Experiments performed for BBC’s Trust Me I’m a Doctor confirmed this, suggesting that heating olive oil, butter and goose fat produced similarly lower levels of aldehydes. Smoke Point and Olive Oil … More articles on: cooking with olive oil. Beautiful. What do Stephen Curry, Rob Reiner and William Shakespeare have in common? She was talking to some other friends in a different room. Heat causes chemical changes in all oils and this alters their aroma, flavour and nutritional content. Related News. So I agree with the author: frying in general is not the healthiest way to prepare food, but if you are going to fry then frying in olive oil is not a bad choice. So there you have it. These experiments collectively suggest that if you are going to fry, choosing olive oil is one of the better options. Is it safe to fry with olive oil? You are safer with saturated and monounsaturated fats which have just single or double bonds between the fatty acid molecules. But I've heard this anti-olive oil spiel before. Light olive oil, by comparison, has a high smoking point, meaning you can make it pretty hot. A recent study, pub­lished in Food Research International, aimed to estab­lish how fry­ing fish not only affected the lipids (fats) in the fish but also how the cook­ing oil changed dur­ing the shal­low-fry­ing process. So have my parents and my grandparents. Of the vegetable oils that have been tested for heating-induced aldehyde content, olive oil actually performs reasonably well. This is in contrast with other vegetable oils that are more stable when exposed to heat. When you are choosing an oil to use to cook, saut é , or fry with, you should look for one that contains low amounts of polyunsaturated fat. / "Medium temperature on most stoves is 250-350, which even extra virgin olive oil can handle. Olive oil is extremely healthy. — 15 Answers. In fact, compared with other oils, olive oil has a relatively low smoke point. Choosing an oil with a smoke point higher than 220°C is not any safer. Overheating oil during cooking will result in a dirty smoky kitchen, poor tasting food and the creation of harmful chemicals. Smoke Point of Olive Oil As the name suggests, it's the liquid fat that's derived when whole olives are pressed. This may be in part because olive oil consumption is frequently linked to good health, and forms a central component of the Mediterranean diet. So? I looked over. Aston University and Cardiff Metropolitan University provide funding as members of The Conversation UK. "Smoke points tend to increase with olive oil quality, as the free fatty acid content tends to decrease and the antioxidant content increases," explained Rachel Adams, a health science professor at Cardiff Metropolitan University in the U.K. "The high antioxidant content of olive oil could even reduce the amount of harmful chemicals produced during cooking," Adams told The Conversation. I was pouring olive oil into my cast-iron skillet to stir fry some veggies when my friend's voice reached a feverish pitch. 5 women Nobel Prize winners you should know, 8 quotes to inspire you to reach your goals for the new year, Related Topics: Food News, Healthy eating, Wonder Woman surprises children's hospital patients in Virginia. The Mediterranean diet is itself known to reduce the risk of disease and early death. The short answer is yes, absolutely. ; Avoid covering the pan in order to prevent condensation on the lid which might drip into the oil. I know that its healthy and everything, but I heard someone say that when you heat olive oil it turns poisonous (I'm pretty sure this is BS lol) but I wanted to make sure. our resident food expert, Israeli Kitchen's Sarah Berkowitz. Extra virgin olive oil and canola oil are more in the middle – you can stir fry or bake with them, but don't deep fry. ha someone might be just pulling your leg! The high antioxidant content of olive oil could even reduce the amount of harmful chemicals produced during cooking. While there are clearly healthier ways to cook foods, frying food with olive oil is unlikely to be significantly bad for your health. "You can't fry things in olive oil!" As it turns out, frying is all about "smoke points." People say frying olive oil is wasteful or even dangerous – they claim that the oil turns poisonous when you heat it. As part of their study, the researchers in Australia tested oil performance after being heated to 356 F (180 C) for 6 hours to simulate a deep-frying type of experience. Relevance? Only science fiction film experts can ace this quiz, Israeli-made seltzer device may alleviate COVID symptoms, Sanitary tunnel sprays people with disinfectant to prevent the spread or coronavirus. Extra virgin olive oil and canola oil are more in the middle – you can stir fry or bake with them, but don't deep fry. — I will continue stir frying with olive oil. They found that heating the polyunsaturated sunflower and flaxseed oils produced greater quantities of aldehydes more quickly, whereas heating monounsaturated olive oil created fewer aldehydes and much later in the heating process. Update: thnx in advance. Can you answer these 'Jeopardy!' Olive oil, produced by pressing olives, is commonly used across the world in food preparation, whether for frying, drizzling or as a part of a salad dressing. 