Which oil is best for cooking with?
Olive oil, extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, peanut oil, cottonseed oil, canola oil – there are so many different oils to choose from, but which one is the best for cooking with?
It’s a common misconception that you shouldn’t cook with extra virgin olive oil, but Mediterranean cultures have cooked with extra virgin olive oil for centuries and recent studies have now confirmed that extra virgin olive oil is the healthiest and the safest oil to cook with.
What is it about extra virgin olive oil that makes it so special?
Extra virgin olive oil is the highest grade of 100% unrefined, fresh juice squeezed from the olive fruit. As extra virgin olive oil is extracted without the use of any chemicals or heat, the final product is naturally high in antioxidants, polyphenols and healthy mono-unsaturated fats.The bioactive compounds found in extra virgin olive oil are also associated with good health.
We’re often led to believe that smoke point is an indicator of whether an oil is safe and suitable to cook with, but there is very limited scientific evidence to support this.
Research from 2018 has demonstrated that smoke point does not predict an oil’s performance when heated. In fact, an oil’s oxidative stability, combined with the levels of unsaturated fats, antioxidants and oxidative byproducts were better indicators of an oil’s performance.
Extra virgin olive oil was found to be the most stable oil and produced the lowest levels of harmful byproducts when heated compared to other oils with higher smoke points.
WATCH: Healthy cooking tips with Healthylife expert dietitian and nutritionist, Lyndi Cohen.
Healthy cooking tips with Healthylife expert dietitian and nutritionist, Lyndi Cohen.
So, what does this all mean?
The more antioxidants an oil contains, the more stable an oil is, and the less byproducts created when the oil is heated for cooking at home.
Extra virgin olive oil is rich in stable mono-unsaturated fats and contains high levels of antioxidants including biophenols, vitamin E and other compounds playing antioxidant roles such as squalene, which all help improve the oil’s stability and resistance to breaking down.
Australian research has demonstrated that extra virgin olive oil is suitable for all cooking methods including deep-frying, sauteing, baking and stir-frying and can even increase the levels of healthy fats and antioxidants in the resulting cooked food.
Cooking your vegetables with extra virgin olive oil can also improve the absorption of some fat-soluble vitamins, glucosinolates and carotenoids.
Extra virgin olive oil is not only the safest and most stable oil to cook with but the healthy fats and antioxidants naturally present in extra virgin olive oil can have a positive impact on your health.
Most importantly, cooking and dressing your foods with extra virgin olive oil tastes great, so give it a try today!
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Nutrition Australia is Australia’s leading nutrition non-profit organisation, providing information, education and business-to-business (B2B) consultation and advisory services to help Australians achieve optimal health through good nutrition.
Reviewed by the Healthylife Advisory Board March 2022
This article is for informational purposes only and does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Any information published on this website or by this brand is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. If you have any concerns or questions about your health you should consult with a health professional.