worried about that, opt for organic. Olive oil doesn’t get off
altogether, as its long-sustainable production practices haven’t
been entirely maintained as demand has skyrocketed beyond
the original Mediterranean region. But by and large, the trees
are hardy, requiring little water, and as opposed to behemoth
industrial farms, olive oil production is mostly done by small-
scale family growers.
For processing techniques, refined oils are of concern because
a solvent called hexane is typically used in the extraction pro-
cess. Considered a neurotoxin by the CDC, it poses health
concerns for factory workers who inhale it in high levels, from
dizziness in the short term to blurred vision and numbness in
the long term. Hexane also pollutes the air. So, no thanks. This
issue presents a consumer conundrum, because refined oils
tend to cost less. They also handle high temps better, so they
don’t release toxic compounds in your kitchen. Sounds like you
can’t win, right? This is where we get radically practical:
1 Those refined oils are best used when cooking at really high
temperatures—but since fried foods are doing you no favors
health-wise and grilled foods have risks we’ll explore later
in the book, the environmental impact of the oils is another
reason to use them on occasion, versus every day.
2 Buy extra-virgin oil if you can afford it. Extra-virgin is an
unrefined oil held to strict standards of quality, acidity, taste,
and nutrient content. It means no hexane was used, nor was
the crop treated with any chemicals or heat to remove the
oil. Expeller-pressed or cold-pressed versions also mean no
hexane and that only mechanical pressure was used.
3 Ditto for USDA-certified organic oils. Thanks to economies
of scale, organic versions of more ubiquitous oils like olive
and canola are relatively affordable, versus more obscure
specialty oils like avocado and hazelnut.
Stuff that Comes from the Ground 65