Blinners Team
This might be one of those questions that just seem like their answer is too obvious, but maybe when you think about it you might not have the precise answer for. In this post we’ll explain why use olive oil in general so that you can have a good reference of why it is so widely use and why we use it in so many of our recipes and other guides.
We’ve put together this simple guide to help answer some of the most frequently asked questions about it and some of its main benefits.
Let’s go…
Table of content
What is olive oil?
Olive oil is the oil that is naturally extracted from olives, the fruit of olive trees.
It is produced by mashing ripe (and often times young nearly ripened) olives to extract their juice. When this process happens with minimal or no additional heat or chemicals, you get cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil.
Mashing and grinding the olives results in a paste, which then undergoes malaxation, where the paste is slowly churned to break off emulsions formed during the crushing process and to help increase extraction yields (read this Science Direct article for more info on the topic).
After that, the paste is run through a centrifuge to separate the oil from the water and solids. The result is unfiltered extra virgin olive oil, which is then filtered or racked to remove any remaining sediment, then tested to ensure it meets several rigorous standards, and, lastly, bottled.
What are the types of olive oil?
There are four main types, which we describe right below…
- Light – The term “light” here refers to the flavor rather than the caloric content (all olive oil will contain about 14 grams of fat per tablespoon). Like pure olive oil, light olive oil is a blend of oils, and it has a higher smoke point than extra virgin olive oil.
- Pure (or just “olive oil”) – Simply put, when the term “pure” is used, it is meant to say that the bottle contains only olive oil. However, it can be a blend of virgin oils (about 15% to 20%) and the remaining 75% or so would likely be refined olive oils. These are usually lighter-tasting oils.
- Virgin – Unlikely to be found at your local grocery store, this type of olive oil is quite similar to extra virgin. However, virgin olive oil is slightly lower in quality, and has an acidity around 1.5%.
- Extra virgin (EVOO) – This is usually the preferred type of olive oil by the general population, as it is the least processed and most rich-tasting. Quality cold-pressed EVOO should have an acidity level of 0.8% or less; the lower the acidity levels, the higher the quality. Good EVOO is also rich in polyphenols, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Generally speaking, extra virgin olive oil with polyphenol levels above 220 is considered a high-polyphenol EVOO.
What are its main benefits?
Olive oil is well known for its many potential benefits to a person’s health, and has been widely documented in different researches and findings, such as this article on some of its benefits.
- Can eliminate harmful bacteria – Studies have shown that olive oil is able to fight off eight strains of the harmful bacterium Helicobacter pylori, which lives in the stomach and can cause stomach issues such as ulcers.
- Reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes – Studies have shown that olive oil has positive effects on blood sugar and insulin levels.
- Can aid in weight control – Because of its good fat content, olive oil is satisfying and helps control hunger. Some studies found that even the smell of it increases serotonin, the “happy chemical” that can improve your mood and also affects the appetite making you feel a more satisfied.
- Reduces the risk of stroke and protects against heart disease – Olive oil is known to lower LDL (“bad” cholesterol) and increase HDL (“good” cholesterol). High cholesterol increases your risk for both stroke and heart disease.
- Great source of antioxidants – Polyphenols, which are Olive oil compounds, are rich in antioxidants. These are anti-inflammatory and protect against free radical damage.
- Rich in healthy fats – Olive oil is predominantly made up of a monounsaturated fat called oleic acid, an anti-inflammatory omega-9 fatty acid that may also improve insulin sensitivity.
How do I choose the right type?
First of all, we believe that you should always choose extra virgin olive oil in most cases (unless you have a very good reason to choose differently).
Having said that, here are some of the things you should look at when choosing the right type of (extra virgin) olive oil.
- Label – Make sure that the label clearly states that the product is cold-pressed “extra virgin olive oil ”. Light olive oil, pure olive oil, refined olive oil, etc,. are further processed and are typically blends of different olive oils.