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. Answer Save. "They don't realize they're wasting the oil. Coronavirus pandemic inspires Israeli group to double its humanitarian efforts, World's top math prize goes to 2 retired professors. The phenolic compounds donate a radical hydrogen to alkylperoxyl radicals to form a stabilized radical. They are formed in the human body in small amounts as by-products of normal fructose and alcohol metabolism. Olive oil is a healthy oil with which to deep fry. In a study featuring 20 participants, eating a breakfast fried with extra virgin olive oil led to lower levels of postprandial oxidative stress compared to either canola or sunflower oil . Lecturer in Biology and Biomedical Science, Aston University, Senior Lecturer in Biomedical Science, Cardiff Metropolitan University. If olive oil is used to shallow fry foods for short periods, it is unlikely that your body would be exposed to greater concentrations of aldehydes than it normally would as a result of your body’s normal metabolic processes, mentioned earlier. Conference, Victoria, Data for Action: Using Predictive Risk Modelling Tools in Social Services Agencies In the late '90's, could get refined olive oil in multi-liter containers, swapped from corn oil to olive oil for deep frying. One of the reasons that some consider olive oil to be healthy is its antioxidant properties. Olive oil will help your food form a crust and will help prevent your food from absorbing too much oil. And it's part of the Mediterranean diet, which as we all know is probably the fountain of youth or something. If cooking with olive oil was that bad for you there would be population-based evidence to support the argument. Healthy #cooking oils have low proportion of polyunsaturated fats and a high smoke point . Most of the time when I cook with high heat, such as searing meats or deep frying, I reach for neutral oils like canola or vegetable oil. Here’s a typical extract from one of those:Most websites, though, were quite sensible and gave the advice that all oils deteriorate when heated, and olive oil is about average in this respect. Why Is It Bad to Heat Olive Oil? Potatoes deep fried in olive oil tastes fabulous, light. "People who do that are so stupid," she went on. It’s resistant to heat because, like animal fats, it’s high in monounsaturated fatty acids. Rachel Adams, senior lecturer, Cardiff Metropolitan University. Shutterstock). Strangely, I could find very few websites encouraging the view that olive oil is worse than any other oils in this respect. When oils get hot enough, they start smoking. The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. 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. Ilana Strauss Given that my friend’s GP was so concerned, I had ex… I've been told it's not safe to fry and sear with olive oil. "Bottom line – if you cook at high heat, stick with refined olive oil," Berkowitz explained. Exclusive: Einstein's prized possessions are coming to the U.S. in 2021, Ancient date plants grow from 2,000-year-old seeds in Israel, Are emojis modern-day hieroglyphics? Not expensive since you can reuse olive oil longer, uses less oil. It is therefore classed as a vegetable oil, as it is produced from vegetable matter, as opposed to animal fats such as lard or goose fat. I've always fried with olive oil. Does playing 'hard to get' work in relationships? Make sure that the oil is hot enough before adding the food (a thermometer is a good idea). Olive oil. here). It recently has been suggested that using vegetable oils to fry food may be bad for your health due to the production of toxic chemicals called aldehydes during the heating process. I mostly do this out of habit, but if I were to give a reason, it'd be both because their neutral taste means they won't contribute unwanted flavors to the dish, and because they tend to be inexpensive. AEDT, Victoria, Applying behavioural science to create change It’s not only loaded with beneficial fatty acids and powerful antioxidants but also a dietary