Using olive oil for frying is very common in Spanish, Italian, Greek cuisine and in more and more parts of the world. Although it is not bad to fry with olive oil, it is necessary to make proper use of the oil. The properties of olive oil are lost over time and high temperatures accelerate the process. Part of the fruity, bitter and itchy aromas of EVOO will be lost when frying.
Because of this, some people think that there is hardly any difference between frying with olive oil and EVOO. Nothing is further from reality, using extra virgin olive oil for frying is better. Personally I appreciate a clear improvement in flavor when frying with EVOO… Also, with how cheap olive oil is extra virgin (just 20 cents more per liter). Does it make sense to refuse to buy the best type of olive oil? This does not mean that it is bad to fry with mild or intense olive oil. However, the power boosts and further enhances the taste of food.
Another aspect to take into account is the oil frying limit, with important differences between olive tree varieties. For example, Picual olive oil (possibly the best olive oil for frying) can hold 45 hours at 120 ° C. However, the Arbequina olive oil would hold only 8 hours at 120 ° C. The temperature of olive oil can reach 180 ° C during frying, increasing the rate of thermo-oxidation.
In the domestic use of olive oil, the degradation of olive oil is not usually a problem. On the other hand, when used in industrial applications or constantly in bar / restaurant fryers, operators must pay attention to the loss of properties of olive oil. When olive oil degrades, it changes its density, has difficulty reaching the frying temperature, the color turns orange and appears larger bubbles on the surface. Eating fried foods with degraded olive oils, although not toxic, is unhealthy.
Why is it good to fry with olive oil?
It has been shown that it is better to fry food with olive oil, since it can tolerate higher temperatures without degrading. In addition, can withstand several frying cycles while retaining its chemical structure. It has greater oxidation resistance than seed oils (sunflower, rapeseed…), palm, coco, etc…
On the other hand, the oleic acid present in the oil is a heart-healthy fat and olive oil contains between 60 and 80% oleic acid.
Extra virgin olive oil, not only good for frying, is used in casseroles, dressings, preserves, toasts, cream making… In addition, it is used for multiple home remedies, olive oil for weight loss, hair growth…
With the popularization of monovarietal EVOOs (Cornicabra, Hojiblanca, Camomile, Verdial, Arbequina, Picual).
We have different alternatives for use with expertise in the kitchen.
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Warning
We have translated the information on our website from Spanish to English. Note that some words may have seen their meaning altered during their translation.