YippeeKi YOW !!
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@bertiedog @outdamnspotActually I don't believe this is true.
I respectfully disagree, and I would say that a TV program probably wouldn't be the first place I'd go for uncontestable fact, trustworthy doctors or not.
I tend to err on the side of caution when dealing with anything that could even marginally reduce the QOL for those of us dealing with this disease. And since olive oil’s smoke point is so relatively low, among the lowest of the vegetable oils used in cooking, and any increase above the smoke point increases the potential damage exponentially, I would stick to frying in coconut oil, which has a higher smoke point 350-380 F, or ghee or avocado oils (both of which have extremely high smoke points, around 485 and 520 F, respectively) and would therefore be less likely to produce structural break down in the components of the oil (leading to higher levels of free radicals, aldehydes, and other unappealing toxins) or to increase aldehydes.
Olive oil isn’t any different from other vegetable oils as far as potential damaging chemicals when exposed to high heat. If you heat it above its smoke point, its flavor profile will be degraded and it’ll taste bad and will contain harmful chemicals. Smoke points tend to increase with olive oil quality, as the free fatty acid content tends to decrease and the antioxidant content increases. The high antioxidant content of high-quality olive oil might even reduce the amounts of harmful chemicals produced during cooking, so long as you stay well below the smoke point. But do you want to pay between $25 and $45 (and more) for less than a pint of good olive oil just to risk degrading it by using it for frying?
The temperature of the fat for most shallow frying should be around 375 – 400 F, which exceeds olive oil’s smoke point, which is about 320 degrees, by 15-25%. That’s more than enough to create a thriving circus of aldehydes, free radicals, and poor flavor as the degraded oil would rapidly lose that pleasant olivey taste, along with most, if not all, of its health benefits.