There is a lot of health fad around using Olive oil. And it is not false. Undoubtedly, it has a lot of health benefits because of antioxidants, anti-cancer properties, anti-bacterial properties etc. All are aware of those and so I won’t deep dive into it.
But can we use olive oil for cooking ? Yes but It is good only if it used in the right way in your preparations.
The moment people hear that Olive oil is good for health, I have seen some people switch there entire stock of cooking oil with Olive oil. For many it would still mean an expensive affair and hence would not do it. Thank god for that !!!
And so, I felt that I should share some facts around it and also share how it is to be used in order to reap the benefits of it.
Most basic concept for any oil is its “Smoking Point” i.e. beyond this, you see your oil burning. Fumes coming out. This is the temperature at which the fats and the nutrients in the oil breakdown to form harmful compounds. Oil starts to lose the anti-oxidants present in it. Sometimes these harmful compounds can also be carcinogenic. And this concept of Smoking Point is valid for every oil and not just for Olive oil. However every oil has a different smoking point. And based on the smoking point temperatures and the resistance of fats at high temperatures, the usage of oil is determined. Hence some oils are good in salads, some for deep frying etc.
Smoking Point of an olive oil is between 350 ~ 420 degree Fahrenheit depending on the olive oil being used. So don’t let the olive oil burn beyond medium-high flame as it will lose its fats and antioxidants and form harmful compounds.
Let me relate the temperature with the flame of your gas for ease of understanding –
Note : Based on your gas stove, there will be some variation to the temp range given above.
And so best use of olive oil is when you add it on salads, sauté veggies, use it for pan frying, use it as dips or cook some of the food items in it at low or medium flame.
When you shop for olive oil, know the difference between a Regular Olive oil, Virgin Olive oil and Extra Virgin olive oil. Each has different smoking points and the fat stability at high heat also differs.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Produced from the first cold pressing of olives where no heat or chemicals are used and has a strong flavor and colour to it. Obviously it is more expensive. It is very good with salads, dips etc. due to the strong flavor.
Virgin Olive Oil – Produced from the second pressing of olives.
Regular or refined Olive Oil – Usually heat and chemicals are used to produce this and to remove impurities which result in a lighter colour and flavor as well. Sometimes it is also a blend of olive oil and other oils like canola. Used for cooking/baking where you want a lighter flavor. Else your food will have strong olive oil taste to it. Not all dishes taste good in such cases.
However all the above are healthy and as long as you use them in the right manner, you can reap all of its benefits 🙂
Hope you have enjoyed this article. Do leave a comment if you find this information useful and also on what you like to read on my blog.
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