Olive oil is full of heart-healthy unsaturated fats. Heart disease risk can decrease when using a monounsaturated olive oil instead of saturated fats, like lard. When frying foods with olive oil, the process may take away the health benefits of the oil when it forms other less healthy types of fats, which usually takes places in restaurant and commercial kitchens rather than typical home cooking.

What are Trans Fats? Trans fats form when a manufacturer adds hydrogen to vegetable oil, which makes them solid. They are also found in some dairy and beef products. “Bad” cholesterol levels (LDL) tend to increase with too many trans fats in the diet, as the “good” cholesterol (HDL) decreases.

Be careful when cooking with your olive oil. Why? The effects of heating any type of oil to their smoking points can change the composition of the fats in the oil. When using an extra-virgin, high quality olive oil, the smoking point is generally very high (hence, the price being a bit high). It is harder to reach the smoking point of the oil when cooking at home, therefore the fat composition of the oil will not change much. The olive oil will remain a heart-healthy food. Although, if the oil is heated more than once, or is exposed to the air and sunlight, the smoking point of the olive oil is lowered and the fats can be converted over to trans fats.

What can you do to keep your extra-virgin olive oil heart-healthy? Make sure you never reuse the oil. Store unused oil in a cool, dark place and keep the lid on tight. Also try to purchase high quality olive oils, as they will not smoke at lower heating temperatures and the oil will not break down into trans fats.