Three Weird Myths About Olive Oil
🫒🔮 Myth #1 - Extra-virgin olive oil has a low smoke point and is unsuitable for frying.
🫒🔮 Myth #1 - Extra-virgin olive oil has a low smoke point and is unsuitable for frying.
Extra-virgin olive oil has a smoke point of 410°F, making it suitable for most home cooking applications, except for high-heat Asian-style wok frying.
The smoke point tests conducted by the American Oil Chemist Society lack experimental validity as the standardization process does not accurately reflect how cooking oils are used in real kitchen settings.
The tests mandate the oils to undergo heating, bleaching, and deodorizing, which unfairly favors seed oils as they already undergo extensive industrial processing.
Given that the tests do not involve actual food, relying on them for practical cooking purposes is pointless.
Extra virgin olive oil has a high concentration of polyphenol antioxidants, which makes it resistant to oxidation. This means that it's best to use your highest quality olive oils for cooking since they are less likely to break down when exposed to high heat.
Finally, when frying foods that are rich in healthy fats, such as fish, there is a potential benefit from lipid transfer. This process involves the fats reinforcing each other, resulting in greater oxidative stability and improved nutritional value.
🫒🔮 Myth #2 - Olive oil must be stored in dark or opaque bottles.
This myth has been around for quite some time and is often more related to the seed oils mafia than a genuine concern for the quality of olive oil. For additional more on this topic, please see my related thread:
If the concern is preserving the oil's antioxidant content, it's irrelevant what type of container is used as long as it's stored correctly, in cool and dark conditions.
As demonstrated above, there is virtually no difference between the antioxidant content of olive oil stored in clear or dark bottles until after 6 months.
And why on Earth would it take you half a year to drink your bottle!?
And why on Earth would it take you half a year to drink your bottle!?
Moreover, many direct-to-consumer olive oil brands now deliver their products directly from the warehouse to consumers in cardboard packaging, eliminating the risk of spoilage during transit altogether.
Note:
Glass is less susceptible to expanding and contracting due to temperature changes during transit compared to materials like tin or single-use PET plastic. As a result, olive oil packaged in glass is less likely to spoil.
Glass is less susceptible to expanding and contracting due to temperature changes during transit compared to materials like tin or single-use PET plastic. As a result, olive oil packaged in glass is less likely to spoil.
Takeaway:
While using dark bottles is generally a safe choice, not doing so is not necessarily a significant cause for concern, as long as the oil is stored in appropriate conditions to preserve its quality.
While using dark bottles is generally a safe choice, not doing so is not necessarily a significant cause for concern, as long as the oil is stored in appropriate conditions to preserve its quality.
🫒🔮 Myth #3 - You should drizzle your olive oil on everything
I've been seeing a lot of new olive oil brands pop up that seem to only care about being trendy. Most of them are backed by venture capitalists, and it seems like their main goal is to create hype rather than upholding the high standards of olive oil quality and heritage.
Anyway, I do hope these new olive oil brands succeed. But let's be real here, the best way to reap the benefits of high-quality olive oil is by using it for cooking, frying, blending, and baking, not by drizzling it over your espresso foam or popcorn.
Honestly, using olive oil on popcorn or ice cream might seem like a fun idea, but it's kind of a waste of good oil, don't you think? I mean, why not just stick to good ol' butter on your popcorn or chocolate syrup on your ice cream? Keep it simple, keep it tasty!
Olive oil contains a variety of beneficial compounds, including polyphenols, monounsaturated fatty acids, and vitamins E and K.
When food is cooked in EVOO, these compounds become more bioavailable, meaning that they are easier for the body to absorb and utilize.
When food is cooked in EVOO, these compounds become more bioavailable, meaning that they are easier for the body to absorb and utilize.
Research has shown that cooking vegetables in olive oil can increase the absorption of carotenoids.
Furthermore, some studies have suggested that cooking with olive oil can improve glucose and insulin metabolism, which may have positive effects on overall health.
I mean, sure, drizzling olive oil over your food can add some flavor and nutrition, but using it for cooking and baking is where it's really at. Personally, I like to add a shot of olive oil to my coffee and blend it up to give it a real health boost. But hey, to each their own!
Are you tired of all the confusion and misconceptions surrounding olive oil? If you're looking to experience the true taste and benefits of authentic, high quality olive oil, we've got you covered.
seloolive.com
seloolive.com
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