Is Extra Virgin Olive Oil Safe For High Heat Cooking?
Although it does not have the highest smoke point, extra virgin olive oil turns out to be one of the best choices for high-heat cooking, based on its superior ability to resist oxidation, as well the low formation of harmful compounds.
Results showed that extra-virgin olive oil was the safest and most stable when heated to temperatures even higher than those commonly used for sautéing, deep-frying and baking. It produced the lowest quantity of polar compounds compared to the other oils tested. The runner up was coconut oil.
Because of its moderate-to-high smoke point, abundance of heat-stable monounsaturated fats, and high levels of polyphenols and antioxidants, extra virgin olive oil is a great all-around cooking oil. It can be used for baking, roasting, sautéing, pan-frying, or even blending into soups for a bit of extra creaminess.
In conclusion, there is no recognized definition of “high heat” cooking. Olive oil is safe to use in most home cooking methods including baking, frying, sauteing, roasting and grilling. Posted in: Cooking With Olive Oil, High Heat.
Most people say extra virgin olive oil is not suitable to cook with because of its supposedly low smoke pointâthat is, the temperature at which the oil stops shimmering and starts smoking. The smoke point is also the temperature at which unwanted flavors and unhealthy compounds can start to develop. But guess what?
While the smoke point of extra virgin olive oil is lower than some other cooking oils, it is high enough for all types of home cooking, even when you turn the knob to high.
The study also disproved the commonly held view that oil with a high smoke point is best suited for high-temperature cooking. In fact, an oilâs smoke point doesnât indicate how it will perform when heated.
What oils are good for HNE?
This includes grapeseed, sunflower, safflower, and rice bran oil. Oils that are high in monounsaturated fats, such as avocado and olive oil, or saturated fats, such as palm and coconut, will produce far less HNE when heated.
Thatâs right: extra virgin olive oil was more stable than light or refined olive oil, perhaps because it is higher in antioxidants. (Those same antioxidant compounds, by the way, are a big factor in the characteristic aroma and flavor of really high quality olive oil.)
Although it does not have the highest smoke point, extra virgin olive oil turns out to be one of the best choices for high-heat cooking, based on its superior ability to resist oxidation, as well the low formation of harmful compounds.
Refined and filtered oils will generally have a higher smoke point than unrefined and unfiltered oils, but even this is a generalization with lots of exceptions. The age of an oil may be a factor. Adding other foods to the oil may also alter the smoke point.
Coconut oil is, of course, also much higher in saturated fat and (correspondingly) lower in monounsaturated fat. Coconut oil remains a good choice for high heat cooking. But if you have been anxious about cooking with extra virgin olive oil, worry no more! This healthful and delicious oil is also healthful when heated.
Coconut oil has a much higher smoke point than extra virgin olive oil and performed similarly in terms of the formation of harmful compounds. One thing to note is that it was not quite as resistant to oxidation.
What happens when you heat olive oil?
Some people believe that olive oil heated past a certain temperature will produce something called acrylamides . This is not exactly true. Acrylamides are formed when certain starchy foods, such as potatoes, are cooked over 250° F. This happens regardless of what oil you use.
Once you add the food to the oil, the temperature of the oil will drop up to 100 degrees. The oil will rise in temperature as the food cooks. Once you reach 350â° again, it will be time to take the food out of the oil. Another common point of confusion is mistaking water vapor for smoke. Water turns to vapor at 212â° F.
Extra virgin olive oil has a moderately high smoke point of 350â° – 410â° F while olive oil and light-tasting olive oil have a smoke point that ranges from 390â° – 470â° F. Canola, Sunflower, Soybean, Corn and Peanut oils have smoke points that range from 350â° – 450â° F. Solid at room temperature fats such as butter, coconut oil and lard have smoke points of 300â° – 350â°. In short, almost all liquid fats have similar smoke points. If you exceed the smoke points of any of these cooking fats, harmful substances may be released into the air and smoke may be produced.
Medium heat cooking methods include pan frying, deep frying and sauteing. Helen Rennie, cooking instructor, explains perfectly in this video — in it she heated a pan of extra virgin olive oil in a pan with the dial turned to high heat, added potatoes and onions, and after 5 minutes, measured the temperature of the oil.
