Which Olive Oil is Best?

Olive oil has been a hot topic in my house recently because there are SO many different labels on the bottle, it’s difficult to know which is the healthiest option.

The most popular labels on olive oil include organic, expeller pressed, extra virgin, virgin, unrefined, pure, and cold pressed. As a general rule of thumb, any label that says “natural” is relatively useless. I’m sure you’ve seen processed food labeled “natural” or with “natural flavors”... hopefully you get the point.

Below are the most common labels found on oil products;

Organic; produce grown without chemicals, pesticides, or artificial agents. Oils originally come from another plant, nut or seed. In this case, olives are the first (and hopefully only) ingredient in your oil. Look for organic oils to avoid increased chemical intake. When you eat pesticides or chemicals, not only do you put stress on your body and digestion but you don’t receive all the benefits of your produce as the soil is not rich in nutrients. We get nutrients from plants grown in nutrient rich soil!

Extra virgin; oils are from the first pressing and unrefined. .

Expeller pressed; chemical free method of extracting oils, without the use of external heat.

Cold pressed; chemical free method of extracting oils, environment is controlled and remains below 120F.

So what’s the most important? When purchasing oils look for organic, cold pressed, extra virgin or unrefined olive oil. Aim for dark colored glass bottles as oils can go rancid from light exposure. If we consume rancid oils, we wreak havoc on our health as the oil will be in the form of free radicals. Our body will go into overtime trying to detox these and remove them from our body.

A perfect olive oil to purchase… extra virgin, organic, and cold pressed!

This is one of my favorite olive oils to use for dressing.

Wellness tip: Olive oil typically has a smoke point around 350F. When cooking with olive oil avoid temperatures above 350 as the oil turns into a carcinogen and can lose nutritional value. If you are cooking in the oven/air fryer above 350 aim for coconut oil and/or avocado oil.

In good health,

Morgan