When it comes to cooking with fat, many people opt for saturated fats like butter and lard because they are thought to be more stable under extreme heat and less likely to produce toxins than unsaturated fats, but nutrition experts like Alan Argon say that despite being unsaturated, using olive oil could actually be one of the healthiest ways to cook. Here’s why.
“The main fatty acid in olive oil is oleic acid,” explains the evidence-lead health and nutrition expert in a recent Instagram post in association with the Nutritional Coaching Institute. “And this is a mono unsaturated fatty acid, and in the peer reviewed literature, it’s been shown to be surprisingly stable under high heat conditions, including deep frying.”
Argon explains that the notion that the oil reacts badly to heat is a myth. Furthermore, he says that the abundance of vitamin E in extra virgin olive oil is another positive feature of cooking with it. “The antioxidant content of olive oil prevents the excess production of oxidation products people are afraid of regarding the use of unsaturated fats for cooking,” explains the popular coach.
Okay, so we know that the oil is a stable unsaturated fat when it comes to cooking, but how does it compare with saturated options? “… when it’s compared with using saturated fat rich oils like lard, butter, it has a much more favorable effect on cardiovascular risk factors as well as mortality and cardio vascular disease,” says Argon. Indeed, there’s evidence to back this up.
A 2021 study found that intakes of butter and margarines were associated with more deaths than canola or olive oil. “Our findings support the shifting intake from solid fats to non-hydrogenated vegetables oils for cardiometabolic health and longevity,” concluded the report. “So, as far as cooking goes, extra virgin olive oil is the win-win. In addition to that, it’s a win for dressing,” lauds Argon.