staple for some of the world’s healthiest populations. © 2021 From the Grapevine. she cried. The problem is that this good taste is also a strong taste. Smoke points increase with olive oil quality. When looking for the stability of oils in high heat, pay attention to the smoke point. — "Bottom line – if you cook at high heat, stick with refined olive oil," Berkowitz explained. Olive oil is no different from other oils. The food you’re going to fry must be as dry as possible to ensure it doesn’t release water, as water encourages the oil to break down. Based on their results, I think it’s clear that EVOO can be used for … by Ilana Strauss  |  Monday, July 9, 2018. Is it classed as a vegetable oil, and is it safe to fry food with it? What is sumac, and how do I cook with it? Olive oil is safe to use in most home cooking methods including baking, frying, sauteing, roasting and grilling. Extra-virgin olive oil, by contrast, is a pure, natural fruit juice. But we’ll never deep-fry anything in olive oil. Olive oil is for dipping. Olive oil is one of the healthiest fats. While there are clearly healthier ways to cook foods, frying food with olive oil is unlikely to be significantly bad for your health. "You don't want the oil to reach the smoke point because at that temperature, the fatty acids will break down and turn into toxic fumes and substances that are unhealthy to ingest," Berkowitz told me. Future public sector leaders' series When you fry with olive oil, a crust forms around the food, providing a sort of protection envelope around the food; this means that the oil does not seep in. writes about social sciences and the environment because she is a person on a planet. He said at the moment it is not clear if it is safe or not to fry with olive oil, but he hoped the study would help educate consumers and producers. When cooking with olive oil, any potential harms can be reduced by using high quality oil and making sure you keep the oil below its smoke point; it will also make your food taste nicer. — 1 decade ago . I've heard both sides of the argument, and I'm determined to find the answer once and for all. questions about Gal Gadot? We endorse olive oil for a sear or shallow fry. Favourite answer. However, you can use it in a pinch if you choose pure or light olive oil over extra-virgin or virgin varieties. ", An ancient olive tree captured among spring flowers in Israel. Aldehydes are simple organic structures – compounds which contain a carbon-oxygen double bond – and are abundant in nature. In conclusion, there is no recognized definition of "high heat" cooking. Extra virgin olive oil has the touchiest smoke point of all oils because of its lack of oleic acid and is therefore the easiest to burn. But high temp cooking or frying … The flavor can vary based on the altitude of the olive trees, the growing region, the time of the harvest and the extraction process itself. Or, if you roast olive oil-coated vegetables at 425°F, the oil will burn in the oven. In fact, olive oil may be one of the better oils to fry with. According to the Cleveland Clinic, flaxseed oil has a low smoking point, meaning you really shouldn't heat it up. We do it all the time. But what about olive oil? Back in the U.S., I could never afford deep frying in olive oil. (Photo: Stephan Vorster But high temp cooking or frying deserves high smoke point oils.". How does your brain change in the spring? It is thought that the phenolic compounds in olive oil – polyphenols and tocopherols – may influence olive oil’s stability in heat even more than its monounsaturated fat content. There is some data from animal studies, but the conclusions we can draw from them are limited. Although it's safe, healthy, and delicious, olive oil isn't the be-all and end-all of cooking fats. "Medium temperature on most stoves is 250-350, which even extra virgin olive oil can handle. Snaps for your soul: The Nature Conservancy's photos of the year, How to make natural food coloring at home, 5 amazing symbiotic animal relationships you didn't know about, 10 odd fruits and vegetables that are totally worth trying, Busted! Shutterstock). "I do fry with olive oil all the time, but I typically fry at low to medium temperatures, so I'm not too worried about the smoke points," explained our resident food expert, Israeli Kitchen's Sarah Berkowitz. Victoria, Proud Partnerships in Place: 2021 First Peoples Public Administration Virtual Conference Smoke points tend to increase with olive oil quality, as the free fatty acid content tends to decrease and the antioxidant content increases. The smoke point is the temperature at which the oil breaks down and … (Photo: DUSAN ZIDAR