Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO), Misunderstood By Many “Experts”
When I started researching Grape Seed Oil five years ago, I also was spending some time watching The Food Network. The research was telling me it is a really bad idea to bring Olive Oil, in fact any kind of oil up to or past it’s smoke point. Yet I recall chef after chef recommending that viewers do just about everything with Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO). I felt disappointed watching so many experts misinform their viewers by using EVOO in high heat sauté and pan fry demos while touting it’s health benefits.
What’s to love about EVOO?
I’m with the millions who love nothing better than the flavors that fine Extra Virgin Olive Oils add to my food. EVOO can be really good, from a health and nutrition standpoint for the people who use it correctly. Back in the 1950’s, American Nutritionist Ansel Keys discovered the correlation between generous consumption of olive oil and low heart disease rates in a study of men living on the island of Crete, Greece. His study was probably the first inspiration for today’s Mediterranean Diet craze. EVOO is wonderful in countless cold applications including bruschettas, tampenades, in homemade hummus, baba ganoush, the Greek version, melezano, and countless salads. Herb and garlic infused EVOO makes a beautiful dip for fresh baked bread.
EVOO and Smoke Points – Grape Seed Oil To The Rescue:
From a nutrition and health standpoint, sautéing and pan-frying with EVOO is a pretty bad idea. It loses most of its health benefits when heated to its relatively low smoke point. According to the January 1998 article Alternative Medicine Digest article, WHEN FOOD IS YOUR BEST FRIEND the smoke point for EVOO is 250 degrees Fahrenheit. Other sources have placed it as high as 320, but higher smoke point temperatures are always a sign of the oil having been "refined" to make this possible. Regardless, at 250 Fahrenheit, EVOO's smoke point is about as low as it gets in the realm of cooking oils. On the other hand, eHow’s article, Grape Seed vs. Olive Oil, set’s grape seed oil’s smoke point at 420 degrees Fahrenheit. Other articles online have rated it as high as 485 1/4 degrees Fahrenheit. Sautés, pan-frys and deep-frys generally occur at between 350 and 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Deep-frying leaves between 5-40% of the oil on the fried item.
At an oil’s smoke point, the flavor deteriorates, the oil cannot be reused and it becomes dangerous. According to WHFoods, heating any oil to its smoke point creates unhealthy vapors and introduces oxygen free radicals into the mix. Oxygen free radicals are associated with numerous health risks in addition to being carcinogenic. The oil should not be reused, not only because free radicals have been introduced but also because the fundamental composition of lipids deteriorates once they have been heated to their smoke point.
There are wonderful places for EVOO in cooking, but not as a sauté or pan fry medium, and definitely not in deep-frying. Grape seed oil, with its relatively high smoke point, is ideal for higher heat applications. I sauté and pan fry with grape seed oil and then, towards the end of cooking or just before serving I add the EVOO for flavor. If there is sufficient water-based liquid in a dish, the temperature will not exceed water’s boiling point. My suggestion - buy really good EVOO for flavor and let grape seed oil be your workhouse for sautés, pan-frying and as your base oil for baking. For applications like focaccia bread, you can use Grape Seed oil in the pan while baking the bread and drizzle or mist with EVOO after removing the bread from the oven and allowing it a few minutes to cool. If you are going to deep fry, make an educated choice on which non-hydrogenated oil is best for you.
Regarding Grape Seed Extract:
The past two blogs have either featured grape seed oil or it has played a significant roll in how to cook healthfully. The last Nutrition Talk – A Survivor’s Take, shared that Grape Seed Oil, one of Smarter Cookies key ingredients, can lower LDL and increase HDL cholesterol when consumed at sufficient levels in the daily diet. Most of Grape Seed Oil’s beneficial compounds are present in stronger concentrations in Grape Seed Extract. According to EHow's article, Side Effects of Grape Seed Oil and Grape Seed Extract, Grape Seed Extract is high in antioxidants, offers cholesterol and hypertension reducing qualities and is considered effective in the battle against many cancers. It is rich in B vitamins, Vitamin A and vitamin C. Grape Seed Extract is worth adding to your list of supplements, especially if you are health-challenged.
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