Best Olive Oils For Cooking: Switch to healthy and delicious eating

Small changes in our daily eating habits can make a big difference in our lives, and also help us attain a suitable way of living. Although some people might find it hard to make major altercations in their living habits, small steps, such as switching to a healthy cooking oil, can be a significant step forward.

We recommend using olive oil- a healthy and delicious alternative to regular and fatty oils! Extracted from olives by pressing and grinding them, olive oil has a low fat constitution, a rich flavour, delicate aroma, a smooth texture, and a whole lot of varieties. To help you pick the best olive oil for yourself, we have curated this list with some of the best brands. 

List of the Best Olive Oils for Cooking

1. Borges Olive Oil Extra Light Flavours of Olives

Made from handpicked mature and fresh olives, the Borges olive oil is perhaps one of the best olive oils for cooking. The olives used in its making are picked fresh from farms, washed, and then crushed to be made in the form of a paste. This paste is then pressed to get a healthy and fresh cooking oil.

2. Disano Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Hailing from the Mediterranean, the Disano olive oil has a quintessential coastal flavour to it. Considered to be one of the healthiest diets in the world, Mediterranean cuisine uses olive oils as a major ingredient. Disano olive oil is created using the finest olives and is ideal for salad dressings and flavourings. 

3. Del Monte Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Strictly processed under controlled temperature, the Del Monte Extra Virgin Olive Oil has rich flavours and a luxuriously smooth texture. Thanks to its purity, the oil is apt for making marinades, hummus, salad dressings, dips, and chutneys. An extra virgin olive oil is rarely used for frying or other heavy cooking. Other than its rich flavour and delicate aroma, this category of oil is preferred for its many health benefits including presence of anti-oxidants. 

4. Figaro Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Figaro blends the finest Spanish olives to create a rich taste. A good balance between Monounsaturated Fatty Acids (MUFA) and Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFA) helps reduce risk factors of cardiovascular diseases. This olive oil can be used for everyday cooking like stir frying, sautéing, roasting, grilling, and baking. It is also ideal for salad dressings, dips, spreads, garnishing, drizzling, and flavouring.

Types of Olive Oils for Cooking

Olive oils for cooking come in different types and each of them has a unique flavour and use. While some might be suitable only for salad dressings or marination, others may be used for deep frying and regular cooking. 

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Extra virgin olive oil is the highest grade of olive oil and also the most pricey. It is derived by a cold mechanical extraction without the use of chemicals or refining methods, and thus has a more natural flavour. But its flavours vanish when the oil is heated, as it has a low smoke point. Thus, it used for salad dressings  or in dips, and rarely for cooking. 
• Virgin Olive Oil: Virgin olive oil is the most commonly used form of olive oil for cooking. It has a slightly higher level of acidity as compared to extra virgin olive oil. However, unlike the extra virgin olive oil, it can be used for regular cooking.
• Pure Olive Oil: Pure olive oil is extracted from the remains of olives from which virgin oil has been extracted. This oil is then refined and mixed with a small amount of virgin olive oil. If you like mild flavours, then you can certainly add this to your kitchen.
• Pomace Olive Oil: This the fourth grade of olive oil for cooking, and is extracted out of the remaining pulp of the olives. It is best used for deep frying and heavy cooking.