What Type Of Olives Are In Your Olive Oil?

Olive oil is perhaps the most versatile and celebrated oil in human history. The liquid gold oil has been lauded for its many benefits since nearly 4000 BCE, and is used in a wide variety of applications from cooking to cosmetics, skin care, and more. Interestingly, the type of olive that is used to make an oil impacts the taste, color, and nutritional properties of the final product. Green olives, which are under-ripe, are traditionally harvested early in the season to produce a stronger, more flavorful oil. These deep green hued oils typically contain higher levels of the antioxidants and disease-fighting polyphenol compounds that make olive oil such a hot commodity.

As olives ripen and darken, they lose their chlorophyll which is largely responsible for the color of an oil. Purple and black olives, which have fully ripened, are harvested later in the season to produce paler oils that have a milder flavor profile. That being said, color alone is not a good indicator of the quality of your olive oil, or even which type of olives were used in production. Variables like exposure to light and heat during transportation can contribute to the degradation of an olive oil, further impacting the final color and taste (which is also why it's crucial to never store olive oil near the stove). To be assured that you're purchasing the best quality oil, make sure you fully understand the different styles of olive oil available before buying, and try making the switch to single-sourced olive oil that comes from one particular region.

Extra virgin olive oil (affectionately referred to as EVOO) is perhaps the most popular style of olive oil on the market. As the least processed type of olive oil available, EVOO boasts a robust, slightly bitter taste that is closest to the flavor of the olives themselves. To be designated extra virgin, an oil must be pressed from fresh olives, remain untouched by heat or chemicals during production, and contain less than 0.8% oleic acid. These high production standards result in robust oils that can be used for baking, sauteing, marinades, salad dressings, and more.

Regular olive oil (sometimes labeled as pure olive oil) is typically made from a blend of virgin (up to 25%) and refined olive oils. During the refining process, olive oil that is deemed too acidic or impure to become EVOO undergoes heat treatment, chemical processing, and filtration in order to remove any defects. These oils tend to have a neutral taste that is ideal for every day cooking and roasting. Light olive oil is the most refined style that you can find at the store. Though being labeled as light (or lite) might mislead you to believe that this oil more nutritious than others, in reality it's simply paler in color than its less refined compatriots. Containing less than 5% to 10% virgin olive oil, the light type has virtually no flavor yet boasts one of the highest smoke points of the different styles. Because of this, light olive oil can withstand the high temperatures associated with frying, grilling, and searing.