Cooking temperatures can theoretically promote the formation of cancer-causing molecules in cooking oils, but antioxidants prevent this.[J Agriculture Food Chemistry 49: 3969-75, 2001]
One important antioxidant in olive oil, called hydroxytyrosol, has been identified. [Biochemical Pharmacology 68:2003-8,2004]
The antioxidant-rich olive oils will be darker in color, but often aren’t desired in America because of their strong olive taste. There are many reports showing olive oil to be healthy, but the bulk of these reports emanate from European populations that enjoy using the darker antioxidant-rich varieties of oil. (See photo above) Animal studies reveal that olive oil prevents, and corn oil promotes, breast cancer. [Breast Cancer Research Treatment 86: 225-35, 2004] Olive oil’s ability to prevent hardening (oxidation) of cholesterol is attributed to the antioxidant polyphenols. [Atherosclerosis. 120:15-23, 1996]
Sure, much better.