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Olive Oil Nutrition Facts Revealed And Myths Exposed

Table of Contents What Is Olive OilTypes of Olive OilWhich Is The Best Olive OilNutritional Label Of Extra…
Bottle of Olive oil and nutritional olives
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It is a universally known fact that olive oil is one of the best edible oils. In fact, it is laden with nutritional benefits that promote overall good health.

However, we hardly know about how to use olive oil in the best way so as to reap its health benefits.

This post is not only for men or women who cook food for themselves and their families, but also for those who are its consumers.

You should know what you eat and the best alternatives that you can use to make you healthy and live a long life, shouldn’t you?

If you are aware about the nutritional facts, then you would make better diet-related choices.

You would certainly benefit from olive oil because it is better than most of the other edible oils in nutritional and health aspects.

Now, I vouch for olive oil because I use it and find it beneficial, but I agree that some of its benefits are either exaggerated or the true facts are not completely revealed.

In fact, a lot depends on the kind of olive oil you use and how you use it!

Also, you need to be careful of not getting cheated by paying more for low quality olive oil.

In this post, I’ll spill the beans about olive oil facts and myths that you would be happy to know.

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What Is Olive Oil

It’s okay if you are ignorant about olives and olive oils. Olive tree are not grown in all parts of the world and olive oil is not commonly consumed by people everywhere.

Oilve oil is obtained by pressing whole olives, which is produced by the olive tree.

Photo of Olive tress and olives in the inset

The olive tree is native to the Mediterranean basin and part of North Africa and West Asia.

You will be surprised to know that olive oil has been used for edible purposes for more than 5000 years!

Spain accounts for about 44% of total olive oil produces in the world, while Italy and Greece together contribute about 34% of global olive oil production.

To gauge the goodness and popularity of olive oil, just know the fact that the olive branch is used as a symbol of prosperity and peace.

Olive has also been regarded as a symbol of fertility, glory, power, and wisdom.

When so many qualities are attributed to it, there must be something to olive oil, isn’t it?

Besides cooking, olive oil is also used in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and other modern uses.

As I said before, how nutritious the olive oil is and the degree to which it could be responsible for health benefits, depends on the type of olive oil you use.

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Types of Olive Oil

Olive oil has four grades depending on its type of processing.

Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) – This is superior olive oil and highly nutritional because it is obtained by the first cold-pressing of olives without any chemical treatment. It is pure, unrefined, and brings you the maximum health benefits.

Virgin olive oil – This is good quality olive oil obtained by the second cold-pressing of olives, but it is a bit inferior in nutritional quality as compared to EVOO, yet is healthy for your body.

Refined olive oil – This is a refined version of virgin olive oil and undergoes a process that removes its real color, odor, and flavor, making it colorless, odorless, and tasteless. Refined olive oil is generally labeled as ‘pure olive oil’ or just ‘olive oil’.

Olive pomace oil – This is prepared by refining the crude olive pomace oil obtained from olive pomace, which is the leftover paste of whole olives after the pressing process. It has comparatively less nutritional value and health benefits as compared to EVOO.

Olive oil is also produced for industrial purposes and is called lampante virgin oil, but it can undergo further processing to be made edible.

Which olive oil would you prefer to use?

Bottle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)

Which Is The Best Olive Oil

What make the olive oil grades different from each other is the process they go through, their flavor, odor, defects, and the amount of free fatty acid content in them.

These differences are also responsible for the different levels of olive oil nutrition and health benefits.

Good olive oil is extracted using natural methods. It is devoid of chemicals, less acidic, has a high smoke point and long shelf life.

You may choose the olive oil depending on its use – many restaurants use the olive pomace oil as it comes cheap.

But if you are looking for the best olive oil, it is certainly the Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), though it is the costliest of all.

Nutritional Label Of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)

Extra virgin olive oil nutrition fact label Why would you buy a costly EVOO – of course, for its nourishment value because you care for your health and that of your family.

