Flickr: "Olive Oil" by marysiaSome of you may have recalled that Carole Kotkin of the Miami Herald wrote an article about Olive Oil back in February. Some others of you probably forgot about the article by now if you even read it at all.
But while it was somewhat educational, she definitely went off the mark by failing to show the uses of the cheaper types of olive oil. Truth is... there's a beneficial use for all of them!
Yes, it's true, one can be easily picky about olive oil as their nutrition label is going to be the same - 14 percent saturated fat, 73 percent monosaturated fat, and 11 percent polysaturated fat. And yes, it's hard to discern the difference between taste if you're going for anything other than extra virgin or virgin olive oil. So what's the point?
The point is really all about the SMOKE POINT! You won't find that information on any label. Here's what wikipedia says about it:
"The smoke point refers to the temperature at which a cooking fat or oil begins to break down. The substance smokes or burns, and gives food an unpleasant taste. Beyond the smoke point is the flash point, the point at which combustion occurs.
Why is the smoke point important? Because it tells you what type of oil is best for what type of cooking is involved - and YES, I do encourage you to cook with this healthy type of oil. It actually may be the healthiest type of cooking oil out in the market, for all types of individuals out there (since some people may have a negative reaction to canola, soy or corn, and all those can also be found in vegetable oil... really, no need for me to go on).
Extra virgin olive oil has the lowest smoke point (meaining: it will burn easily and become bitter). For this reason, and for the taste, extra virgin olive oil is better recommended for dressing. Virgin olive oil may also be used in its stead (be careful not to confuse virgin olive oil with pure olive oil).
Light olive oil has the highest smoke point (meaning: it won't burn), so it is actually one of the better oil to use to fry food as it can tolerate heat up to 468 degrees Fahrenheit. And since it is highly refined, you won't have any olive taste added to your food. You may also use pure olive oil in its stead, but it burns easier.
Most people are not aware of which olive oil is recommended for cooking, so I commend the Filippo Berio brand for further distinguishing the types of olive oil by labeling them as perfect for sauteeing, grilling, salad dressing, etc.
I pulled the following up from Google from your use:
Extra virgin olive oil has the lowest smoke point (meaining: it will burn easily and become bitter). For this reason, and for the taste, extra virgin olive oil is better recommended for dressing. Virgin olive oil may also be used in its stead (be careful not to confuse virgin olive oil with pure olive oil).
Light olive oil has the highest smoke point (meaning: it won't burn), so it is actually one of the better oil to use to fry food as it can tolerate heat up to 468 degrees Fahrenheit. And since it is highly refined, you won't have any olive taste added to your food. You may also use pure olive oil in its stead, but it burns easier.
Most people are not aware of which olive oil is recommended for cooking, so I commend the Filippo Berio brand for further distinguishing the types of olive oil by labeling them as perfect for sauteeing, grilling, salad dressing, etc.
I pulled the following up from Google from your use:
| Olive Oil (Extra Virgin) | 190°C (375°F) | Cooking, salad oils, margarine | |||
| Olive oil (Virgin) | 215°C (420°F) | Cooking, salad oils, margarine | |||
| Olive Oil (Refined) | 225°C (438°F) | Sautee, Stir frying, cooking, salad oils, margarine | |||
| Olive Oil (Extra Light) | 242°C (468°F) | Sautee, Stir frying, frying, cooking, salad oils, margarine |
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