Question about Olive Oil converting to trans fat

[MikeInIL]

For the past few months, I've been cooking my eggs (egg whites) in a cast-iron skillet with a slight coating of Olive Oil to limit any sticking and for a slightly better taste.

Now, I've read older threads on here which some people have said that the Olive Oil can convert to trans fat if it gets hot enough prior to cooking...but then I've read others and some external information online that disputes this.

Basically, I pre-heat the skillet with a high flame for about a minute before cooking the eggs for a couple minutes. I'm assuming this is perfectly safe and I don't have anything to worry about? Obviously, I'm not an expert when it comes to cooking oils and how they break down...

Thanks,

Mike

[TheSmack]

For the past few months, I've been cooking my eggs (egg whites) in a cast-iron skillet with a slight coating of Olive Oil to limit any sticking and for a slightly better taste.

Now, I've read older threads on here which some people have said that the Olive Oil can convert to trans fat if it gets hot enough prior to cooking...but then I've read others and some external information online that disputes this.

Basically, I pre-heat the skillet with a high flame for about a minute before cooking the eggs for a couple minutes. I'm assuming this is perfectly safe and I don't have anything to worry about? Obviously, I'm not an expert when it comes to cooking oils and how they break down...

Thanks,

Mike

As far as I know, high heat does not convert olive oil to a hydrogenated oil (trans fat). However, if the heat is too high (above 375 degrees for olive oil) the fatty acids in the oil start to breakdown and smoke. Once you have exceeded the oils smoke point, the quality of nutrition and flavor start to suffer.

[freebirdmac]

As far as I know, high heat does not convert olive oil to a hydrogenated oil (trans fat). However, if the heat is too high (above 375 degrees for olive oil) the fatty acids in the oil can start to breakdown and smoke. Once you have exceeded the oils smoke point, the quality of nutrition and flavor start to suffer.

Pretty close. At smoke point oils can breakdown and may create harmful properties. Not transfats but other possible properties. However, the nutrition of an oil can be degraded long before the smoke point is reached. With olive oil that's around 300 degrees.

Cooking your eggs in EVOO is fine. No way are you getting to 300 degrees. When I make homemade jams I'm boiling pureed fruit and sugar for 5-10 minutes just to get to 220 degrees. I know your eggs are at a much, much lower temp.

[access1denied]

Olive oil is a mono-unsaturated fat. This means that there is one free carbon bond in its molecular structure, and when exposed to high cooking heat, this bond will grab an oxygen/hydrogen in its solution. Poly-unsaturated fats have 2 or more free bonds, so when these are exposed to high cooking heat, they oxidize and become hydrogenated. Olive oil is not *as* bad since it is a mono-unsaturated fat, but cooking in fully saturated fats will be superior, since those are much more difficult to oxidize. I recommend cooking your eggs in butter, lard, ghee/clarified butter, or beef tallow.

[ifj]

olive oil is a mono-unsaturated fat. This means that there is one free carbon bond in its molecular structure, and when exposed to high cooking heat, this bond will grab an oxygen/hydrogen in its solution. Poly-unsaturated fats have 2 or more free bonds, so when these are exposed to high cooking heat, they oxidize and become hydrogenated. Olive oil is not *as* bad since it is a mono-unsaturated fat, but cooking in fully saturated fats will be superior, since those are much more difficult to oxidize. I recommend cooking your eggs in butter, lard, ghee/clarified butter, or beef tallow.

^ what he said