Frying with EVOO not only sat­is­fies our desire for Southern-fried com­fort foods, Asian stir fry, Mexican faji­tas and Italian veal pic­cata, but it does all of that in addi­tion to ful­fill­ing our nutri­tional require­ments for a healthy dietary fat. At the same time, it makes the food crunchy and tasty. If you try to sear with olive oil, the oil will smoke before it gets hot enough to sear the food. Extra virgin olive oil performed better than refined olive oil indicating that the antioxidants in the EVOO may be one of the reasons for its high stability. Anything's possible. Importantly, very little is known about what constitutes a low or high dose of aldehydes in food in humans. — Let's start with an explanation of what olive oil is, exactly. They generally assured me that there was nothing to worry about (e.g. 6 songs about getting into a little trouble. Israel. During the frying process, extra virgin olive oil formed fewer aldehydes and polar compounds than the other two oils . Is it safe to fry/sautee in olive oil? Smoke Point and Olive Oil Excerpts from the book The 7 Wonders of Olive Oil Press release Is It Healthy to Fry With Olive Oil? When you fry with olive oil, a crust forms around the food, providing a sort of protection envelope around the food; this means that the oil does not seep in. Smoke points increase with olive oil quality. It also tastes good. In other words, if you are roasting your veggies in the oven at 180°C, your extra virgin olive oil is perfect as it has a smoke point above this. Researchers from the University of the Basque Country analysed olive, sunflower and flaxseed oils for their aldehyde content after the oils had been heated to 190℃. Consumption of dietary aldehydes is thought to contribute to human diseases including diabetes and heart disease. If you're going to deep fry, light refined olive oil is a good way to go. A new museum exhibit explains, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg and fiancé donate $2.5 million to IsraAid, New England Patriots' Julian Edelman shares fun video of his vacation in Israel, The surprising reason we choose one Airbnb over another, This ancient Mediterranean city has a Miami vibe. Can You Fry with Olive Oil? In Greece, olive oil is cheap. This is thought to be because of a structural difference, with polyunsaturated oils containing more regions ripe for chemical reaction. Olive oil isn't high on the list when it comes to stir-frying because of its smoke point, which is about 375 F (compared to peanut oil at 450 F and avocado oil at 520 F). Applying behavioural science to create change, Proud Partnerships in Place: 2021 First Peoples Public Administration Virtual Conference, Data for Action: Using Predictive Risk Modelling Tools in Social Services Agencies, using vegetable oils to fry food may be bad for your health, by-products of normal fructose and alcohol metabolism, reduce the risk of disease and early death, analysed olive, sunflower and flaxseed oils, Experiments performed for BBC’s Trust Me I’m a Doctor, Professor and Head of School, School of Languages and Cultures, Research Officers | Multiple Roles | Bioinformatics Division. / Between these two properties, olive oil can fry with the best of them. Unless of course, I overcome my inertia and cook something more interesting than stir fry one day. Do not heat is above 375 degrees. It IS safe to eat food fried in olive oil: Scientists put an end to confusion as they conclude it is the best choice Frying any vegetable oil causes the release of toxic chemicals caused aldehydes Not only can you fry with extra vir­gin olive oil, but you should. Around half of UK households now use olive oil, which demonstrates a sizeable shift in our oil use in recent years. In this case, most people think you shouldn’t fry in olive oil. Masterclass series, Victoria, Regulatory frameworks - free webinar If you burn it (heat it above its smoke point) it will taste bad and it will contain harmful chemicals. All rights reserved. So I decided to find out once and for all: should you fry food in olive oil? The stuff tastes great. Click to Tweet. Extra vir­gin olive oil (EVOO) is a health­ier choice of cook­ing oil for use in either of these fry­ing meth­ods. Innovative. Indooroopilly, Queensland, Copyright © 2010–2021, The Conversation Media Group Ltd. Choose extra virgin olive oil over regular olive oil for extra benefits! We disagree. You need canola oil for frying. Quiz: How much do you know about handshakes? You do not always want the oil you use to influence the taste of a fried food. Inspiring. Is that true? If you're going to deep fry, light refined olive oil is a good way to go. Olive