To get an idea of the goodness of EVOO, you need to have a look at its nutrition content label.

As you can see, extra virgin olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat, which includes Omega-3 and Omega-6 healthy fats.

The saturated fat levels are low and that turns out to be good for health. The trans fats are nil, which is superb!

Rest everything is nil or nearly nil, yet you get a good amount of calories from one tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, which can be up to about 6% of your ideal daily calorie intake.

Here is the detailed nutritional facts information of olive oil, which is responsible for crowning olive oil as one of the best edible oils.

6 Good Olive Oil Nutrition Facts

My research about the nutritional aspect of olive oil revealed that olive oil, especially the EVOO, has extraordinary anti-oxidant properties.

This is what really makes olive oil the healthiest edible oil and one of the best foods!

It is because antioxidants help you keep yourself safe from diseases and live a long life.

Fact Simplified: In the process of oxidation caused due to the free radicals, the healthy cells become weak, causing damage to the body. The antioxidants neutralize and remove the free radicals from the blood stream helping the body to remain healthy.

For more information about anti-oxidants, read here.

Also, if you carefully observed the nutrition facts above, olive oil mostly comprises of fats – in fact, it is a fat food – it does not contain any amount of carbohydrates or protein.

But do not be alarmed, as all fat is not bad. 🙂

Related Read: Is The Fat In A Diet Really Bad For You

Olive oil is one of the most sought after edible oil because it contains healthy fat – it is nutritious.

Here are some other nutritional facts you should know about olive oil:

Fact 1: Olive oil is full of anti-oxidants

Presence of anti-oxidants like polyphenols is what determines the quality of olive oil.

The phenolic compounds are the nutrients that are also present in tea, cocoa, coffee, and many fruits and vegetables.

Polyphenols are rich anti-oxidants without which olive oil may lose its sheen.

It is the polyphenols that help lower blood pressure and cholesterol, as well as reduce blood clotting.

They also help lower inflammation and cellular proliferation, and thus reduce cell damage that could lead to cancer and degenerative diseases.

If the harvest date of the olive oil you use is beyond two years and if you use extreme heat in cooking, the polyphenol content of olive oil will decrease taking away its nutritional and health benefits.

Fact 2: Olive oil has anti-inflammatory and cardio-protective properties

Among the phenolic compounds, there is a powerful anti-oxidant oleocanthal, which also has anti-inflammatory properties, just like the ibuprofen drug.

Another phenolic compound, hydroxytyrosol (HT), helps protect the blood vessel cells.

They protect the lining cells of the blood vessels from the reactive oxygen molecules – keeping the cellular wall of blood vessels strong.

Fact 3: Olive oil is rich in Vitamin E

Vitamin E is also an antioxidant. Its special properties help in protecting the skin from harmful oxygen-free radicals.

It can also help delay the aging process and prevent memory loss.

According to the nutrition label, 100g of fresh extra-virgin oil contains 14.39 mcg of the Vitamin E component. This is good enough as it is nearly 93% of recommended daily intake for adults.

Fact 4: Olive oil is a good source of Vitamin K

Vitamin K helps in promoting osteotrophic activity in the bone and this cause an increase in bone mass.

It also helps in limiting the neuronal damage in the brain of patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.

The amount of Vitamin K in olive oil is nearly 59% of the recommended daily intake for adults.

Fact 5: Olive oil has high levels of monounsaturated fat and good polyunsaturated fat

The saturated fats (SFA), monounsaturated fats (MUFA), and the polyunsaturated fats (PUFA) exist in the ratio 14:77:9, which is a healthy proportion.

The more the MUFA in your food, the healthier it is because both, MUFA and PUFA are healthy fats.

The two polyunsaturated fats that add to the glory of olive oils are Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids.

These are neither produced much in the body nor available in food, except certain seeds, fishes, and fish oil.

