Boiled in Oil - A dietary question

[ken mcclure]

SWMBO is doing well after her stroke-like episodes, and is taking her diet/exercise regimen seriously. She's lost 2 lbs every week since she started!

One of the dietary changes involves using olive oil in place of "fattier" (is that a word?) oils.

The question we have is does olive oil break down and become unhealthy at higher temperatures? I know some oils do when you get them too hot, but we can't seem to find any info on olive oil.

She really likes fried zucchini and fried eggplant, and wants to make sure she doesn't get the oil too hot if it's a problem.

[oldriverat]

http://www.mycustompak.com/healthNotes/Food_Guide/Monounsaturated_Fats.htm

Ken, check this. It says it's suitable for low, medium, to high temps.

You may even want to consider the Canola Oil. I friend of mine, {a health fanatic} swears by it.

[Eric Sea Frog]

Fried or not, it will make you live 100 years if you replace butter with it with spaghetti, etc.
It's still fat, though. Have what you need, not more.

[MarkC]

One can pick the 'clearer' olive oil rather than the virgin type which often includes the olive bits etc. - these clear types (sometimes called 'light' but not 'light calories meaning' are better for frying.

But - why don't you bake??

put a bit of olive oil on the veg etc and bake it - goes brown and doesn't soak up as much oil. The kitchen doesn't get covered by oil - your clothes don't smell - and its healthy - and you don't have to salt your eggplants!

[ken mcclure]

Thanks, guys. And thanks for the link, Mike. smile.gif

I'll tell her to try the baking. (Or I'll try it. I cook more often than she does!) We've already largely replaced butter with olive oil. I still have to have butter on my rye toast, though. :rolleyes:

[Meerkat]

ANY fat that is heated to the point where it starts to smoke starts breaking down into stuff that is bad for you.

Safflower Oil, another monosaturate oil, is a better choice for frying than Olive Oil since it has a far higher "smoke point".

If you go to a natural foods store, you're apt to find butter alternatives based on soy and/or yogurt. One brand is Brummel & Brown (http://www.brummelandbrown.com/). "It contains 50% less fat and calories than butter and margarine and no cholesterol or trans fat."

[ishmael]

That Italiano chef, Mario sumthin' or other, chubby with a red pony tail, on the food network, talks about frying with olive oil all the time, with the proviso that its high temp. burn point is lower than most other oils, so it needs pretty constant attention.

How do you folks store your olive oil? It's supposed to be kept dark and cool, but the fridge makes it solidify after a day or so. If left out it does turn rancid fairly quickly. At this point I buy small bottles, and go through them quick enough that it doesn't seem to matter. Pricey that way though.

[Dutch Rub]

Try grapeseed oil. Its been in use in Europe for hundreds of years and has the highest " no smoke" point of any cooking oil I know of. Doesnt splatter when you fry with it, 1 tbsp gives about a full daily dose of vitamin E, and it is cholesterol free.

[Mrleft8]

I use olive oil for sauteeing, and dressings, and on bread etc. I use canola for frying. I'm still kicking after 42 years.....

[firstwife]

Yes, olive oil does have a lower 'smoke' temp than some other oil, most notably canola. I has to be watched carefully.

Have you tried the oil sprayers they have now, like the Misto? You can bread your eggplant or whatever, and then either spray the pan or the eggplant slices with the Misto. It gives you the flavor of the oil but alot less greasiness and calories. You can also use it for salads.It will put a fine coating on your greens, instead of a stream in some places and nothing in others.

[ken mcclure]

Timely, indeed! SWMBO was just asking whether the oil was too thick to be sprayed. I'll look for the sprayer - thanks!

[htom]

Most cooking oils will work well in Mistos. I have two, one with olive oil, one with peanut. We now use olive oil for almost all of our cooking (adding butter sometimes, for flavor), or using the peanut for stir-frying (where the high smoke point is useful.)

Whichever oil you're cooking with, if it's smoking, it's probably not good for you in the long run. Might taste great, though!