Normally I use Kirkland extra virgin olive oil (Costco) to make my salad dressing. Early on I bought some Kirkland refined olive oil by mistake. I hate to see it go to waste. If it needs to be avoided why does it need to be avoided.
(Currently I’m eating 70% fat, 20% protein, 10% carbs, real food only.)
I haven’t heard anything negative about it except for a general distaste for the tag “refined” in reference to oil. My sense is it’s OK in the olive oil case - the refining that’s really bad is the complex heat treatment and chemical extraction used in canola or corn oil (for example).
EDIT: Apparently, heat treatment and chemical extraction are also used in the refinement of olive oil, so that may be a consideration. https://californiaoliveranch.com/how-refined-olive-oil-are-made-how-they-differ-from-extra-virgin/
I personally use it. I think Stephen Phinney mentioned it specifically as a Good source of fat calories in one of his talks.
You can do more research but refined olive oil has a higher smoke point than extra virgin olive oil. So, you can still use “olive oil” (although refined) for high temperature cooking.
I do not have a specific source to link to but, in my research of fats, accidentally going past the smoke point of an oil makes compounds you really don’t want to ingest. Essentially, once you see smoke, it is too late.
The same goes for avocado oil - there is “Extra Virgin Avocado Oil, First Cold-Pressed, Unrefined” on Amazon with a smoke point of 400 but there is also the more refined “Cold pressed and centrifuge extracted” avocado oil with a smoke point of 520.
I seem to remember someone saying that chemical processes are used to refine the olive oil making it less wonderful. However the taste of extra-virgin olive oil makes me absolutely cough and gives you quite the burn on your tongue or the back of your throat. I know that supposed to be a good sign but I don’t love it