Extra Virgin Olive Oil vs Other Oils

Olive oil is the only commercially important edible oil extracted from fruit rather than seeds (such as sunflower, rapeseed/canola, soy etc).  Because the fruit contains considerable amounts of water, extraction is done mechanically with a centrifuge or press, seed oils however generally require industrial solvents, typically hexane to extract the oil.  Removing this solvent and any associated odours requires high-temperature neutralisation, bleaching and deodorisation to give a taste and colour free liquid fat.  This information isn’t designed to scare you, it’s just important you are aware of the facts.  One of the great benefits of Olive Oil is that it can simply be pressed and milled to extract the natural juice and there are no added preservatives, it’s just the contents of the olive. This is why the quality of the olives really counts – you get out what you put in.

 

HOW DOES RAPESEED or CANOLA OIL STACK UP AGAINST EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL?

• Rapeseed or Canola oil comes from the seeds of canola plants (a kind of rapeseed) and is refined using typically either bleaching, deodorizing or degumming (prior to this, the seeds are heated and the solvent, typically hexane is used for extraction).  Extra Virgin Olive Oil is unrefined and is the juice of freshly pressed olives, no chemicals, no preservatives other than its natural antioxidants.
• Both rapeseed and extra virgin olive oils are full of healthy unsaturated fats, however their fatty acid profiles are different. Whilst Rapeseed oil has a higher percentage of polyunsaturated fats (26% vs EVOO @ 8%), Extra Virgin Olive Oil has a higher percentage of monounsaturated fats (65% vs rapeseed @ 55%).
• Beyond this, the other health promoting components including polyphenols, antioxidants and phytosterols are very different largely due to the way in which the oils are made as well as the nutritional composition of the canola seed compared to the olive.  Since EVOO is unrefined, most of the antioxidants and minor compounds are retained in the finished oil and therefore it has far higher levels of antioxidants than rapeseed oil.
• While there is some evidence that raw rapeseed oil (meaning it hasn’t been heated during processing) can temporarily lower cholesterol levels, there’s currently no evidence that it lowers the risk of disease development associated with high cholesterol. Rapeseed oil has a lower heat tolerance than many other cooking oils, so should really not be used on a high heat or for any sort of frying.
• As polyphenols help prevent fats from oxidising, EVOO remains stable even when used at high temperatures (it is totally fine up to 200C/390F). Because rapeseed oil, sunflower oil etc contain lower levels of polyphenols, the fats are not so well protected from breaking down during cooking.
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil is also favoured for its stability because the main type of fat is monounsaturated. This is not only a healthy fat, it is quite resistant to oxidation. Monounsaturated fat is also the main type of fat in canola/rapeseed oil, but unlike EVOO, rapeseed oil also contains quite high levels of polyunsaturated fat called alpha-linolenic acid. This is not very stable when heated.

 

 

Extra virgin olive oil is better for us than other oils thanks to its natural composition. The olive is full of polyphenols which benefit our bodies in infinite ways and improves our gut microbiome. As the olive is simply crushed, without additional complex processes, the polyphenol levels in extra virgin olive oil are naturally higher.

 

Importantly however, Extra Virgin Olive Oil shouldn’t be considered in isolation – results show it to be far more effective when eaten as part of a Mediterranean diet, high in vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes and fish. EVOO interacts positively with each of these ingredients, raising their overall benefit and nutritional value to you.