- Acidity level – True EVOO must have an acidity of less than 0.8%. But the highest quality extra virgin olive oils will have an acidity of 0.3% or less. Product acidity is not usually printed on labels, but should be easily located on a company’s website if it isn’t.
- Origin and type of olive – You should be able to tell the origin and the exact olives used in making the oil. Think of how different grapes produce different tasting wines; it’s the same with olives and olive oils. The taste will be different depending on the olives used.
When the specific origin and type of olive is not listed, the olive oil is likely produced from many different olives, mass produced from different groves and different parts of the world, versus olives of a “single region” or “single estate.”
This doesn’t mean that all blends are bad, but it can mean less control over the quality of the olives used, and you’ll likely have a lesser quality oil. - Harvest date – Although an unopened bottle of olive oil has a shelf life of nearly 2 years, it’s best to buy from a place with good turn over so that you have access to the freshest oils from the latest harvest.
- Packaging – Get olive oils that are packaged in dark glass bottles or tin cans. This is important because olive oil can deteriorate when exposed to light.
Is it safe to cook with olive oil?
Yes, you can cook with it. You may have heard that you should not cook with olive oil somewhere, and that is simply a rumor that studies have proven wrong.
Quality extra virgin olive oil is an especially healthy fat that retains its beneficial qualities during cooking.
The main downside is that overheating can adversely impact its flavor.
However, olive oil is quite resistant to heat and doesn’t oxidize or go rancid during cooking.
Not only is it an excellent cooking oil, but it is also one of the healthiest.
Does olive oil expire?
Contrary to what you may have heard, it DOES expire.
It is said to stay good while bottled for about two years, but not for much longer than about three months once opened to enjoy it with its best flavor.
There are two ways to easily tell whether your olive oil is rancid: smell and taste. Fresh olive oil will smell bright and robust. Rancid oil can smell waxy, similar to crayons. It might also smell very stale.
If you want to taste your it to check for freshness, try a small amount. If it is sour, the oil is likely rancid. We don’t recommend cooking with rancid oil.
At what temperature does it degrade?
The smoke point of an oil refers to the temperature at which it begins to smoke and degrade. At this point, harmful compounds form in the oil. When it reaches its smoke point, an oil also loses much of its nutrients and antioxidant properties.
Extra virgin olive oil has a smoke point of between 374 and 405 degrees F (190 to 207 degrees C). While this is a little lower than other oils, it is still safe to cook and even bake with one of high quality. Good quality (extra virgin) olive oil will also have a higher smoke point than its lower-quality counterparts.
How should I store it?
To maintain freshness and flavor, it is important to store your olive oil correctly and, as stated above, consume it within 3 months.
While convenient, keeping your bottle by the stove is not a good idea. Exposure to heat and sunlight can reduce the quality of your olive oil and even damage it.
It is best to store your tightly closed bottles in a cool, dark space like an unheated pantry.
Do you have a recommended one?
You can find all sorts of great brands of olive oil in many stores, both online and traditional. You should only make sure that they have all the prerequisites mentioned before so that you can get the best possible type.
However, if you feel like buying it online here’s one that we highly recommend. This extra virgin choice has all the prerequisites that we look at before getting one of these.
Papa Vince Olive Oil Extra Virgin – First Cold Press Family Harvest 2023/24
This is a Polyphenol Rich, Subtle Peppery Finish, Unrefined, High in Monounsaturated Fat, No Pesticides, No GMO, and a product of Sicily, Italy.
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Related posts and recipes
We have a large number of posts and recipes where we make use of olive oil because of the great benefits that you saw above, especially with the extra virgin olive oil.
However, here are only a few of our posts and recipes where olive oil is used:
- Easy air fryer broccoli
- Mediterranean veggie scrambled eggs
- How to bake crispy tofu
- Healthy eating tips
- Why use avocado oil?
You can explore our recipes and get some more ideas of when and how to use olive oil.
If you have any questions or comments, make sure to reach out to us or leave us a comment down below.
Thank you for reading us!
