated fats, such as coconut oil, are extremely heat resistant, most vegetable oils contain polyunsaturated fats. Olive oil, on the other hand, is predominantly composed of monounsaturated fats.

Only polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as those found in canola and soybean oils, are heat-sensitive.

Remember that fatty acids of various sorts often make up oils. Olive oil, for example, contains 73% monounsaturated, 11% polyunsaturated, and 14% saturated fat.

In other words, 87% of olive oil contains heat-resistant monounsaturated and saturated fats.

2. Extra virgin olive oil is resistant to oxidation.

When oil oxidizes, it combines with oxygen. The process forms a variety of hazardous chemicals. It can happen at room temperature. It’s also one of the reasons oils grow rancid.

However, olive oil holds up well when heated due to its high antioxidant concentration and low polyunsaturated fat content.

One study that involved different types of olive oil for deep frying found extra virgin olive oil was highly resistant to oxidation. Other studies have also found that olive oil does not oxidize significantly when cooking, whereas vegetable oils like sunflower oil do.

However, one study found that consuming heated olive oil enhanced oxidative indicators in the blood compared to consuming unheated olive oil. Because this olive oil was not extra virgin and was heated for eight hours, the conditions of this study may be impractical.

It’s also a myth that heating olive oil causes trans fat production. In one study, frying olive oil eight times in a row boosted the trans fat percentage from 0.045% to 0.082%.

Overall, olive oil is relatively stable, even when subjected to harsh circumstances such as deep frying.

3. Extra virgin olive oil contains high antioxidants and vitamin E levels.

Extra virgin olive oil is made from the first pressing of olives and contains bioactive compounds, including powerful antioxidants and vitamin E.

Vitamin E primarily acts as an antioxidant. It aids in the battle against free radicals, which can cause cell damage and disease.

Because olive oil has many antioxidants and vitamin E, it provides significant natural antioxidant protection. It also offers several health benefits.

Moreover, many studies have subjected olive oil to high heat for extended periods. Even under such intense conditions, olive oil does not produce large amounts of hazardous chemicals.

4. Extra virgin olive’s moderately high smoke point is excellent for cooking.

An oil’s smoke point refers to the temperature at which it begins to deteriorate and emit visible smoke. When this happens, fat molecules disintegrate and transform into hazardous chemicals.

However, the oil’s vitamins, antioxidants, and other trace components begin to burn and produce smoke at a lower temperature than the oil itself.

Typically, a fraction of the fatty acids in the oil is free fatty acids. The lower the oil’s smoke point, the more free fatty acids it has.

Because they have lower trace nutrients and free fatty acids, refined oils have a higher smoke point.

Furthermore, the heating lowers the smoke point as time passes, caused primarily by forming additional free fatty acids. While determining an oil’s exact smoke point is difficult, a range can provide an approximation.

According to various estimates, the smoke point of olive oil is around 374 to 405°F (190-207°C). As a result, it is suitable for most culinary methods, including most pan frying.

The smoke point of extra virgin olive oil ranges from 374 to 405 °F (190-207 °C), making it an excellent and suitable choice for most cooking techniques.

EVOO has a smoke point range rather than a precise figure because the smoke point is determined by the oil’s free fatty acid (FFA) composition—the lower the acidity, the higher the smoke point.

Furthermore, the FFA for extra virgin olive oil can range from 0.2% to the worldwide standard limit of 0.8%, according to the North American Olive Oil Association (generally, higher quality olive oil has a lower acidity).

Some EVOOs may have a higher smoke point than others. Fresher, higher-quality oil may not begin to smoke until it reaches 4250 F, which is well above the frying temperature.

Cooking Oil Smoke Points

Here are the smoke points of other common cooking oils as a reference point. The flavor starts to degrade beyond these values, and you’ll probably have to open the windows in your kitchen!

Extra Virgin Olive Oil: 350-410⁰ F (and possibly even higher)
Regular or Light Olive Oil: 470⁰ F
Virgin Avocado Oil: 375⁰ F
Refined Avocado Oil: 520⁰ F
Virgin Coconut Oil: 350⁰ F
Refined Coconut Oil: 450⁰ F
Butter: 300-350⁰ F
Ghee or Clarified Butter: 450⁰ F
Corn Oil, Sunflower Oil, Safflower Oil: 450⁰ F
Unrefined Sesame Oil: 350⁰ F
Refined Sesame Oil: 410⁰ F
Canola Oil: 400⁰ F
Unrefined Walnut Oil: 320F
Grapeseed Oil: 400⁰ F
Unrefined Peanut Oil: 320⁰ F

Types of Olive Oil

Any supermarket will most likely have a large assortment of olive oils. Choosing the best olive oil for cooking might be difficult. So let’s break it down into four primary varieties:

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

The most delicious and least processed type of olive oil.

