oils for cooking
Posted by Gina on Jul 24, 2008
What type of oil do you use for cooking? I’ve heard some chefs say extra virgin olive oil (I refuse to use that ridiculous acronym!) and other chefs, and some scientists, say never use extra virgin for cooking. Thanks for your help! -Lorelei
I tend to use oils that are readily available and affordable for my home. Most often I have a bottle of extra virgin olive oil on hand and some canola oil or another kind of vegetable oil.
Olive oil has endless health benefits and there is very little information suggesting otherwise. What I think you are referring to is the oxidization that occurs in every oil when it is heated. Every oil has a smoking point. This literally means that if you are heating up a pan with some oil in it, and the pan starts to smoke, you have reached the smoking point of that particular oil. The oil starts to break down and is no longer good for you and should be discarded.
So, the rule here is to not overheat your oils. If they do get too hot just start over. Olive oil has a lower smoking point and you will need to pay a little more attention than if you are using vegetable oil.
I have become very skeptical of all health trends that come and go over the years. Remember when we were told that margarine was much healthier than butter? That anything with fat was to be avoided at all costs. And the very recent attack on carbs! “They” are always changing their minds. It gets very confusing. I have taken to following my instincts when it comes to eating a nutritious diet. So I am going to say that since olive oil has been consumed for thousands of years, I give it a big thumbs up!