Olive oil is a plant-based cooking oil made from the fruit of the olive tree. Once olives are collected, they're pressed into a paste and mixed with water. After mixing, the paste undergoes another pressing and separation process, to remove pulp from the oil. This final step is where manufacturers might refine, bleach, or deodorize the oil, making it more processed. The healthiest oils are unrefined and minimally processed, though.
"Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) is the least processed and therefore has the greatest nutritional benefit, compared to other types of olive oils," registered dietitian Titilayo Ayanwola, MPH, R.D., L.D., previously told mbg. "Since it is derived from olive berries, it contains large amounts of antioxidants, phytosterols, and vitamins." Those can be stripped away when oil is refined.
Buying the right kind.
On average, olive oil can range anywhere from $10 to $30 per bottle (depending on the quality and the size). To make sure you're getting the best olive oil possible, follow this trick from olive oil sommelier Katerina Mountanos:
- Pour olive oil into a small round glass.
- Hold the glass with one hand, cover the top with your other hand, then twist the glass in your hand to warm the oil inside.
- Remove your hand and smell the olive oil. "If it smells fresh like grass, fruit, or vegetables, it's more likely that your oil is truly extra virgin. Common identifiable scents from truly premium olive oil are grass, green or red tomato, banana, arugula, spinach, apple, citrus, or almond. If you're not getting much of a fresh scent, it's likely not extra virgin. Anything that smells musty, rancid, or is odorless is not extra-virgin oil," Mountanos says.
- Taste the oil. "A true extra virgin will reveal lots of fruit and vegetable flavors as you swirl it around your mouth and will have a peppery or bitter taste at the back of your throat when you swallow it," she says. Coughing is the telltale sign that it's high quality.
Olive oil nutrients.
"It is notably rich in vitamin E, a fat-soluble antioxidant that helps to maintain the integrity of cell membranes and protect it from damage by harmful free radicals," Ayanwola says. Studies have also linked the monounsaturated fats in extra-virgin olive oil to cholesterol reduction, making it a heart-healthy oil.
Here's a more comprehensive nutritional breakdown of 1 tablespoon of olive oil, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA):
- Calories: 119
- Monounsaturated fat: 9.85 g
- Polyunsaturated fat: 1.42 g
- Saturated fat: 1.86 g
- Total fat: 13.5 g
- Vitamin E: 1.94 mg
- Vitamin K: 8.13 µg
