r/OliveOilTalk

Common assumption is that cooking plant based iron in olive oil helps absorption because fat aids nutrient uptake. True for fat soluble vitamins but iron works differently.

Polyphenols in EVOO bind to iron in the gut and form a compound the body can't absorb. Same basic mechanism as tea and coffee blocking iron. So the oil is not neutral here.

Some researchers think this is actually part of why the Mediterranean diet is cardioprotective. Excess iron generates oxidative stress and moderating absorption through polyphenols might be contributing to that benefit. Still digging into this one so not making any claims.

If you're iron deficient and eating mostly plant sources, vitamin C is still the better pairing for absorption.

The idea that heating olive oil makes it toxic gets repeated a lot and it's quite an oversimplification.

EVOO is predominantly monounsaturated fat with a high antioxidant content. That combination makes it stable at normal cooking temperatures. You lose some antioxidants with heat, but the fat profile holds and most of the health value stays in the dish.

The toxic claim comes from a real thing taken out of context. Push any oil far past its smoke point until it's burning and it breaks down into compounds you don't want to be eating or inhaling. That's not unique to olive oil, it applies to every fat in your kitchen.

Cook with it, just don't burn it. As you should not burn anything you're going to eat.

I'd be more than happy to receive it but I also like olive oil a bit too much to be objective about this.
I've talked myself in and out of it every time I've considered bringing one as a gift. Anyone done it?

The healthiest oil is the one that protects itself under heat. Extra virgin olive oil is the #1 because it's unrefined, meaning it still has all the natural compounds that prevent the fat from breaking down into something harmful when you cook with it.

Most other oils are refined, meaning the processing removes anything that would protect the fat under heat. What goes into the pan is neutral at best, and at high temps it starts producing compounds linked to inflammation.

The protective compounds in EVOO only accumulate benefit if you're consuming it regularly. Pompeian made people realize they didn't have to choose between quality and price to make that happen.

However you rank the oils, extra virgin olive oil is hard to knock off the top spot.

Traveling through Portugal and eating some amazing food, including very tasty salads with simple oil/vinegar dressing. In the US I see lots of olive oil from Italy, Greece, Spain, as well as Tunisia, Turkey, etc. but don’t recall Portuguese oils being sold. Have I been missing out? Is there a particular brand I should look to buy, maybe online?