Is there a big difference between cooked and uncooked olive oil?
Uncooked olive oil is healthier than cooked olive oil (a chemical change occurs at its smoking point, when it essentially begins to consume itself through burning). Plus, raw oil maintains its great pure flavor, while heat and other ingredients can change the flavor of cooked oil. Our advice is to use the minimum amount needed for cooking and then garnish the dish with oil from the bottle just before serving. What’s the deal with unfiltered olive oil? Unfiltered olive oil, which–true to its name–tends to have a slight cloudiness to it, has a marginally higher polyphenol (antioxidant) content and a slightly longer shelf life (many of our recommended oils are unfiltered). At the end of the day, though, it just comes down to your personal preference. Can I use olive oil that is not extra virgin? You can, but why would you? (barring any recipe requirements like sesame or peanut oils, of course) Ask any decent Mediterranean chef–extra virgin olive oil is the only olive oil to cook with beca
