Cooking oils

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Nov 21, 2007
Messages
3,996
Location
United States of America
Does virgin and extra virgin refer to the lack of fat in cooking oil?

I know in drinks a virgin daiquiri is without alcohol.

So, what does the term mean when talking about coconut and olive oil?
 
Originally Posted By: mjoekingz28
Does virgin and extra virgin refer to the lack of fat in cooking oil?

I know in drinks a virgin daiquiri is without alcohol.

So, what does the term mean when talking about coconut and olive oil?


grab a seed/nut and squeeze it (or an olive, there's no "vegetable oils"), and the first oil that comes out is virgin.
 
Extra virgin oil is simply the oil that squeezes out. "Pure" olive oil is chemically extracted after everything had been squeezed out.

Extra Virgin oil tends to have more anti-oxidants, and a stronger "fruit" flavor. It is also more expensive.

The "pure" chemically extracted oil tends to have a higher smoke point and thus better for high heat cooking in some respects. Extra virgin tends to be used cold for salads and dipping.
 
Originally Posted By: Shannow
Originally Posted By: mjoekingz28
Does virgin and extra virgin refer to the lack of fat in cooking oil?

I know in drinks a virgin daiquiri is without alcohol.

So, what does the term mean when talking about coconut and olive oil?


grab a seed/nut and squeeze it (or an olive, there's no "vegetable oils"), and the first oil that comes out is virgin.


That is absolute nonsense for the grading system in the United States.

Originally Posted By: USDA
(a) “U.S. Extra Virgin Olive Oil” is virgin olive oil which has excellent flavor and odor (median of defects equal to zero and median of fruitiness greater than zero) and a free fatty acid content, expressed as oleic acid, of not more than 0.8 grams per 100 grams, and meets the additional requirements as outlined in §52.1539, as appropriate.

(b) “U.S. Virgin Olive Oil” is virgin olive oil which has reasonably good flavor and odor (median of defects between zero and 2.5 and median of fruitiness greater than zero) and a free fatty acid content, expressed as oleic acid, of not more than 2.0 grams per 100 grams, and meets the additional requirements as outlined in §52.1539 as appropriate. Olive oil that falls into this classification shall not be graded above “U.S. Virgin Olive Oil” (this is a limiting rule).

(c) “U.S. Virgin Olive Oil Not Fit For Human Consumption Without Further Processing” sometimes designated as “U.S. Lampante Virgin Olive Oil,” is virgin olive oil which has poor flavor and odor (median of defects between 2.5 and 6.0 or when the median of defects is less than or equal to 2.5 and the median of fruit is zero), a free fatty acid content, expressed as oleic acid, of more than 2.0 grams per 100 grams, and meets the additional requirements as outlined §52.1539 as appropriate. Olive oil that falls into this classification shall not be graded above "U.S. Virgin Olive Oil Not Fit for Human Consumption Without Further Processing" (this is a limiting rule). It is intended for refining or for purposes other than food use.

Your answer isn't even correct for the IOCC definition of virgin olive oils.

Originally Posted By: IOCC
Virgin olive oils are the oils obtained from the fruit of the olive tree solely by mechanical or other physical means under conditions, including thermal conditions, that do not lead to alterations in the oil, and which have not undergone any treatment other than washing, decantation, centrifugation, and filtration and shall meet the minimum requirements of Table I, found in §52.1539 of these grade standards. No additives of any kind are permitted.
 
When I shop for olive oils I don't see a huge disparity in price between the VOO, EVOO's or regular ones. I buy fresh EVOO's that are labeled as cold pressed, supposedly maintaining more of the oil's potency. Like anything else, don't fall in love with just the label. Sometimes I wonder if some of the companies just slap something on the bottles to help sell them.
 
I think the real answer is that Extra Virgin is cold pressed and the others are heated and extracted. The antioxidants and health properties are in the extra virgin.

So cooking with EVOO from what i understand is like buying virgin..so if u want the health benefits you dont cook with the EVOO but use it on salads or drizzle on foods for health benefits.
 
A lot of the olive oils out there are not true olive oil. Google it and you will be shocked. Costco has some of the best IMHO.
 
Originally Posted By: krismoriah72
I think the real answer is that Extra Virgin is cold pressed and the others are heated and extracted. The antioxidants and health properties are in the extra virgin.

So cooking with EVOO from what i understand is like buying virgin..so if u want the health benefits you dont cook with the EVOO but use it on salads or drizzle on foods for health benefits.

This^
 
Originally Posted By: mjoekingz28
Does virgin and extra virgin refer to the lack of fat in cooking oil?

I know in drinks a virgin daiquiri is without alcohol.

So, what does the term mean when talking about coconut and olive oil?


shocked2.gif
 
In addition to what's been said, let me add that coconut oil that is not extra virgin is merely slippery, the health (and taste) benefits have been cooked and extracted out. Only get "Extra virgin".

The issue with olive oils isn't just EV or V, but where it comes from. Most oils today are lousy blends of many oils from many places, usually North Africa, Spain and Greece..regardless of what the label says. "Product of Italy" only requires the final product come from Italy, it does not refer to the actual contents. Actually, there's not enough Italian production to satisfy domestic demand, nevertheless international demand.

The best olive oils come from...surprisingly...California. They have a brightness and crispness and freshness the blends from the Mediterranean cannot match.

Also, oils are available in filtered and unfiltered, with the unfiltered offering more taste owing to the presence of more olive particles.
 
Last edited:
I was reading about the health benefits of olive oil, and was trying to research it and find what was the best kind. Some information I found was saying that the difference between Extra Virgin and Virgin olive oil was the pressing. Extra Virgin was the first pressing of the olives. The oil is richer, both in flavor/taste and nutrients/antioxidants. The olives are pressed for a second and third time, yielding the Virgin olive oil. Cold pressed means pressure was used in the pressing process and not heat.
 
One thing to note when cooking with olive oils: extra virgin ends to have a lower smoking point than other cooking oils and will burn if it gets too hot. I personally use extra light olive oil for sauteing/cooking. It works better IMO.
 
One thing to keep in mind when buying these oils. You probably are going to get rancid olive oil mixed with hazelnut oil.

There are some olive oil makers from California whose products are far more superior than what you buy in a store. But you will probably hate the taste of fresh extra virgin olive oil.
 
Originally Posted By: Drew99GT
One thing to note when cooking with olive oils: extra virgin ends to have a lower smoking point than other cooking oils and will burn if it gets too hot. I personally use extra light olive oil for sauteing/cooking. It works better IMO.

Exactly. I use ELOO for cooking and deep frying as well.
 
Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
Originally Posted By: Shannow
Originally Posted By: mjoekingz28
So, what does the term mean when talking about coconut and olive oil?


grab a seed/nut and squeeze it (or an olive, there's no "vegetable oils"), and the first oil that comes out is virgin.


That is absolute nonsense for the grading system in the United States.
.
.
.

Your answer isn't even correct for the IOCC definition of virgin olive oils.


Up to the red section in the HRT pack this weekend Pops ?

I was trying to answer the OP in his question, which included but was not limited to olive oil...using the first pressing as the original use of the term.

http://www.oliveoilsource.com/article/first-cold-press-obsolete-term-it%E2%80%99s-fact

But yes, the industry has moved on, and have redefined it as you most capably demonstrated, so it is now a chemical performance specification.

Cheers, now what's the chemical definition for virgin/extra virgin coconut oil...the other part of the OPs question that you failed to answer in your rant.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top Bottom