Virgin olive oil has been shown to be protective for health, particularly due to its antioxidant content. However, there are not many studies on whether it isthe best oil for fryingis. New research from the University of Barcelona found that this type of oil retains its health properties when cooked. This is a common technique in Mediterranean cuisine that involves heating the oil. For this reason, these results could be relevant for future dietary guidelines.
Consume virgin olive oil healthily
The published study is the collaboration of a team of researchers from the Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, the Biomedical Research Center of Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition and the University of São Paulo. Virgin olive oil is the source of fat in the Mediterranean diet. It has a unique composition of fatty acids with a higher antioxidant content than other cooking oils. Its health benefits are mainly related to these compounds that scientists call polyphenols.
“Researchers have always studied the effects of cooking on these oil polyphenols using laboratory or industrial technologies. However, these are far from the reality of households.” That's what Rosa Lamuela, director of the Institute for Nutrition Research and Food Safety, says. However, for this study, the researchers simulated the cooking conditions of a household kitchen. The aim was to see how homemade frying affects the polyphenols of extra virgin olive oil. The researchers examined the effects of time and temperature at 120°C and 170°C on the breakdown of antioxidants.
Study results
The results show that the content of polyphenols decreased by 40% during the cooking process at 120 °C and by 75% at 170 °C. The researchers compared this with the antioxidant content in crude oil. Furthermore, cooking time affected an individual phenol but not its total content. Overall, the values meet the parameters specified as healthy by the European Union.
“Despite the decrease in the concentration of polyphenols during the cooking process, virgin olive oil has a content that reaches the health declaration according to the European regulation. This means it has properties that protect against oxidation of LDL cholesterol.” This is what Julián Lozano, first author of the publication, notes.
The effects on theHealth in the Mediterranean diethowever, were difficult to reproduce in non-Mediterranean populations. According to the researchers, this fact could occur due to different cooking practices. In this context, the results are added to previous studies by the research group. In them, researchers evaluate the effects of extra virgin olive oil in sautéed cooking with positive results. This reinforces the idea that Mediterranean gastronomy is beneficial to our health not only for the food but also for the cooking techniques.
According to the authors of theStudyThe current aim is to analyze the effects of cooking with extra virgin olive oil with other food elements such as legumes, meat, etc. “In addition, we should conduct random research studies on humans and compare the potential benefits we get from cooking with extra virgin olive oil compared to other oils.”