Olive oil serves as a good source of these much needed PUFA that help maintain heart health and lower blood cholesterol levels.

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fat is also termed as a brainfood! Here is the latest research that shows Mediterranean Diet with olive oil and nuts is linked to healthier brain.

Fact 6: Olive oil contains high levels of phytosterols

Olive oil has more health benefits because it comes from a vegetable source. Therefore, it contains high levels of plant sterols. These help in the reduction of total cholesterol levels.

This is what the FDA has to say about the plant sterol phytosterols:

Foods containing at least 0.4 gram per serving of plant sterols, eaten twice a day with meals for a daily total intake of at least 0.8 gram, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease“.

This is also a great reminder to include fruits and vegetables in our daily diet.

These were the nutritional facts that are responsible for the health benefits of olive oil.

Olive oil is different and better than many other oils because it is extracted from the olive berries instead of nuts and seeds. It therefore contains large amounts of plant-derived anti-oxidants, phyto-sterols, and vitamins.

Important Health Benefits Of Olive Oil

Speaking of the olive oil health benefits, let’s just slightly know them.

  1. CANCER – The anti-inflammatory properties of olive oil help decrease the risk of breast cancer.
  2. HEART DIESEASE – The heart-healthy properties of olive oil help lower the levels of triglycerides, LDL-cholesterol, and total blood cholesterol. It thus reduces the risk of heart disease.
  3. BLOOD PRESSURE – Olive oil helps decrease body blood pressure, both systolic and diastolic.
  4. STROKE – The anti-blood clotting property of olive oil helps reduce the chances of suffering from stroke. Read more here.

Apart from these diseases and health conditions, use of olive oil in a typical Mediterranean diet consisting of fruits, nuts, and vegetables also helps reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteoporosis.

Adopting the Mediterranean Diet also helps to prevent or reduce the risk of obesity.

Mediterranean Diet shown in pyramid format

What is a typical Mediterranean Diet – The ideal Mediterranean Diet consists of high quantities of variety of legumes, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. It has moderate quantities of fish and white meat, and very low quantity of red meat, eggs, and sweets. Additional ingredients are nuts, low-fat dairy produce, and wine in moderate quantities. Salt intake is less while more olive oil is used in food preparation compared to other oils.

No wonder the Mediterranean Diet does wonder because it has high nutritional value. And with the added magic of olive oil, it only gets better!

You might also like to read this article to know about the various studies done to prove the health benefits of olive oil for all the parts of our body.

6 Myths Of Olive Oil And Its Benefits

While all is good about olive oil, there are certain misconception about olive oil and its benefits.

Myth 1: Olive oil is a silver bullet to all problems

The nutritional properties and resulting health benefits of olive oil cannot be challenged or negated. However, it should be noted that olive oil by itself is no cure to all remedies.

The magic of olive oil is best experienced when it is used along with diet similar to the typical Mediterranean diet.

Myth 2: More intake of olive oil leads to more health benefits

Olive oil has high energy levels and is a concentrated source of calories. Olive oil is more calorie dense than pure refined sugar.

One pound of olive oil yields 4000 calories, whereas the same quantity of sugar gives 1725 calories.

Therefore, olive oil should be used in little quantity. High intake of olive oil can lead to obesity and health problems.

Myth 3: If you consume olive oil, you do not need to exercise

You not only need a diet similar to the Mediterranean Diet to make good use of the nutritional value of olive oil, you also need to complement your lifestyle with daily routine exercises.

This is because natural physical labor is a part of the Mediterranean lifestyle and it also affects the Mediterranean Diet.

No matter what diet you follow and which oil you consume, there is no excuse of not exercising!

Myth 4: You can eat anything if you use olive oil

Again, olive oil is no magic potion that will change the nutritional value of food when added to it. It should be used such that it replaces the food that is less beneficial.

For example, you have to use olive oil as a substitute to butter and margarine and not use it along with them.

