Extra Virgin Olive Oil May Be a Waste of Money

If you're shelling out a buck per tablespoon to cook with extra virgin olive oil, you might want to think about going a cheaper route—say humble canola oil for about a dime per tablespoon. That's because it all tastes pretty much the same after being exposed to heat for a while, reports the New York Times, which conducted a cooking test for experts.

"To get food with the green and fruity flavor of good olive oil, it seems more economical and effective to fry with an inexpensive refined oil and drizzle on a little fresh olive oil after cooking," writes Harold McGee. Fresh olive oils do have other benefits in cooking—for one thing, the fumes are healthier—but if it's a matter of taste in the finished product, it might be time to start experimenting.
(More olive oil stories.)