Olive oil prices have recently reached historic highs, reaching up to 12 euros per liter for the extra virgin type. This has led many consumers to explore other, more affordable options for their cooking needs, especially frying. Faced with this situation, Miodrag Borges, a dietetic specialist, proposes an unconventional alternative that is emerging as an effective solution.
This expert suggests the use of olive pomace oil, which highlights its resistance to heat and its beneficial properties for health, although they are diluted in the frying process – during cooking, high temperatures can decompose unsaturated fatty acids and oxidize the polyphenols, decreasing both the nutritional quality of the oil and its benefits -.
In a recent post on TikTok, Borges advises against sunflower oil, despite it being a popular option due to its low cost. “Is olive oil sky-high and do you need a cheaper alternative for frying at home, even though you shouldn’t do it? As I’ve already told you in other videos, sunflower oil is by no means the best solution,” he warns. Borges.
The dietetic specialist explains that olive pomace oil is somewhere in the middle in terms of price between olive oil and sunflower oil, which makes it a viable option for many homes. “In this sense, both for stability and for possible cardiovascular benefits, which by the way are all lost in frying, let’s be clear, the best alternative would be olive pomace oil,” he recalls in his message. .
Although olive pomace oil is not as well-known or widely used as other options on the market, Borges urges consumers to reevaluate their options based on evidence and recent work that suggests its benefits. “Or at least that’s what several studies by a group of Spanish researchers tell us. Although the evidence is still scarce. So now it’s your turn to choose based on your preferences and possibilities,” concludes the expert.