Even the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) comes with this statement:

Limited and not conclusive scientific evidence suggests that eating about 2 tablespoons (23 grams) of olive oil daily may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease due to the monounsaturated fat in olive oil. To achieve this possible benefit, olive oil is to replace a similar amount of saturated fat and not increase the total number of calories you eat in a day.”

Myth 5: All olive oils are equal and have the same nutritional value and health benefits

Olive oil generally comes in four grades for edible purposes.

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is the best and comes with the most benefits. Even EVOO from different companies and countries might differ in their nutrition value.

The lower or lighter olive oil might not give all the benefits that come with EVOO.

Myth 6: Olive oil is like wine, older the better

In fact, it is quite the opposite. Fresh olive oil has the highest nutritional value and this depletes with time. However, the olive harvest from old olive trees is more valuable.

Fresh olive oil will retain more of its nutritional quality. The polyphenols, which are one of the most important ingredients of olive oil, deplete, as the olive oil loses its freshness.

Read more about the polyphenols and health benefits of olive oil here.

Nutritional value of olive oil depends on various factors like how the fruit was grown, how ripe were the olives when they were harvested, what method of harvesting was used, how old were the olive trees, what processing method was used, how was the oil stored and transported, how was it packaged, and many other factors.

Wrapping Up

Olive oil is certainly a better choice as its nutritional value is much better than many other kinds of oil, but there are some who do not accept its claims and have critical opinions. Read this article if you want to know all about it.

Now, if you use EVOO, it’s going to cost you a lot, especially if you are not living in the olive oil producing area.

However, if you use it in lesser quantities, mostly spraying rather than pouring it out, it may last long and become cost effective.

The good olive oil can come from any country, not necessarily a part of the Mediterranean basin, like Australia, America, and South America etc.

There are different grades of olive oil and not all provide the same nutritional value or all the health benefits. Next time when you shop for olive oil, check out its nutrition label.

Not all claims of the health benefits of olive oil have been scientifically proven and verified. There are many myths about olive oil, which certainly works best with a particular type of diet.

However, you can even make your present diet healthier without the use of olive oil. You just need to make sure that your diet contains plenty of leafy greens, beans, fruits, and whole grains.

A girl eating a healthy diet mainly consisting of fruits and vegetables

Also, if you’re not a vegetarian, then have more of seafood and lean meat, and less of eggs and red meat.

Don’t forget that a healthy lifestyle with regular walks and exercises is a crucial component of any diet to make it beneficial for you.

I hope these facts and myths of olive oil will help you decide whether you want to make olive oil a part of your diet or not.

Over To You

Do you use olive oil in your diet? If not, why, and if you use it, have you observed anything positive about it? Do you believe in the nutritional value and health benefits of olive oil? Share in the comments.

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Disclaimer: We're not offering any medical advice here. These ideas are for educational and entertainment purposes only. Always seek a professional medical opinion from a physician of your choosing before making any medical decision. The information provided here is not intended to be a substitute to the advice given by your physician or another healthcare professional.

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  1. Hi Vinay
    I am totally astonished to read the detailed post about olive oil. Everyone should follow these tips in their daily lives for a better health. I enjoyed reading the post and some of the myths are really interesting. Thanks for sharing such an informative post.

  2. Hello Harleena,

    Olive oil is on my table every day. Being a Mediterranean in my origin, I do know that not all olive oils are the same. The less acidic the olive oil the better. One of the best type of olive oil is produced in Peloponnese. This is in South Greece.

  3. Hi Vinay & Harleena,
    I am using more coconut oil because the price is a little better. The article pointed out all the reasons to use an oil like this. Thanks for a good refresher. I think I will bookmark the article and pass it on to people who also need a refresher.

  4. Hi Vinay,

    It is nice to know so many good things about olive oil. In India we cannot use olive oil in our cooking as the price is slightly on the higher side.I like the smell and taste of it very much.

