Olive oil is the major distinguishing
feature of the famous Mediterranean diet, one of the few world diets
recognized scientifically to ward off disease, prevent weight gain, and
promote longevity. Vegetable oil, on the other hand, has a bad rep and
is considered to be a classic feature of the infamous western diet, with
most fast-food chains using vegetable oil to fry food.
But is olive oil really that much better for you than regular old
vegetable oil? As it turns out, the answer to this question is more
nuanced than you’d expect. We compare and break down the major nutrition
and health benefits of both olive and vegetable oil below.
How Do the Two Oils Compare in Terms of Use?
The main difference between vegetable oil
and olive oil is that the latter is made of a single source - olives -
whereas the former is a blend of a variety of plants, such as corn,
canola, sunflower seeds, soy, and safflower. Compared to olives, the
plants used in vegetable oil are much cheaper to cultivate and grow,
hence a stark difference in the price.
Another key difference between these two
types of oil is the production and processing. While olive oil is
traditionally cold-pressed and not highly processed to retain more of
its flavor and nutrients, vegetable oil is completely refined, which
makes it virtually tasteless but also less nutritious. This is because
more processing equals less flavor and fewer nutrients.
But we'll get to the nutrition comparison later, for now, let's focus on
the flavor and how it corresponds to the use of certain oils. The smoke
points of the two oils are highly comparable: 390°F (200°C) for olive
oil and 390°F (200°C) for vegetable oil. The smoke point helps you
identify what an oil is suitable for - dipping, flavoring, frying, or
baking.
In spite of having very comparable smoke
points, however, olive and vegetable oil are used in very different
ways. Olive oil shines as a flavoring and dipping oil. On the other
hand, since vegetable oil is very neutral in taste, it's perfect for
frying and baking, while olive oil will not be suitable for these
preparations because it will impart an often undesirable olive oil taste
to baked goods and other foods.
Thus, both of these two oils definitely have their own place in a
kitchen, as they're used in different ways. That said, should you favor
one over the other when it comes to nutrition and health? Nutrition
experts say there is a stark difference between the two.
Which Oil Is Healthier: Olive Oil or Vegetable Oil?
To put things simply, the nutritional value of an oil boils down to its
degree of refinement. Because vegetable oil is made of a variety of
different plants, it requires more refinement and chemical processing to
get a neutral flavor and relatively high smoke point, enough to be able
to use it in frying. However, there is a serious drawback to
refinement, too, as most of the nutrients naturally present in the corn,
canola, and sunflower seeds are being lost during the processing.
Olive oil, on the other hand, is less
refined on average. Extra virgin olive oil specifically, which is the
least processed form of olive oil, for example, has a rich olive taste
and often even a vibrant green color, too. But taste isn't the only
thing preserved in extra virgin olive oil, as it's rich in beneficial
plant nutrients, such as Vitamin E and K, antioxidants, and
anti-inflammatory carotenoids and polyphenols, too. With these nutrients
come a variety of health benefits, such as cancer prevention and
improved cardiovascular health, to name a few.
Do keep in mind, however, that extra virgin cold-pressed olive oil has
the highest levels of these beneficial nutrients, whereas virgin olive
oil or regular olive oil will generally lose those nutrients due to a
higher degree of refinement. Unfortunately, producing refined olive oil
is generally cheaper than cold-pressed extra virgin varieties, so the
latter may also come with a higher price tag.
Another important element to consider is the quality of the fatty acids
in olive oil and vegetable oil. While both oils contain the safe type of
fats - unsaturated fatty acids - olive oil has a much higher
concentration of monounsaturated fats, which have added
anti-inflammatory properties. Vegetable oil, on the other hand, mainly
consists of omega-6 polyunsaturated fats, which could be harmful to the
heart if consumed in excess.
In conclusion, both vegetable oil and olive oil have their uses in the
kitchen. That said, extra virgin olive oil contains more vitamins,
antioxidants, anti-inflammatory compounds, and healthy monounsaturated
fatty acids, so it's best to use this kind of olive oil whenever
possible. Vegetable oil, on the other hand, consists mostly of empty
calories and isn't associated with any known health benefits, but it can
safely be used in moderation in baking, for example.