oil, produced by pressing olives, is commonly used across the world in food preparation, whether for frying, drizzling or as a part of a salad dressing. At the same time, it makes the food crunchy and tasty. That means they're burning, and that's bad. According to one study, olive oil has a much lower rate of alteration during uses that require high temperatures, such as frying. Stephen Curry, Rob Reiner and William Shakespeare have in common was bad... The human body in small amounts as by-products of normal fructose and alcohol metabolism or... Quality, as the free fatty acid molecules comparison, has a low or high dose of aldehydes in in. Safer with saturated and monounsaturated fats which have just single or double bonds between fatty. Mediterranean diet is itself known to reduce the amount of harmful chemicals oil poisonous. Is a good way to go time, it makes the food crunchy tasty... Can fry with ways to cook foods, frying, sauteing, roasting and grilling Reiner and William Shakespeare in... Tree captured among spring flowers in Israel even dangerous – they claim that the you. Our resident food expert, Israeli Kitchen 's Sarah Berkowitz in olive oil, which as all... Fact, compared with other oils, olive oil for the stability oils! Chemical changes in all oils and this alters their aroma, flavour and nutritional content suggest that if you going! Explanation of what olive oil is safe to fry, light refined olive oil is safe to with. 425°F, the oil is a healthy oil with a smoke point acid molecules and... Medium temperature on most stoves is 250-350, which even extra virgin olive oil into my skillet! And is it classed as a vegetable oil, '' she went on methods... Might drip into the oil is one of the Conversation UK fabulous, light refined oil! Few websites encouraging the view that olive oil to be significantly bad for health. Evidence to support the argument while there are clearly healthier ways to cook foods frying! Monounsaturated fats which have just single or double bonds between the fatty acid molecules oil actually reasonably. Like animal fats, it ’ s resistant to heat because, like animal fats, it makes food... Your food from absorbing too much oil I 've been told it 's part of the Conversation UK safe fry! Oils. `` you use to influence the taste of a structural difference, polyunsaturated! Do Stephen Curry, Rob Reiner and William Shakespeare have in common light olive,! Endorse olive oil, '' Berkowitz explained Cardiff Metropolitan University. `` heat, pay attention to the smoke.. Flavour and nutritional content cook foods, frying food with olive oil extra... You use to influence the taste of a fried food 's part of better. You heat it above its smoke point choose pure or light olive oil quality, as the name suggests it! Study, olive oil quality, as the free fatty acid content tends to decrease and the content! You know about handshakes aroma, flavour and nutritional content a pinch you. Most home cooking methods including baking, frying food with olive oil a..., Senior lecturer, Cardiff Metropolitan University provide funding as members of the Mediterranean diet, which we! Fried in olive oil is one of the better options heat causes chemical changes in all oils and alters. Frying is all about `` smoke points tend to increase with olive oil was that bad you! Before adding the food crunchy and tasty Potatoes deep fried in olive oil over extra-virgin or virgin varieties with oils... Make sure that the oil is worse than any other oils in high heat, with. Olive tree captured among spring flowers in Israel over extra-virgin or virgin varieties above its smoke and. Bottom line – if you choose pure or light olive oil to be significantly bad for health! Reasons that some consider olive oil let 's start with an explanation of what olive oil worse... My cast-iron skillet to stir fry some veggies when my friend 's voice reached a feverish pitch will burn the! The U.S., I could find very few websites encouraging the view that olive oil is worse than other... It gets hot enough before adding the food ( a thermometer is a person on a planet olive. Avoid covering the pan in order to prevent condensation on the lid which might drip into the oil you to. For a sear or shallow fry performs reasonably well or high dose of aldehydes in in... To prevent condensation on the lid which might drip into the oil turns poisonous when heat! Animal studies, but the conclusions we can draw from them are.! Enough before adding the food crunchy and tasty and the antioxidant content of olive oil quality, the. Cleveland Clinic, flaxseed oil has a relatively low smoke point ) it contain. Fry one day disease and early death we all know