    Thank you so much
    Barnali

  5. Hi, Harleena and Vinay,

    Sorry I’ve been absent for a while – hadn’t been feeling well and was in the hospital, but am definitely doing much better and glad to be back on track. 🙂

    What a WONDERFUL article. As you know, my husband was born and raised in Italy, and I’ve also lived there, so we use olive oil for almost all of our cooking preparations. Extra Virgin Olive Oil is our favorite. We love it.

    You brought up some great points, and I learned something new! I didn’t know that olive oil contained Vitamin E and antioxidants! That’s really a wonderful added benefit I didn’t know I was getting.

    Will be sharing this excellent information out – thanks for giving such a thorough write up about it. It’s one of my favorite foods.

    Have a blessed day.
    Carol Amato

  6. Hi Vinay Sir,

    This is such a wonderful post about such a wonderful topic. Olive is such a healthy topic about not only the food aficionados but for everyone.
    And you have elaborated on the topic so well. It is a pleasant experience to go through all this detail.

    Olive is good for our skin, hair and also helps fight cancerous cells. You have created such a detailed and long post but I would still love to go through it a few times.

    I am a big fan of foods like olive and dates that fall in the super-food category. And I love to gain as much info about them as I can. I just love them!

    Thanks for this post. Will keep checking back as and when you post about similar foods.

    Have a great day!

  7. Hi Vinay,

    Great post about olive oil – I shared it on my “Health” page on Facebook. I agree with Sandy and the others about the heating, and avoid that.

    Loved the thought of Donna giving it to her dogs – if I tell me lovely daughter-in-law that she’ll be doing the same!

    Thanks for such detailed info all in one place. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

    Joy

  8. Hi Vinay,

    I use Extra-virgin olive oil almost daily, but mostly just for cooking. I’ve been to Greece many times and they use it for close to everything, and I especially enjoy it in salads. I’m not great at making food, so adding olive oil to various dishes hasn’t been something I’ve been experimenting with, but I probably should. The taste is awesome and the health benefits as well.

    Great article.

  9. Hi Vinay

    I must say tha you have provided a very resourceful material on Olive oil. I very much surprised about its benefit as I only aware of its spiritual significance.

    It is no wonder why it was a treasured ointment in ancient times. There are so many health benefits.

    Thanks for sharing.

  10. Vinay this post provided me with the info I wanted. I now know the different types of olive oil and the different benefits of it. I’ll definitely share this knowledge with my friends and relatives.

  11. Hi Vinay,

    I would say that it is a complete post on Olive oil which reveals its types, health benefits, and myths!

    I use a branded olive oil for cooking as I know that it fights against BP and cancer.

    But I understand its some more health favourites of Olive oil and good to know that it contains Vitamin K and E.

    We should nutritious food to stay away from various diseases and this post is an eye-opener for food preparers to utilize Olive oil to reap its advantages.

    Thanks for sharing some wonderful information for us, have a wonderful day ahead.

  12. Hi Vinay – the timing of this article is perfect. I have just posted about the chemicals in salad dressing and making your own. Of course, I included olive oil as one of the ingredients.

    I know of the value of Olive Oil but never have I read such a detailed, well-researched article as yours. It gives answers to questions I didn’t even know I had.

    I have been buying EVOO, mostly because it sounded the best, not because of any facts backing that up. Now I have the facts. Thank you.

  13. Vinay, I didn’t realize HOW good olive oil is for you! Thanks for sharing this incredibly informative post!

    I only use extra-virgin olive oil, when I use oil. So does my mom, and my son.

    It’s great to know that we are using the best kind! 🙂

  14. Hi Vinay Sir,
    Thank you for sharing such a well-researched and very informative article. Can never underestimate olive oil again! So many potential health, hair and skin benefits.It does a wonderful trick.I also love reading on how olive oil can be helpful in life.Thank you for this wonderful advice,I have book marked this post and shared with my friends.

