When we do a demo, go to a food festival or teach a class, we are often asked, “Is olive oil good for cooking?” The answer, of course, is yes! Let’s go into the details of why.

To begin with, olive oil is arguably the healthiest fat, whether raw or heated. Its unique properties make it a potent antioxidant with few rivals. While it’s true that when heated beyond 115 degrees Fahrenheit some of its precious antioxidants start to deteriorate, it’s also true that many of them tolerate the heat, and thus survive. The amount of antioxidants retained will depend on the oil’s quality.

At an olive oil conference at UC Davis, a Greek chef told us that he used the ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) method to test the antioxidant levels of some typical Greek dishes cooked in olive oil. The results were excellent, with the dishes scoring very high, even when the oil had been thoroughly heated.

Now, you may ask, “What happens if you deep fry with olive oil?” Deep frying is possible, but if you heat the oil to a high temperature -- more than 400 degrees Fahrenheit -- you’ll need to be careful that you don’t burn it. To prevent burning, add clarified butter or avocado oil to compensate for the lower smoke point.

At the same time I’d ask, how many times a month do you cook with such high heat? In the best of cases, you will deep fry on rare occasions. If you do cook this way regularly, I’d suggest trying other cooking methods for the sake of your health.

For a healthy diet and tasty meals, begin incorporating more olive oil into your food preparation. Whether sautéing, frying with low to medium temperatures or enjoying it uncooked, olive oil is by far the best option for culinary oil.

Sooner or later, you’ll be surprised by just how good your food can taste when you use high quality olive oil in your meals.

Enjoy!

The Pacific Sun Olive Oil Team

Leslie, Brendon & Pablo