The myth of cooking with olive oil

The myth of frying in olive oil

Just a few years ago, people in Finland were warned not to fry in olive oil. There was talk of a low smoke point and "unhealthy compounds" if the oil got too hot. But looking at Southern Europe, the claim sounds downright strange.

In Southern Europe, olive oil is the basic cooking fat for everything: frying, stewing, and baking. And these are countries whose diet is considered one of the healthiest in the world.

The fact is:

Extra virgin olive oil typically has a smoke point of 190–210°C.

Cold-pressed rapeseed oil has a smoke point of about 200–230°C.

Butter, on the other hand, has a smoke point of 150-170°C.

On a frying pan, the temperature is usually 160-180°C, which is completely safe for olive oil.

In addition, olive oil's antioxidants and polyphenols protect it from oxidation, so it withstands heat better than many other vegetable oils.

Perhaps it's just Finnish caution, but in the south, this myth is considered a charming misunderstanding. So, feel free to fry with olive oil here in the North too!