Excerpt
During a recent viral interview, OpenAI’s founder caused a stir—not with AI, but with olive oil. He used Graza “Drizzle”, a cold-extracted Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) designed for finishing, not cooking. The moment lit up food and health forums across the internet. But beyond the buzz, this is a valuable opportunity to talk about the right way to use high-polyphenol EVOO — and how understanding the difference can elevate your health and your meals.
4 Key Points
- 🧑🍳 OpenAI founder cooked with Graza’s finishing oil “Drizzle,” not their cooking-grade EVOO “Sizzle”(see Graza website for more).
- 🔥 Using the wrong olive oil at high heat can degrade its nutritional quality, particularly its polyphenol content.
- 🫒 Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) is still safe and beneficial for moderate-heat cooking, when used correctly.
- 🌱 Knowing your EVOO’s purpose—cooking vs. finishing—is key to preserving flavor and health benefits.
Scientific Background
Graza is a direct-to-consumer brand known for its single-origin Spanish olive oils, packaged in fun squeeze bottles and marketed with bold simplicity. It offers two types:
- Drizzle: Early-harvest, cold-extracted, high-polyphenol EVOO meant for finishing dishes.
- Sizzle: Milder, later-harvest EVOO with a higher smoke point, better suited for cooking.
Polyphenols are believed to reduce morbidity and/or slow down the development of cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases as well as cancer. Biological activity of polyphenols is strongly related to their antioxidant properties. Source: Potential Health Benefits of Olive Oil and Plant Polyphenols
Here’s the science:
- Polyphenols, the antioxidants in EVOO, degrade at high temperatures (above ~160°C or 320°F).
- Cold-pressed, early-harvest oils like Graza’s Drizzle are especially rich in these compounds—but they’re delicate.
- Heat-stable fats, like those found in later-harvest EVOOs or refined olive oils, are more appropriate for cooking.
A 2020 study in Antioxidants journal confirms: cooking with high-polyphenol EVOO can still be safe under moderate heat, but quality and nutrient retention drop as temperatures increase.
Lifestyle Application
So what’s the takeaway?
Use the right olive oil for the right purpose. If you’re sautéing vegetables or searing fish, choose a milder, heat-tolerant EVOO like Graza’s Sizzle or any later-harvest olive oil. Save the bold, peppery Drizzle-style oils for finishing dishes — like topping a salad, pasta, or even vanilla ice cream.
This simple distinction protects both flavor and function. It’s not just about taste — it’s about keeping the longevity-boosting polyphenols intact.
Pro tip: Store your EVOO in a cool, dark place and use within 6 months of opening to preserve its nutrients.
Product Mention
At TarCasso, we curate EVOOs for both cooking and finishing—each selected for their harvest date, polyphenol content, and culinary purpose.
🌿 Try our “TarCasso Gold Harvest” for sautéing — a mild, versatile EVOO perfect for everyday cooking.
🌿 Or upgrade your dishes with “TarCasso Raw Polyphenol” — our early-harvest powerhouse rich in hydroxytyrosol, ideal for raw use.
