Having been in the business as long as we have, you hear some pretty whacky stuff being bandied around about extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). If you believed everything you read then you’d believe it to be some kind of Jekyll and Hyde food product that is here to benefit you one week and is out to harm you the next.

There has certainly been some bad press over the years about the dodgy practices of some overseas suppliers. Mount Zero believes in quality, provenance, ethical practice and most of all taste – so it probably doesn’t come as a surprise that we believe local is best. Here we’d like to set the record straight on a few tall stories, misconceptions and myths about EVOO.

Smoke Point
The myth – EVOO has a lower smoke point, therefore making it unsuitable for cooking.
The truth – Yes, EVOO has a lower smoke point than many refined oils but what might surprise some, is that it in fact has a higher smoke point than coconut oil. High quality EVOO (like ours) has a smoke point of around 190 degrees Celsius which makes it more than okay for general cooking, sauteing , shallow and deep frying.

Health Benefits
The myth – Cooking with EVOO eliminates the health benefits.
The truth – Top quality EVOO, including our EVOO range does not lose any of its nutritional benefit when heated. It will however lose nutritional benefit and flavour when exceeding the ‘very high’ smoke point.

Fat Content
The myth – Do not use EVOO on a weight loss plan.
The truth – By their very nature all oils are 100% fat. Fact. Oils that are labelled ‘light’ or pure’ usually mean that they are refined (Mount Zero oils are none of these things!) but they all have the same energy values (i.e. calories). EVOO is significantly higher in monounsaturated fats (good for the heart) and antioxidants (good for the immune system) than any other oil making it one of the healthiest oils out there.

Convinced? See our range of Extra Virgin Olive Oil