The list of benefits of using the extra virgin olive oil in food preparation has just gained one more element.
In addition to the known health benefits, such as the important role in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, researchers revealed that the ingredient, rich in monounsaturated fats, bioactive compounds and vitamins, is able to reduce the loss of nutrients from food during cooking.
This is what an extensive review carried out by researchers at the University of São Paulo (USP) and the University of Barcelona in Spain reveals. The study, conducted by researcher José Fernando Rinaldi de Alvarenga, a postdoctoral fellow at the USP Food Research Center, analyzed more than 90 scientific papers. The findings were published in the journal Trends in Food Science & Technology.
“Before any explanation, it is important to reject once and for all that cooking with this oil is unhealthy”, says Alvarenga, explaining that, in the past, it was believed that fatty acids in extra virgin olive oil would oxidize at higher temperatures.
“This was thought to be because of the smoke point of olive oil, which is when oils start to burn. [soltar fumaça] and to oxidize. Although its smoke point occurs at lower temperatures than other oils, today we know that the smoke does not come from these fatty acids, but from minor components of olive oil. In other words, it ‘withstands’ higher temperatures as well as other oils”, explains the specialist, in a statement.
How Nutrients are Preserved
In extra virgin olive oil, there is a predominance of monounsaturated fats which, among other benefits, have antioxidant potential. “Because of this action, the degradation of olive oil is slower compared to other oils. And this protects both the nutrients in the oil itself and in the food”, explains Alvarenga.
As an example, the researcher cites the bioactive compounds in food, which have several properties beneficial to health.
“Extra virgin olive oil helps prevent phytochemicals from being oxidized. This makes the cooked food healthier as it preserves important components that could otherwise disappear,” he explains.
“When we compare a tomato stew with and without oil, for example, the amount of lycopene can be reduced without the presence of oil in the cooking process. [cozimento]. However, by using extra virgin olive oil, we managed to preserve this compound that is associated with the prevention of prostate cancer”, he adds.
Influence of cooking methods
The degradation of bioactive compounds varies according to the method of Cook, according to the study. Several studies were analyzed on the loss of nutrients with foods prepared in the oven, in the frying pan, sautéed, fried or sautéed.
“We saw that the technique that promotes the greatest degradation is oven preparation, as it involves very high temperatures and a very long cooking time. Sautéing is the technique in which food is quickly cooked over high heat, with little fat and in constant movements, creating a crust on the outside and keeping it soft on the inside”, he adds.
According to the article, the levels of degradation also vary depending on the bioactive compound. In the case of water-insoluble compounds, such as carotenoids and fat-soluble vitamins, boiling and steaming are the techniques that best preserve these compounds. On the other hand, there is considerable loss of them when microwaved and fried.
“Techniques that use oil for cooking, such as sautéing and sauces, are even more interesting because they better extract carotenoids from foods and increase their bioavailability. For polar compounds [solúveis em água]like phenolics, steam cooking seems to be the most suitable, since roasting, boiling and preparing in the microwave reduce their presence in food”, he explains.
(With information from the USP Journal)
Source: CNN Brasil
