Olive oil over other vegetable oils, is it healthier ? Just check the facts !


Plant oils are very prominent ingredients used in cooking practices, since ancient times. Meanwhile, Olive Oil is also one of the most used and popular oil all around the globe. In recent years a trend is gaining popularity of using oil over other oils. So, let’s check it out whether this practice is healthier or not.

• Vegetable oils 

Vegetable oils are generally derived as a blend of fats from multiple plant sources which include sunflower, corn, canola, soya and Safflower. Because these oils are highly processed so do not have any anti oxidant content. Meanwhile the basic smoke point of these oils is around 400°F. Vegetable oils , which are very less processed only contained some mineral traces and nutrients.

Once vegetable oils are extracted then they are cleaned through chemical processes and after heating process impurities are removed for prolonged shelf life.

• Nutrition fact of vegetable oils :

The degree of processing under which oil goes, no doubt increase it’s flavour. But meanwhile decreases its nutritional component too. Vegetable oils contain unsaturated fatty acids with mostly Omega 6 and polyunsaturated fats. Vegetable oils present in the market undergoes various refining processes. This destroys micronutrients, antioxidants and other beneficial plant compounds. Plant compounds like tocopherols, phytosterols, polyphenols and coenzyme Q just get washed away during refining.

• Olive oil 

The main source of olive oil is pressed olives. The basic olive oil that are available in the market contains vitamin K and vitamin E with other small amount of nutrients. Having benefit over vegetable oils is that olive oil has high antioxidant content. Meanwhile, olive oil do not require so much of processing before taking them to daily use. The smoke point of olive oil is around 390°F. Olive oil is just extracted from pressed olives and require very less processing. Even Extra Virgin Olive Oil are also available in the market that are not processed.

• Nutrition facts of olive oil :

Olive oil, being a plant based oil, contain unsaturated fatty acids with higher of olive content. This oil also contain high amounts of Mono saturated fats like oleic acid, linoleic acid and palmitic acid. Meanwhile, studies reveal that mono saturated fats have anti-inflammatory and heart health benefits.

Talking about Extra Virgin Olive oil, it is the least processed type of olive oil and very rich in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds like tocopherols, carotenoids and polyphenols.

• So olive oil or vegetable oil ?

After checking the above facts, we can come to a conclusion that olive oil especially extra Virgin Olive Oil is the least processed type of oil available in the market. This results in high content of antioxidants and vitamins. On the other hand, vegetable oils to gain flavours undergo a lot of processing before reaching the consumer. So swapping vegetable oil with olive oil may be beneficial. Studies reveal that replacing vegetable oil with Extra Virgin Olive oil improves cognitive function in older adults. Choose wisely then !


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