Extra virgin olive oil maintains its health-promoting properties when used for cooking.
Olive oil is the primary source of fat in the Mediterranean diet. Research suggests that olive oil exerts antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-carcinogenic properties, likely due to its high polyphenolic content. The European Food Safety Authority claims that olive oil helps reduce LDL cholesterol. Heating olive oil (especially to high temperatures) can cause phenolic compounds to deteriorate and/or oxidize, which reduces its healthful qualities. Findings from a recent study suggest that the cooking techniques used in a typical home kitchen do not negate the beneficial effects associated with olive oil consumption.
The experimental study mimicked the home-cooking processes involved in sautéing (also known as “pan-frying”) meat or potatoes. The two foods were pan-fried in olive oil heated to moderate (120°C, 248°F) and high (170°C, 338°F) temperatures for 15 and 30 minutes.
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Chemical analysis of the oil after the cooking process revealed that both time and temperature affected its polyphenolic content, but temperature was the key driver of phenolic degradation. Cooking at 120°C decreased the polyphenolic content by 40 percent, but cooking at 170°C decreased it by 75 percent, compared to the amount in uncooked olive oil.