Water turns to vapor at 212â° F. When you add food to a hot pan, the white clouds that are released are most likely steam, not smoke. The steam is created by the water in the food evaporating. Smoke can be easily recognized by the acrid odor and the fact that your food will show charring or other signs of burning.
A recent Australian study published in the ACTA Scientific Nutritional Health Journal studied how common cooking oils and fats broke down when heated for a very long time, or heated past their smoke points.
That doesn’t mean that you can’t use olive oil for searing, grilling or broiling. Depending on what you are cooking, it is likely that the sum total temperature of the food you are cooking with the olive oil will be within safe cooking temperatures for olive oil. Many people mistakenly believe that frying is a high-heat cooking method — it is not.
Which oil is best for high temperature cooking?
The runner up was coconut oil. The study also disproved the commonly held view that oil with a high smoke point is best suited for high-temperature cooking. In fact, an oilâs smoke point doesnât indicate how it will perform when heated.
The investigators tested the heat stability of 10 of the most commonly used cooking oils in Australia: extra-virgin olive oil, virgin olive oil, refined olive oil, canola, grapeseed, coconut, avocado, peanut, rice bran and sunflower oils. Results showed that extra-virgin olive oil was the safest and most stable when heated to temperatures even …
When cooking oils are exposed to heat in the presence of air, they break down into toxic by-products called polar compounds that have been linked to the development of serious health problems including Alzheimerâs and Parkinsonâs diseases. Some oils are more heat-stable than others, due to their chemical structures.
Results showed that extra-virgin olive oil was the safest and most stable when heated to temperatures even higher than those common ly used for sautéing, deep-frying and baking. It produced the lowest quantity of polar compounds compared to the other oils tested. The runner up was coconut oil.
And it provides oleocanthal, a unique anti-inflammatory compound. And, of course, quality olive oil tastes great.
Some oils are more heat-stable than others, due to their chemical structures. In general, a limit of 24 to 27 percent of polar compounds in a frying oil is considered safe for human consumption, the Australian researchers noted.
Why is extra virgin olive oil not good for cooking?
Most people say extra virgin olive oil is not suitable to cook with because of its supposedly low smoke pointâthat is, the temperature at which the oil stops shimmering and starts smoking. The smoke point is also the temperature at which unwanted flavors and unhealthy compounds can start to develop. But guess what? EVOO doesnât actually have a low smoke point!
A 2018 study in the ACTA Scientific Nutritional Health Journal tested a number of different cooking oils and found that extra virgin olive oil was the most stable cooking oil and produced the lowest quantity of harmful substances, outperforming oils with higher smoke points such as avocado oil and refined coconut oil.
Polyphenols, antioxidants like vitamin E, and other bioactive compounds. âThe polyphenols and antioxidants in particular are so plentiful in extra-virgin olive oil that they prevent oxidation in prolonged heating,â said Simon Poole, M.D., family physician and author of The Olive Oil Diet, in a recent article with Well+Good.
In fact, most studies suggest that extra virgin olive oilâs smoke point ranges from 350â° to 410â° F , which encompasses most types of cooking. The reason EVOO has a smoke point range as opposed to a specific number is that smoke point depends on an oilâs free fatty acid (FFA) compositionâthe lower the acidity, the higher the smoke point.
Some other oils with a high percentage of polyunsaturated fats include soybean oil, safflower oil, corn oil, walnut oil, and vegetable oil. Olive oil, on the other hand, is extremely high in monounsaturated fats, which are more heat-stable fats that are less prone to oxidation. Monounsaturated fats like oleic acid are also key to EVOOâs …
It can be used for baking, roasting, sautéing, pan-frying, or even blending into soups for a bit of extra creaminess. Remember, EVOO is also fantastic for salad dressings, drizzling on finished dishes, and as a dipping oil for fresh bread.
And according to the North American Olive Oil Association, the FFA for extra virgin olive oil can range from 0.2% up to the international standard limit of 0.8% (generally, higher quality olive oil has a lower acidity).