Virgin Olive Oil

Virgin olive oil is not readily available and is identical to EVOO but of significantly lower quality.

Pure Olive Oil

The label “pure” signifies that the bottle contains solely olive oil, yet it is a blend of refined and virgin olive oil. Pure olive oil lacks the deep flavor that EVOO is known for.

Light Olive Oil

The term “light” refers to the fairly neutral flavor of light olive oil. Don’t mistake “light” for “reduced calories.” Each tablespoon of olive oil has around 14 grams of fat.

Cooking With Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Extra virgin olive oil is an excellent all-purpose cooking oil due to its moderate-to-high smoke point, plenty of heat-stable monounsaturated fats, and high quantities of polyphenols and antioxidants.

It can be used for baking, roasting, sautéing, pan-frying, and even mixing into soups to add smoothness. Remember that EVOO is also great for salad dressings, pouring on finished foods, and dipping fresh French and Italian bread in.

Keep in mind that the ideal sort of olive oil for cooking will also rely on the exact flavor you desire in a recipe. EVOO has a special taste that can enhance your typical stir-fry or baked products.

However, it may not work with all flavors. If you want a more delicate or neutral flavor, use standard or light olive oil instead.

In recipes that call for another type of oil, olive oil can substitute its place. However, keep the conversions below in mind when substituting olive oil for butter or margarine.

Butter to EVOO conversions for baking:

1 teaspoon butter = 3/4 teaspoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter = 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter = 2 1/4 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 cup butter = 3 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup butter = 1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup butter = 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons olive oil
2/3 cup butter = 1/2 cup olive oil
3/4 cup butter = 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup butter = 3/4 cup olive oil

Does EVOO lose its health benefits when you cook it?

Extra virgin olive oil has long been appreciated for its numerous health benefits, which include being high in good fats and antioxidants, aiding in the prevention of heart disease and type 2 diabetes, eliminating dangerous germs, and much more.

While heating extra virgin olive oil reduces its nutritious makeup, a study published in the journal Antioxidants by the University of Barcelona discovered that olive oil retains a high percentage of its beneficial ingredients.

Heat lowered the number of polyphenols in olive oil, although antioxidant and polyphenol levels remained high when heated, according to the study.

In other words, you lose some of the oil’s nutrients during the heatest, but most of them remain.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it OK to cook food in extra virgin olive oil?

Yes, it is OK to cook food in extra virgin olive oil. According to various estimates, the smoke point of olive oil is around 374-405°F (190-207°C). As a result, it is suitable for most cooking methods, including most pan frying.

Why should you never heat extra virgin olive oil?

You should never heat extra virgin olive oil over its smoke point because it raises the possibility of oxidative damage and the formation of potentially hazardous chemicals. Polyunsaturated fats have the most remarkable double bonds, making them the most delicate and prone to destruction.

What is the healthiest oil to cook with?

The healthiest oil to cook with is olive oil. It is one of the healthiest fat sources. Olive oil is also easily accessible. As a staple in the world’s healthiest communities, olive oil offers several health benefits.

Is frying with extra virgin olive oil healthy?

Yes, frying with extra virgin olive oil is healthy. It’s suitable for all sorts of frying and can improve the flavor of foods like fish tacos, sweet potato fries, fried chicken, churros, and fries. While frying isn’t the healthiest way to cook, frying with EVOO comes close.

Cooking With Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Conclusion

Forget everything you’ve been told about extra virgin olive oil and cooking! It’s time to embrace your inner Mediterranean self.

Not only is EVOO fantastic for salad dressings, bread dipping, and finishing oils, but scientific studies indicate that it is safe, stable, and beneficial in almost all cooking applications. You can use high-quality extra virgin olive oil for baking, roasting, sautéing, pan-frying, and others to get the most nutrients out of your meal.

Are you ready to start a healthier lifestyle? Order your extra virgin olive oil now!

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