Olive oil becomes unhealthy when heated far past its smoke point (around 375-400°F or 190-207°C for EVOO), as it starts to break down and release harmful compounds, though its high antioxidants make it surprisingly stable for most home cooking, with benefits degrading more than health risks appearing until very high temps, notes Healthline, Real Simple, McEvoy Ranch, aboutoliveoil.org, and Serious Eats. The key is using good quality, fresh extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), which withstands typical frying temperatures (350-375°F) well, losing flavor and some antioxidants but remaining a stable choice due to its polyphenol content, say Real Simple, McEvoy Ranch, and North American Olive Oil Association.
Olive oil does not become carcinogenic at any temperature. Research published in 2018 by Acta Scientific Nutritional Health concluded that extra virgin olive oil was the most chemically stable cooking oil after exposure to high temperatures of heat.
Olive oil has a smoke point between 350° and 430° -- so it might be fine most of the time at high baking temperatures, until it's not. Using oils with higher smoke points makes sense for higher temp cooking, and olive oil for lower temp and when adding its flavor is important.
I'm assuming not using extra virgin olive oil would be the answer. Extra olive oil burns at 190 degrees Celsius and virgin olive oil at 240, if at 450 Fahrenheit, which is 232 Celsius, the oil burns. To fry potatoes you don't need that much temperature. Of all the fats in the recipe I'd choice olive oil last.
Extra virgin olive oil smoke point typically ranges between 190°C to 230°C which covers all home cooking methods including deep fat frying. The varying range between smoke points is due to the oils quality of which can vary considerably.
People are taking olive oil before bed for potential benefits like improved digestion, better sleep (by boosting melatonin/serotonin), reduced inflammation, heart health, and promoting satiety for weight management, leveraging its healthy fats and polyphenols. It's a growing wellness trend, particularly in Mediterranean cultures, to enhance overall vitality and support natural bodily repair overnight.
This idea that it's not a good idea to cook over high heat with olive oil is fairly common. For a lot of people, the concern is one of health, specifically that olive oil, with its relatively low smoke point of 325 to 375°F (165 to 190°C), degrades more than other oils when exposed to high heat.
Olive oil should be stored in a cool, dark place, away from heat and light. Exposure to light and heat can cause the oil to oxidize and become rancid.
Safflower oil has a high smoke point of about 510°F (266°C), making it a strong performer for high-heat cooking like searing, frying, and roasting. It has a very mild flavor and is high in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats.
Largely, the fact that olive oil has a relatively low smoke point, which means that if cooked for too long, or at too high a temperature, it will start to fill your kitchen with clouds of smoke.
HEAT – Degrades olive oil and the delicate flavor molecules, which give the oil character. After you purchase oil do not leave it in a hot car. Cooking with olive oil is fine, just keep the temperature below about 350° F.
Our refined olive oils include Pure olive oil and extra light taste olive oil. Both are excellent choices for high-heat cooking as their smoke points are 450 F. It's important to note that when deciding which oil to use for cooking, the oil's stability is more important than the smoke point.
It has a lower smoke point than some other oils (for instance, a light, refined olive oil or a blended vegetable oil), and some of its flavour and health benefits start to diminish when it's subjected to heat over about 180C.
The worst cooking oils for health are generally those high in saturated fats (like palm oil, coconut oil, butter) and highly processed vegetable/seed oils (like soybean, corn, sunflower, safflower, grapeseed, cottonseed oil) which are unstable and form harmful compounds at high heat, potentially raising bad cholesterol (LDL) and contributing to inflammation or disease. Partially hydrogenated oils, containing artificial trans fats, are especially bad and should be avoided, though largely removed from products.
Cardiologists overwhelmingly view olive oil, especially extra virgin, as a heart-healthy fat, a cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet, linked to lower cardiovascular disease risk and mortality due to its monounsaturated fats and antioxidants that improve cholesterol, blood pressure, and inflammation. They recommend using it as a primary cooking/dressing oil, replacing less healthy fats like butter or margarine, and consuming it in moderation as part of a balanced diet rich in whole foods.
You shouldn't cook with Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) primarily because it's expensive, and its delicate, complex flavors get lost or become bitter at high temperatures, making it better for finishing dishes; also, while it's actually quite heat-stable due to antioxidants, using cheaper refined oils for high-heat cooking is more economical, saving your good EVOO for salads or bread dipping.
Sunflower Oil
Just like canola oil, sunflower oil contains a high proportion of unsaturated fats (good fats), which makes it a great choice if you're health-conscious.
Heating olive oil does not damage the health benefits but it will make the olive oil lose some flavor. Some people consider this to be a good thing as they do not want their foods to taste like olive oil.
If it smells like something waxy, it has likely gone rancid. Taste → Take a small sip. Olive oil should taste fresh, peppery, or slightly bitter in a pleasant way. If it tastes flat, stale, or even greasy, that is a clear sign it is no longer suitable for cooking.
How to avoid rancid olive oil
Extra virgin olive oil is packed with heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and antioxidants, which contribute to overall health and well-being. According to its proponents, drinking olive oil at night may help improve digestion and promote restful sleep among other benefits.
And while there's no evidence to the contrary guaranteeing its safety, people have been frying in olive oil for far longer than we've been around, so we're confident in saying that searing your fish fillet in olive oil isn't going to kill you. Frying in olive oil is delicious.
When cooking with extra virgin olive oil, you should make sure that the temperature doesn't go above 200 ºC (390 °F). If this temperature is exceeded, the oil may begin to smoke, signaling that it has reached —and possibly gone over— the smoke point of olive oil.