How to Make Mayo with Olive Oil – and Why You Should

We’ve talked a lot on the blog before about fats, from why you should eat the healthy ones to the truth behind vegetable oils. But something that’s not talked about quite as often is all of the food products, from condiments to salad dressings and beyond, that use low-quality vegetable oils. One of the worst offenders? Mayonnaise! This popular sandwich spread is notorious for using oils like canola and soybean as the base. Today, we’re going to share our favorite mayo recipe that uses your choice of olive or avocado oil. But first, what’s the problem with vegetable oils? 

Why you should avoid vegetable oils 

Though not all vegetable oils are created equal, the same issues abound for most of them. Since most vegetable oils are high in linoleic acid or omega-6 fats, they have the potential to cause inflammation in the body. Your body does need some omega-6 fats to survive, but the standard American diet often involves a ton of omega-6 fats and hardly any omega-3 fats, leading to increased inflammation and the associated negative health effects (including a variety of chronic diseases). 

Another issue with vegetable oils is their potential for oxidation, particularly when used for cooking. Consider this: vegetable oils are often touted as having a high smoke point, which is the temperature at which an oil starts to smoke and degrade. But a high smoke point does not necessarily mean that oil is stable under that high heat. Certain vegetable oils have been shown to be unstable at high heat, which means that it begins to break down and release aldehydes as cooking continues. Aldehydes can damage DNA and your cells (think of it as the oil oxidizing inside your body), contributing to high inflammation in the body and increased risk of conditions such as heart disease or Alzheimer’s. The longer you’re cooking at that heat, the more aldehydes that will be released. 

Not all vegetable oils are problematic! But for the curious, the most problematic varieties of vegetable oil include:

• soybean oil
• corn oil
• sunflower oil
• cottonseed oil
• canola oil, among others. 

Since most processed vegetable oils are extracted from seeds, they often require extensive processing. (Just think about trying to extract fat from corn or soybeans!). This processing may include high heat, chemicals, and toxic solvents. In addition to this heavy processing, there’s the issue of the high omega-6 content and oxidation process (as previously discussed above). 

Thankfully, there are a variety of healthy alternatives, including extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, grass-fed ghee or butter, and avocado oil. 

And as for mayo, we love this recipe from the amazing Michelle over at The Whole Smiths. Head to her website for all the nitty gritty details on how to ensure you get the perfect mayo every time!

Olive Oil Mayo Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup extra light tasting olive oil or culinary algae oil
• 1 Tbsp white wine or white balsamic vinegar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 Tbsp mustard
• pinch of salt

Instructions

1. In a large mason jar add olive oil
2. Add egg into the oil
3. Add vinegar, mustard, and salt to egg and oil
4. Let all ingredients settle to the bottom
5. Once settled, take an immersion blender and place all the way down to the bottom of the jar, placing blade over egg yolk
6. On high, turn immersion blender on and slowly raise up and down throughout mixture until oil emulsifies, roughy 30 seconds

Let us know if you make this! We’re looking forward to hearing what you think!