Is Using Extra Virgin Olive Oil for Cooking Safe?

Extra virgin olive oil is frequently viewed as being bad for cooking. Over the years, a number of scientific research have demonstrated the falsity of this myth. In addition to being risk-free, EVOO is also the most reliable and secure cooking oil on the market.

Extra virgin olive oil is the most stable cooking oil, according to a new Australian study that was published by Modern Olives Laboratory Services in the ACTA Scientific Nutritional Health Journal. Virgin olive oil, refined olive oil, canola oil, grapeseed oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, peanut oil, rice bran oil, and sunflower oil were all evaluated against the EVOO.

The smoke point is not the key issue

Although extra virgin olive oil has a smoke point that is higher than the temperatures used for domestic cooking, the misconception that it cannot be used for cooking persists. Extra virgin olive oil actually had a higher stability than oils with high smoke points, like avocado oil, and saturated fats like coconut oil. Researchers discovered that an oil’s smoke point was not a reliable indicator of how well it would function under heat. Oils with low or moderate smoke points, like extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil, perform better than oils with high smoke points.

In an interview with the Olive Oil Times, Dr. Simon Poole, MD, a presenter at the 2018 Olive Oil Conference, said, “This research provides unequivocal and definitive proof that should finally eliminate this fallacy. It demonstrates that when compared to other cooking oils, extra virgin olive oil is the best option because it is not only secure when heated at standard cooking temperatures. In EVOO, there was a noticeably decreased synthesis of trans fats and potentially hazardous polar chemicals.

Unstable fats include polyunsaturated fats

 The antioxidants in extra virgin olive oil contributed to its high stability when heated, which is another intriguing study finding. Extra virgin olive oil performed better than virgin or refined olive oil for this reason.

Another widespread misconception is that heat will destroy the polyphenols and antioxidants in olive oil. In 2007, the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry published an article dispelling this fallacy. After being heated to 356°F (180 °C) for 36 hours, a team of researchers discovered that the extra virgin olive oil maintained the majority of its nutritional properties. It has also been demonstrated that the phenols and antioxidants in EVOO make your food more nutrient-dense.

 In conclusion, extra virgin olive oil is the best cooking oil, as study has now confirmed what the top chefs in the world have long believed.