Olive oil and canola oil are two of the most common cooking oils out there.
However, many people are still in the dark about when and how to use each one, often misusing them in the process. We’re here to stop you from wasting that fancy (not to mention expensive) Olive Oil sitting in your pantry! Keep reading to dispel the myths and learn how to choose the right oil for your cooking needs and applications.
Oils for Dressings
In this category, Extra Virgin Olive Oil is king; packed with amazing taste and nutrients, this oil is the best option for dressing salads and shines in other simple dishes where a good oil is the flavor-base, or outright star. Use this to finish a hot pizza coming out of the wood fired oven, or let it bring together a delicious seafood salad. Canola oil on the other hand doesn’t have many flavor benefits when it comes to enjoying it as a dressing. It is more like a purpose oil, just what you need for a nice high-heat cook up. Use that mild canola in your cupboard for your frying, sautéing, and even baking applications where it won’t overpower or mask the other flavors in your food.
The Nutritional Benefits of Oils
Olive oil has an abundant amount of healthy monounsaturated fats, which are excellent for your heart health; these are the good fats your body needs to fight off heart disease! If that isn’t enough, olive oil is filled with rich antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. And in the moment of other natural oils, such as Avocado or the popularized Coconut Oil, Olive Oil comes in first for its lowest levels of saturated fats. Canola oil has some perks as well. It is a good source of vitamin E, and it is low in cholesterol.
Frying and Cooking with Oils
When you need an oil to fry or cook with at a high temperature, put down that olive oil and grab your Canola! Canola oil is much better suited for frying because it of its super high smoking point, or ability to withstand high heat for longer before burning. Olive oil not only burns out quickly, but its strong flavor will influence the taste of your dish, and not give you that clean-fry taste you’re looking for.
What’s more, is that because of this low smoke point, frying with Olive Oil can cause harmful carcinogenic compounds to creep into your food! Take it from us and avoid the olive oil for searing and frying and save it for a nice loaf of bread on your charcuterie board, or a lightly cooked garlic broccoli rabe.
Visit us at Sansone Market and we will help you pick out oils to make all your dishes extra delizioso!
