Olive Oil Has a Strong Reputation. But Context Matters.
Olive oil has earned its place in nutrition science.
It has been studied extensively, praised for its fatty acid profile, and linked to positive cardiovascular outcomes across multiple populations. As a result, it’s often treated as a universal solution. Drizzle it. Fry with it. Roast with it. Use it for everything.
But here’s the uncomfortable question most articles don’t ask.
Is olive oil being used the way it was actually studied?
How Olive Oil’s Health Benefits Were Established
Many of the most cited studies on olive oil focus on:
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raw consumption
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light sautéing
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low to moderate heat
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short cooking durations
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diets where oil is added after cooking
In these conditions, olive oil retains its antioxidant compounds, particularly polyphenols, which are believed to contribute to its health benefits.
This is well supported in food chemistry literature and Mediterranean dietary research.
The problem is not the science.
The problem is translation.
How People Actually Cook at Home
In real kitchens, olive oil is often:
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heated until it smokes
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used for roasting at high temperatures
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reused across multiple cooking sessions
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pushed far beyond gentle sautéing
That’s not a judgement. It’s just reality.
And it’s where olive oil starts behaving very differently.
What Happens to Olive Oil Under High Heat
Multiple studies published in journals such as Food Chemistry and Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry show that when olive oil is exposed to prolonged or high heat:
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antioxidant levels drop rapidly
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protective polyphenols degrade
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oxidation products increase
This doesn’t make olive oil dangerous.
But it does mean the conditions that produce its health benefits are not always present.
In other words, the oil hasn’t failed.
The use case has changed.
Why This Matters More Than People Think
When an oil loses its protective compounds and begins oxidising, it forms breakdown products that:
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contribute to off flavours
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irritate airways
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increase oxidative stress with repeated exposure
This isn’t unique to olive oil.
But oils with higher levels of polyunsaturated fats degrade faster and more aggressively under heat.
That’s why the question isn’t which oil is healthiest in theory.
It’s which oil performs most reliably in everyday cooking.
Where Macadamia Oil Fits More Naturally
Macadamia oil doesn’t rely on antioxidants that disappear under heat.
Its strength comes from its fat structure.
It is:
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naturally high in monounsaturated fats
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extremely low in omega-6 polyunsaturated fats
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more resistant to oxidation during cooking
Studies comparing oil degradation consistently show that monounsaturated-dominant oils produce fewer harmful breakdown products when overheated than polyunsaturated-heavy oils.
This makes macadamia oil better suited to:
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pan frying
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roasting
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repeated everyday use
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kitchens where heat control isn’t perfect
Not because it’s magical.
Because its chemistry aligns better with how people actually cook.
This Isn’t About Replacing Olive Oil
Olive oil still has a place.
But it isn’t a one-oil-fits-all solution, especially if the goal is to preserve the benefits people believe they’re getting from it.
If you’re cooking hot, often, and quickly, the smarter move is to use an oil that tolerates those conditions without relying on compounds that burn off early.
That’s where macadamia oil makes sense as an everyday option.
The Takeaway
Olive oil’s reputation is deserved.
But it’s also conditional.
When cooking style changes, oil choice should change with it.
Understanding how oils were studied, and how they behave outside the lab, is the difference between following advice and actually benefiting from it.