John Myers
Virgin, extra, virgin: these terms can be found on olive oil bottle labels, but what exactly do they mean? We will explain what is behind the names, why olive oil is so valuable, and how you can best use it in the kitchen.
How to recognize good olive oil
Olive oil is considered the liquid gold of the south and can be found on the list of ingredients in many Mediterranean recipes. The fine aroma, which depending on the variety is more peppery, grassy, nutty, berry, or lemony, goes wonderfully with vegetables, fish, and seafood. Provided the quality is right. You can recognize the highest quality class by the terms “extra virgin” or “extra virgin” on the bottle label. The oil was cold-pressed, which means that the temperature during the processing of the olive fruit did not exceed 27 degrees. This type of oil is also particularly good for making flavored oil yourself, as it still contains all the important nutrients. Extra olive oil also has a maximum of 0.8 percent acidity, another quality value where the lower the better. Oils that are only labeled as “native” were also obtained by cold pressing, but do not meet the highest taste standards.
It’s in olive oil
Due to the gentle production in the oil mill, the flavor and ingredients of the fruit are largely preserved in the native olive oil. The high-quality oil is rich in vitamins E and K and also contains vitamin A. The monounsaturated fatty acids, which make up around 75 percent of olive oil, are also valuable. They have been shown to help maintain normal cholesterol levels – too much cholesterol can promote the hardening of the arteries. Furthermore, products rich in olive oil polyphenols, which protect blood lipids from oxidative stress, can contribute to cardiovascular health. This includes olive oil varieties that contain at least 5 milligrams of hydroxytyrosol or derivatives per 20 grams of oil. As with all fats, the same applies to the energy content: With 884 calories per 100 grams, the oil is very nutritious.
This is how the “gold of the south” can be used
In order to use all the good ingredients, you should not heat up cold-pressed olive oil, but rather use it for cold or steamed dishes. Our cooking expert will tell you which oil is best for frying. You can use olive oil to dress up salads, drizzle it over cooked dishes to refine it, dip bread in it, marinate fish and meat or pickle vegetables and herbs in it. You can make the antipasti that is so popular in the Mediterranean region yourself, all you need is cooked vegetables, jars and high-quality olive oil. And what about the shelf life of the oil? Opened bottles should always be closed tightly and stored in the dark to keep them fresh for about two years. It keeps longer in the fridge, but flakes out. This is not a defect, it becomes liquid again at room temperature.
Tip: If you would like to use up leftover olive oil, you can use it to make soap, cream, or a mask or treatment pack. This is how you take advantage of an ancient and natural care product for skin and hair.
In addition, high-quality oils can not only be used in the kitchen. We will show you how you can use coconut oil, for example. You can also bring more variety into the kitchen with pumpkin seed oil.
Which oil is suitable for frying?
To find out which oil is suitable for frying, pay particular attention to the smoke point. Since it indicates the temperature at which the oil starts to smoke – and the fatty acids it contains oxidize and toxic acrolein forms – it should be as high as possible. Especially since smoking oil also loses its taste. As a rule of thumb, hot-pressed oils generally have a higher smoke point than cold-pressed ones and are therefore more suitable for frying. Put simply, like refined oils, they contain fewer of ingredients that can burn at higher temperatures. They are filtered out using various processes during the production of the oil. As an answer to the question of which oils are the healthier option for frying, refined oils are often mentioned. You can of course use any variant for cold use. Taste is what counts here. We have compiled recipes with high-quality oils for you for all options.
Oil for frying: temperatures – which oil can be heated to a high temperature?
The smoke point determines whether oils are suitable for frying. At the same time, it is also at different levels for varieties that you can put in the pan with a clear conscience. Here you can read the approximate smoke points of different frying oils:
- Argan oil (250 degrees Celsius)
- Soybean oil (230 degrees Celsius)
- Peanut oil (230 degrees Celsius)
- Sesame oil (230 degrees Celsius)
- Hot-pressed olive oil (230 degrees Celsius)
- Palm oil (220 degrees Celsius)
- Sunflower oil (220 degrees Celsius)
- Coconut oil (200 degrees Celsius)
- Grape seed oil (190 degrees Celsius)
Incidentally, butter and margarine are only suitable for frying to a limited extent. Their smoke point is around 170 degrees Celsius. If you don’t want to heat oil, you should instead opt for lard or clarified butter, which has a smoke point of 200 degrees Celsius. Our experts will also explain whether you can fry without any fat at all.
Which olive oil to use for frying?
Refined olive oil only reaches its smoking point at around 230 degrees Celsius and is therefore also suitable for searing meat. This is because all healthy ingredients have been removed from the oil during processing. But it is particularly heat-stable. Extra virgin olive oil – in other words: cold-pressed olive oil, which is called “extra virgin” in Italy – smokes at 160 to a maximum of 180 degrees. Deep-frying and searing are therefore taboo. You can still fry and steam vegetables, for example, or sauté onions for the tomato sauce. It is also good for garlic. After all, it doesn’t tolerate too much heat either. Simply add extra virgin olive oil to the cold pan and heat before frying. If it shimmers, the fried food is added. Like other healthy oils, such as walnut oil, linseed oil, safflower oil, or pumpkin seed oil, you can of course use it even better for preparing salads. Our expert knows which cooking oils are particularly healthy.
