Is it true that olive oil is not healthy when heated?

Question

Is olive oil good only in cold salads? Does it lose its nutrients when heated? Can I use it for deep frying without losing its nutritional value?

Answer 1

I'm not sure about losing its nutritional value but I wouldn't recommend it for deep frying due to its low smoking point. That means that, compared to say canola oil or various other oils, olive oil with burn at a much lower temperature. Canola or other vegetable oils, as well as peanut oil, have a much higher smoking point and are therefore preferable for any deep frying. At a minimum you should probably mix your olive oil with a high smoking point oil if you choose to deep fry with the olive oil.

Answer 2

As with any other food it will lose nutrients when cooked.

That being said, olive oil is still better for you that other oils, cooked or not.

Also, you cannot deep fry with olive oil as it has too low of a smoke point....trust me...it will NOT work.

It is perfect for sauteing though.

Answer 3

Olive comes in a number of ways like I buy an olive oil that Say's for frying another one Say's for salad's only, so you have to look for what you want to use it for olive oil is not a oil you can buy 1 bottle and use for every thing.

Answer 4

Is not that olive oil is not healthy when heated, it just loses its nutritional value when exposed to high temperatures.

Extra-virgin olive oil is very healthy, it is best if you use it for salad dressings and medium-heat cooking.

Use canola oil for high-heat cooking or baking, This oil will not lose its nutrients (healthy omega-3).

Hope this helps :-)

Answer 5

I have used evoo in my deep fryer and my cast iron pan both for frying all types of foods with out a problum
It seams to be the oil of choice on the food network.
I also use peanut oil for health reason but olive oil is my first choice

Answer 6

True. The olive oil is very light (viscosity) peanut or mustard oil on the other hand are heavy. Thus they do not burn as easily when heated. Burning causes the bad stuff and hence is bad for you.

Answer 7

I don't think that heating the oil to high temperatures will destroy the vitamins or convert the monounsaturated oils into saturates or anything like that. I think the problem you might have is that the oil will just boil off if you heat it to a very high temperature.

Answer 8

Deep frying will cause it to loose nutritional value - tooooo hot!

A quick saute would be just fine.

Answer 9

i use olive oil for all, but for frying only the extra virgin it better for hi temperature and keeps all its flavor

Answer 10

If the temperature gets too high it does loose nutritional value.