Is EVOO the healthiest cooking oil?
The world of vegetable oils is vast, and comparing their nutritional value is not the be all and end all. As well as the nutritional information written on the bottle it is essential to know the oxidative stability of each of them, as this helps you to discern which cooking oil is the healthiest.
Oxidative stability
Oxidation accelerates when the oil is subjected to high temperatures, which in turn negatively affects the properties of lipids. When an oil oxidizes, it gets corrupted and may even become toxic. It is therefore essential to consume an oil with high oxidative stability, especially if it’s going to be used for cooking and frying.
If you want to determine the healthiest cooking oil in terms of its oxidative stability, you need to observe the induction time that can be reached, as well as the temperature that the oil can endure without being corrupted.
It’s evident that EVOO and coconut oil are the most stable oils in terms of induction time. However, when it comes to the ability of each of them to reach high temperatures without degrading there’s a huge difference:
• Virgin coconut oil is a stable oil until it reaches a temperature of 120ºC (248ºF), which means it can’t be used for frying.
• EVOO, on the other hand, has a high degree of stability, able to reach 200ºC (392ºF) without losing its properties. This, as well as the induction time, makes it the healthiest oil for cooking and frying.
By choosing a premium quality oil, such as oils from Carapelli, you can elevate your dishes, in culinary terms, to a higher level. Whether you’re consuming it cold, cooking or frying with it, the healthiest cooking oil is undoubtedly extra virgin olive oil.
Induction time:
• Corn oil can’t survive an hour of induction before oxidizing, something that disqualifies it as a cooking oil.
• Sesame oil can’t reach 2 hours.
• Sunflower oil can last for a little over 2 hours of induction, which is why it’s not the best oil to cook with.
• By comparison, extra virgin olive oil can endure 26 and a half hours. It’s therefore ideal for cooking.
• Virgin coconut oil can endure up to 65 hours before breaking down, giving it the best induction time, but before determining whether or not it is the healthiest cooking oil, we must also talk about the maximum temperature that can be reached.
You can achieve all kinds of flavors among olive oils, thanks to the different varieties of oil available. In addition, olive oil is made up of monounsaturated fatty acids, the healthiest for our bodies. Coconut oil, on the other hand, consists of saturated fatty acids, which are harmful to our health.
