Olive Oil for Cooking: The Best Additions To Your Pantry or Kitchen

Although there are many types of olive oil, each type should be used for a certain cooking style. Compared to extra virgin, which has a darker colour and a smoke point of 320 degrees F, the light version can sustain temperatures of over 450 degrees F.

Every oil or fat has an optimal operating temperature range and a point at which it starts to break down (smoke point). While certain sources may withstand high heat, others must be kept at cooler temperatures.

Saturated cooking oils are a fantastic option because they are very resistant to heat-induced damage.

Choose an oil that can withstand high temperatures, such as coconut oil, if you intend to cook with high heat, such as grilling or frying.

The lighter the colour of the oil, the greater its smoke point, which is a pretty general rule of thumb while cooking with it.

Can you cook with olive oil?

You can use it to cook, to put it simply. In Mediterranean cooking, it actually serves as the primary cooking fat.

You can make the best Greek salad dressing and basil pesto using extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), and you can also use it to make a light pasta sauce, a marinade for my grilled chicken and beef kebabs, roast veggies, and more!

Every great stew you can make or a plate of perfectly roasted vegetables with a browned exterior begins with EVOO.

Best olive oil products in Singapore you can find online

LaDiva Pomace Olive Oil

Best Halal

The LaDiva Pomace Olive Oil is one of the best for cooking in Singapore. One of the greatest, it gives your food a balanced flavour regardless of what you are preparing. Therefore, if you want to make your everyday recipes stand out, use this.

Last but not least, this kind of oil is the best option for frying, stir-frying, and baking your favourite recipes.

This serves as an alternative to other varieties of this kind of oil that have received the Halal certification for use in dipping, making pizza and pasta sauces, and other sauces like mayonnaise.

Features we love:

• Can replace other cooking oils in a healthy way.
• The best option for frying, stir-frying, and baking.
• Halal-certified.

Naturel Pure Olive Oil

Best Fat-Free

Another top recommendation is this product. The classic full-bodied and mild taste of this traditional oil is ideal for salads, pasta, marinades, sauces, grilling, roasting, and pan-fried dishes.

Quality Spanish olives are used to make this product, which has a light fruity flavour. This kind of oil's characteristic full-bodied and mild flavour makes it perfect for salads, pasta, marinades, sauces, grilling, roasting, and pan-frying foods.

Features we love:

• Perfect for grilling, roasting, pasta, salads, and sauces.
• Fat is absent.
• Every dish you prepare tastes better as a result.

Borges Classic Olive Oil

Best Subtle and Delicate

This is another top-rated cooking in Singapore. It is thought to be a healthy oil for use in a variety of recipes because of its mild flavour, which has a faint olive flavouring.

It is a mix of virgin and refined oils that is 100 percent pure and excellent for stir-frying at low heat. Your foods gain a delicate touch that brings out their true flavour.

Due to its mild flavour, this oil is best used as a regular cooking oil for sautéing, grilling, roasting, frying, and baking.

It also makes a tasty base for dressings and hearty sauces that are spice-infused.

Features we love:

• Tastes delicate and mild with a very slight olive undertone.
• Healthy oil for use in a variety of dishes.
• Created with hand-picked olives from the tree.

Saporito Pomace Olive Oil

Best Cholesterol-Free

Olive Pomace Oil from Saporito Foods combines the versatility and pleasant flavour of canola oil with the wonderful flavour and health advantages of EVOO. It is low in harmful saturated fats and has no trans fats or cholesterol.

Olive Pomace Oil has excellent nutritional value. It also has vital Omega-3 fatty acids, which lower the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke and support healthy cholesterol levels. It is a great source of vitamin E.

Features we love:

• The smooth taste of canola oil.
• No trans fats, or cholesterol.
• Low in unhealthy saturated fats.

Cucina Pomace Olive Oil

Best Premium Blend

The best use for this product is in commercial frying and cookery. With sunflower oil and pomace olive oil, it is a premium blend.

It is primarily seen in Western cuisines and has a high nutritional value, including monounsaturated fat from this kind of oil and a low saturated fat content.

Sunflower oil-derived polyunsaturated fats are also present. For healthy cooking in your kitchen, use Cucina!

Features we love:

• Naturally cholesterol-free.
• Contains polyunsaturated fat.
• Suitable for all-purpose cooking.

Price Comparison Table

Note: Each item and price is up to date as of publication. However, an item may be sold out or the price may be different at a later date.

The health benefits

Since the time of the Ancient Greeks and Romans, it has been a mainstay of Mediterranean cultures. It is still the most widely used cooking oil in the area today.

In fact, according to nutritionists, the Mediterranean basin is home to some of the populations that live the longest because their average daily diets are so rich in heart-healthy fats from sources like nuts, seafood, and this kind of oil.

With a higher percentage of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) in all grades of this kind of oil compared to other cooking oils, EVOO has the ability to fight chronic and degenerative diseases with a one-two punch.

Consuming it has been linked to a variety of health benefits, including lower cholesterol, a happier mood, and stronger bones. Here are some of the most exciting health advantages supported by science.

• Has a lot of good monounsaturated fats.
• Large amounts of antioxidants.
• Strong anti-inflammatory properties.
• Might reduce the risk of strokes.
• Heart disease is protected.
• Doesn't promote weight gain or obesity.

Olive oil types

You may probably find a wide variety of this kind of oil at any supermarket or on any internet retailer. It can be difficult to know which is ideal for cooking. So let's dissect it. The four primary varieties of this kind of oil are as follows:

• Extra virgin – The least processed and most flavorful type of is extra virgin.
• Virgin – While less common, a virgin is comparable to EVOO but of a little lower calibre.
• Pure – The label "pure" just suggests that the bottle solely includes this kind of oil, while it actually contains a mixture of refined oil (which makes up the majority of it) and virgin. The robust flavour of EVOO is not present in pure olive oil.
• Light – OO that is "light" should not be interpreted as having fewer calories. Each tablespoon of this kind of oil, regardless of variety, contains about 14 grams of fat. Actually, the term "light" describes how flavourless light is.

Smoke point

The smoke point is one of the primary issues raised by the query, "Can you cook with this kind of oil?" The temperature at which an oil begins to smoke is known as the smoke point. That is between 374 and 405 degrees F for this kind of oil (190 to 207 degrees C).

But while using oil for cooking, one should pay greater attention to oxidative stability. Compared to many other oils, this kind of oil is more stable when cooking.

Cooking tips

When using it to cook, there are a few things we advise. First, monitor carefully when heating it for the greatest flavour. You should frequently advise heating the oil till it shimmers but does not smoke.

This implies that you might notice the oil start to move, a faint sheen appears on the surface, and some tiny bubbles form underneath. There may even be steam visible.

Your oil doesn't need to be heated anymore; it is already hot enough to use for cooking.

I do suggest a few things while cooking with it. For the best flavour, heat it slowly and gently at first. The oil should be heated until it shimmers but does not smoke, as I frequently suggest.

This suggests that you might notice the oil begin to move, a slight sheen appears on the top, and some tiny bubbles form underneath. Steam might perhaps be apparent. Your oil is already hot enough to be used for cooking; it doesn't need to be heated further.

Having a stand blender at home can also maximise your healthy cooking. Read: Best Stand Blender Brands For Cooking Hot and Cold Food