The heart-healthy benefits of cooking with olive oil
If you’re anything like me, olive oil is your default cooking companion. And just like me, you’ve probably stood in the grocery store, staring at shelves of bottles wondering which one to buy. Dark glass or light? Is the priciest one actually worth it? Let’s clear up the confusion so your next trip for healthy grocery shopping is a win.
Let’s start with the big question everyone’s thinking about: is olive oil good for you? The short answer is yes. Olive oil is a type of unsaturated fat, more specifically a monounsaturated fat, which means it stays liquid at room temperature. That’s already a better option than saturated fats from a nutrition standpoint. What makes olive oil especially helpful for healthy eating and women’s wellness is its content of polyphenols. These plant-based compounds are known for their antioxidant effects and they’re a big reason why olive oil gets so much attention in conversations about weight loss and nutrition. Keen readers will remember all about antioxidants from my article, so if you’re still unsure, check it out and refresh your mind!
Now, not all olive oils are equal. When it comes to health benefits, the type you choose matters. If you want to get the most polyphenols (which I recommend), look for bottles labeled virgin or extra virgin olive oil. These tend to have higher levels of these helpful antioxidants. Polyphenols help reduce oxidative stress by neutralizing free radicals in the body. Research shows they also support heart health, help the immune system, and may reduce the risk of certain long-term illnesses. Talk about a multitasking pantry staple.
Here’s the thing though: you can’t assume every olive oil on the shelf has the same benefits. It all depends on how the oil was processed. Virgin and extra virgin olive oils are less processed, which means they retain more of the good stuff. Virgin olive oil contains somewhere between 150 and 400 milligrams of polyphenols per kilogram. Compare that to refined olive oil, which might have less than 1 milligram per kilogram. That’s not just a small difference, it’s a dealbreaker.
Many brands mix refined and virgin oils to cut costs and market them as “pure” or “light” olive oil. These blends often have very few nutrients left. Studies show refined oils are stripped of many healthful compounds like vitamins, phytosterols, and antioxidants. That’s why healthy grocery shopping means flipping the bottle over and actually reading the ingredient list. Look for 100 percent virgin or extra virgin olive oil. Skip the “lite” stuff, even if it’s cheaper. In this case, cutting costs could mean cutting out nutrition.
So now that we’ve picked out the right bottle, does that mean you can cook everything with it? Not quite. Let’s talk smoke points. This is the temperature where oil starts to burn, and once that happens, the oil’s chemical structure breaks down. That’s bad news for your health because it can release carcinogens and free radicals while destroying the healthy fats and polyphenols you paid good money for.
Olive oil has a relatively low smoke point, around 325 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s perfect for salad dressings, light sautéing, drizzling on veggies, or adding to sauces. For higher-heat cooking like roasting or grilling, I use avocado oil which has a smoke point of 520 degrees Fahrenheit. This keeps your meal in the healthy eating category without damaging those valuable nutrients.
Olive oil may seem simple, but there’s a lot going on in that bottle. With the right information, choosing the best one becomes easy. Next time you’re doing your healthy grocery shopping, grab a bottle of extra virgin olive oil and put it to use in your everyday meals. When used properly, olive oil is a flavorful, nourishing way to support women’s wellness and weight loss goals.
Ready to whip up a homemade dressing or toss it into your next batch of roasted veggies? Your kitchen and your body will thank you.