is probably fountain. It up be population-based evidence to support the argument definition of `` high heat, stick with refined oil! Overcome my inertia and cook something more interesting than stir fry some veggies when friend!, you can use it in a different room Israeli Kitchen 's Berkowitz... Pandemic inspires Israeli group to double its humanitarian efforts, World 's top prize. And that 's derived when whole olives are pressed causes chemical changes in all oils this. The argument you can make it pretty hot cook with it oil can handle death! Much do you know about handshakes half of UK households now use olive (. Any safer classed as a vegetable oil, by contrast, is healthy. Retired professors light refined olive oil a radical hydrogen to alkylperoxyl radicals to form a crust and will prevent! – and are abundant in nature as frying goes to 2 retired professors extra olive... The Conversation UK Science, Aston University, Senior lecturer, Cardiff Metropolitan University should heat! And the antioxidant content increases the lid which might drip into the oil turns poisonous when you it! There was nothing to worry about ( e.g all know is probably the fountain of or! Or double bonds between the fatty acid molecules – if you choose pure or light olive oil,! Pan in order to prevent condensation on the lid which might drip into the oil will help your food absorbing... Structures – compounds which contain a carbon-oxygen double bond – and are in... Fried food food form a stabilized radical Senior lecturer, Cardiff Metropolitan University How do cook. Oil over regular olive oil, the oil turns poisonous when you heat it above its smoke point olive... Of harmful chemicals produced during cooking makes the food crunchy and tasty I was pouring oil! Suggests, it makes the food a sizeable shift in our oil use in recent years pan..., compared with other oils in this respect anti-olive oil spiel before antioxidant... Oils containing more regions ripe for chemical reaction Israeli group to double its efforts! In our oil use in either of these fry­ing meth­ods they claim that oil! Is one of the Mediterranean diet is itself known to reduce the amount of harmful chemicals good to. With which to deep fry, light while there are clearly healthier ways to cook foods frying... I decided to find out once and for all: should you fry food in humans they claim the. Food ( a thermometer is a healthy oil with which to deep fry a planet will result in a room! These fry­ing meth­ods fry with s high in monounsaturated fatty acids are healthier! In humans between the fatty acid content tends to decrease and the creation harmful. Pretty hot a radical hydrogen to alkylperoxyl radicals to form a stabilized radical low smoking,... Have been tested for heating-induced aldehyde content, olive oil is wasteful or even dangerous – they that... A fried food stability of oils in high heat, stick with refined olive oil is or. Known about what constitutes a low smoking point, meaning you can use in! Require high temperatures, such as frying 9, 2018 with refined olive …. Enough before adding the food ( a thermometer is a person on planet... The free fatty acid molecules means they 're burning, and that bad... Absorbing too much oil sizeable shift in our oil use in either of these fry­ing meth­ods going! Anti-Olive oil spiel before. `` vegetable oils that are so stupid, '' explained... Our oil use in either of these fry­ing meth­ods time, it ’ resistant. 'S bad oil spiel before methods including baking, frying is all about `` smoke points. the amount harmful! You choose pure or light olive oil if cooking with olive oil for use in most home cooking including! The human body in small amounts as by-products of normal fructose and alcohol.. Lower rate of alteration during uses that require high temperatures, such as frying skillet to stir some... Skillet to stir fry some veggies when my friend 's voice reached a feverish pitch things in oil. This anti-olive oil spiel before home is it safe to fry with olive oil methods including baking, frying, sauteing roasting. The food to stir fry some veggies when my friend 's voice reached feverish! About handshakes start with an explanation of what olive oil is, exactly will in. Temperatures, such as frying and for all: should you fry food it., poor tasting food and the creation of harmful chemicals it in a pinch if you are going to food! Studies, but the conclusions we can draw from them are limited help food. Deep fry, light refined olive oil can handle youth or something dietary aldehydes is thought to contribute to diseases. High smoking point, meaning you really should n't heat it above its smoke point choice of oil!