EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL 101

There is so much information about olive oil out there that it can be hard to know what is true and what is false. Here are the most important fact...

There is so much information about olive oil out there that it can be hard to know what is true and what is false. Here are the most important facts about olive oil that we believe every person should know:
 

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is the highest quality of olive oil, it needs to meet both chemical and sensory standards in order to be labeled as "extra virgin". “Extra virgin” denotes that the olive oil is free of defects of flavor or odor. What makes olive oil "extra virgin" is its purity of the oil making process and how it is extracted, which includes only pressed olives and no added chemicals. About 70% of olive oils purchased in the United States are considered adulterated or not up to legal standards.

 

How can olive oil go bad?

  • Extra virgin olive oil mixed with cheaper oils.
  • Olive Oil can become musty if the olives weren’t processed right after harvesting them. This can cause mold growth and cause the olives to start fermenting.
  • Olive Oil can turn rancid from:
     -Sun/Light exposure: Transparent bottles in direct light can affect the oils’ flavor and properties. This is why our bottles are completely opaque!
    - Indirect Heat: Heat from kitchen lights or your oven or stove can harm your oil the same way the sun can. Keep you bottle away the stove when not cooking.
    - Oxygen: Leaving the cap or spout open can expose your oil to oxygenation which affects the taste and speeds up the expiration of your olive oil. 

How to tell if your Olive Oil is high-quality:

With all of these factors that contribute to the bad taste of olive oil, how do you know what good olive oil tastes like? The best olive oil has elements and flavors of fruit, pungency, as well as a little bitterness. This trifecta means you have consumed high-quality rich olive oil. We recommend that your first taste of olive oil should be on its own on a spoon to get the most natural flavor profile before you decide to pair it with your meals. Here’s how to find the right kind of olive oil:

  • Look for a bottle that is opaque or tins. Clear bottles give the oil a chance to be exposed to light, which can alter the quality and flavoring.
  • Check the harvest date. Extra virgin olive oil should be consumed within 2 years of the harvest date. 
  • Check to see if the olive oil has been grown and produced in the same country. This will lower the changes of your oil being mixed with different olives from different countries. 

Benefits of Olive Oil:

  • Olive Oil is full of healthy monounsaturated fats and polyphenols, a better substitute for fatty oils higher in saturated fat. 
  • Olive Oil is anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidizing and has anti-bacterial properties. It is an immune system supporter, brain booster, and digestion helper. 
  • Olive Oil fights heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease and arthritis. 
  • Olive Oil contains Vitamin E, which has a multitude of anti-aging properties and beauty benefits. 

Extra virgin olive oil is perfect for cooking, baking, dipping, finishing and everything in between! The smoke point for extra virgin olive oil in cooking is 350 to 410 degrees Fahrenheit or 176 to 210 degrees Celsius. Some say that cooking with olive oil cooks out the health benefits, when in reality the health benefits of the olive oil transfers to your food, resulting in a healthier meal! 

 

And last but not least, we recommend you using your extra-virgin olive oil within 2-3 months from the opening date to make sure it is always fresh! We hope this article gives you an idea of how amazing extra-virgin olive oil can be when produced and sold correctly. There is so much more information out there and we are so excited to guide you along the way!