New research has found that cooking food with extra virgin olive oil may make it healthier.
The study showed that air-frying or baking plant-based foods with the addition of extra virgin olive oil can increase healthy unsaturated fat content, reduce saturated fat, raise antioxidant levels, and preserve protein integrity.
اضافة اعلان
Olive Oil Boosts the Nutritional Value of Cooked Vegetables
The study, published in the journal Foods, adds new evidence to the already well-known benefits of extra virgin olive oil, which has long been linked to heart health.
Researchers in Chile conducted the experiment by preparing 42 plant-based patties (similar to veggie burgers), adding about half a teaspoon of olive oil to half of them.
The patties were then cooked using different methods: baking, air-frying, and deep-frying.
After comparing the raw and cooked samples, it was found that the patties that had olive oil added and were baked or air-fried had the highest nutritional value.
Clinical nutrition expert Kara Bitas said the study showed that air-frying or baking with extra virgin olive oil changes the food's "fat profile," increasing healthy unsaturated fats, lowering saturated fats, and raising antioxidant levels, while preserving protein integrity.
Why Is Cooking With Olive Oil Healthy?
The benefits of extra virgin olive oil have wide-ranging effects on several systems in the body.
Nutrition expert Alyssa Ramsey explains that olive oil contains antioxidants that help protect the nutrients in vegetables from the effects of heat, and reduce the formation of harmful compounds during cooking.
She added that baking, sautéing, or air-frying with olive oil allows you to benefit from these advantages without absorbing excess amounts of oil, as happens with deep-frying.
Easy Ways to Use Extra Virgin Olive Oil
An air fryer is a practical option for those with limited time who want to prepare healthy meals quickly.
Vegetables such as squash, cauliflower, zucchini, sweet potatoes, and carrots can be placed with a drizzle of olive oil in the air fryer for a delicious side dish.
Air-fried potatoes with a spray of olive oil are also a healthy alternative to traditional fried potatoes, and chicken coated with a light layer of breadcrumbs can be prepared in the air fryer or oven with a bit of olive oil for a crispy dish that provides healthy fats and protein without excess oil.
