Olive oil is one of the oldest, most celebrated foods on the planet. In fact, this culinary staple has been consumed for thousands of years. Way back in the day, olive oil was made by crushing olives in many ways, most often with stones mills of various types. Show Today, the process has definitely been modernized in several ways, but for the highest quality, most flavorful olive oils (think: extra virgin), it’s still fundamentally the same—olives are cleaned and then crushed in a mechanical mill, without the use of heat or chemicals, and the oil is separated from solids and water (albeit nowadays using a centrifuge). This mechanical process preserves many of olive oil’s health benefits:
Olive oil differs from other popular oils such as canola oil, vegetable oil, and soybean oil in a few key ways. For one, these oils are almost always extracted and refined using very high heat and lots of chemicals, resulting in less flavor and health benefits. Plus, their fatty acid profile isn’t nearly as impressive. Olive oil, on the other hand, is potent in health benefits and flavor, making it great for use in dressings, as a dipping oil, or drizzling onto finished dishes. In fact, any olive oil from the list below can be considered a healthier pick than most other cooking oils on the market. That said, not all olive oil is created equal. Different types of olive oil have different health benefits, flavors, and culinary applications. Keep reading to see which type is right for your pantry! Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is often considered the gold standard in terms of flavor and health benefits. Here’s what makes it special:
How To Use ItTo preserve the most nutrients and showcase it’s bold flavor, try using extra virgin olive oil in one of these ways:
Fun fact: Contrary to popular belief, EVOO has a surprisingly high smoke point of (350 to 410 F), so these cooking styles are a-okay (just skip the deep frying!):
Virgin Olive OilNot to be confused with extra virgin olive oil, virgin olive oil is actually pretty rare and hard to find—you often won’t see it at your local grocery store. It's quite similar to EVOO, with a few minor differences:
How To Use ItIf you can actually find it, you can use virgin olive oil in all the ways you’d use extra virgin olive oil but it is best suited to uses where the minor defects will not be noticed—marinades, sautéing, roasting, light frying, baking. Pure Olive Oil or Regular Olive OilAlong with extra virgin olive oil, pure/regular olive oil (sometimes simply labeled “olive oil”) is another common variety you’ll find in grocery stores or online. Here’s what makes it different:
How To Use ItMany chefs consider pure olive oil a good general purpose cooking oil, since it has a higher smoke point than EVOO (around 470 F), mild flavor, and holds up well to high-heat cooking. Here are some good ways to use it:
Regular olive oil also has some uses beyond the kitchen! Smooth it directly onto your skin, or scrub it into your scalp for an extra dose of moisture. Along with extra virgin olive oil and pure olive oil, the other type of olive oil you’re likely to see in grocery stores is light olive oil.
How To Use ItBecause of its high smoke point (around 470 F), light olive oil is less likely to break down under very high temperatures—so it’s a decent option for high heat cooking methods.
Due to its relative lack of taste, you may not want to bother using light olive oil as a dipping or finishing oil. It’s too bland to impart much flavor of its own. Bottom LineThe wide world of olive oil can be confusing. But essentially, there are three main types of olive oil you’ll find in grocery stores or online retailers: extra virgin olive oil, pure or regular olive oil, and light and extra light olive oil. These olive oil types have different methods of production, and thus, different health benefits and flavor profiles—giving them each unique culinary uses. Our top pick? Well, we’ll always be partial to a good EVOO, but keeping one of these other types in your pantry—particularly for high heat cooking—isn’t a bad idea either. Which one is better olive oil or extra virgin olive oil?Extra virgin olive oil is the least processed form of olive oil. Due to this, it retains its natural antioxidants and vitamins, which are often lost during processing. This makes it a more healthful oil than regular olive oil but also makes it a little more expensive.
Can extra virgin olive oil be used for cooking?Even though olive oil has a lower smoke point than other cooking oils, quality extra virgin olive oil is still a good option option for cooking. The main thing that happens when olive oil is heated is that some of the flavor compounds will evaporate.
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