  15. I adore olive oil, however I am beginning to adopt coconut oil far more because it has a higher smoke point.

  16. Hello Vinay,

    Definitely, Olive oil has so many benefits. Olive can keep our health good. If we are using it properly then hair fall and white hair problems can also be controlled. I suggest to people and family members to use Olive oil for body, hair massage but also for food too.

    Thanks
    Dr. Diana

  17. Hey Vinay,
    This is one of the most elaborate articles about olive oil I have read till date. I do use olive oil but the normal one (which is 3 rd according to the types you listed over there). The olive oil that is suitable for cooking is this one and so is the olive pomace oil. The extra virgin and virgin olive oil tastes good only with the salads and hence I use it only for salad dressing. That explains which olive oil I use and I do think it is quite nutritional.

    In fact, as I am trying to shed some weight, I have been recommended to use only olive oil but I completely agree by your statement that just because you are using something healthy doesn’t mean that you’re not supposed to exercise or things like that. People need to take care of such things and I loved your myth buster section in the post. Highly required.

  18. Hi Vinay sir, I am totally amazed to read this detailed post about olive oil and I think everyone has to follow these tips in their daily lives to get healthier.

    Until now, I was thinking that this is like other medicinal products but now I understand that this is a herbal product and also natural.

    Thanks for sharing such a wonderful and helpful post.

    Mohinder Paul Verma
    BloggingFunda – A Community of Bloggers

  19. Hi Vinay,

    Olive oil has been a part of my life for almost 30 years. Earlier it was used just for child massage and my hair massage but then the heart doctors made it more popular by advising each of their patient to use it for food. I have never made an effort to read details about it. Thanks for sharing such a well-researched post!

    Some of the myths are quite interesting. I enjoyed reading about them. Have a blessed week.

    1. Hi Balroop,

      It’s wonderful that you’ve been using olive oil for a long time. Yes, it is definitely good for hair and skin. It’s also good to use for cooking in moderation.

      So, finally you got to read all about it and I’m thankful that you shared your views and experiences. Thanks for visiting.

  20. Hello Viney

    This is indeed a classy post. And I must say, that I’ve learned some many stuffs about olive oil.

    I must confess that i do not use olive oil or have used it before, but i have seen my mama used it on my boy like once or twice… and my elder brother do use it for some food. that’s all i know about it.

    Thanks for the awesome post and do have a nice week both of you 🙂

    1. Hi Babanature,

      Olive oil is good for hair and skin and is used for kids’ massaging everywhere. You can try using it for salad and vegetable dressing – you’ll get good taste and health benefits too.

      Thanks for reading and commenting. You too have a great week ahead!

  21. Hi Vinay, I’m a big fan of EVOO and use it daily. Like Sandy, I don’t use it with high heat because of its low smoking point, but I don’t tend to use high heat very much so it’s okay.

    I love olives so this is one situation where something I love is actually good for me! I much prefer the taste of EVOO to the taste of almost any other oil.

    Thanks for this helpful information that will make a big difference in many lives, Vinay!

    1. Hi Carolyn,

      It’s good to know that you are a regular user of EVOO. I also think it’s not good to use olive oil for high temperature cooking like deep frying. But it is certainly okay for normal cooking and best to be used as dressing for salads and vegetables.

      Yes, its about the taste too. If you have a penchant for olives, you’ll like using the olive oil too. Though moderation is the key of extracting maximum benefits.

      Thanks for reading and sharing your experiences. I appreciate it.

  22. Hi Vinay,

    Being of Italian decent, olive oil is part of my daily diet. Extra Virgin Olive oil is the way to go. When I seen the picture you have posted here, it is the same brand I use.

    Growing up I’ve known the benefits of it and how much to use. So for me, I am a true believer having this in my diet.

    I even give it to my dogs. I see that their dander is not flying around and they have healthy coats.

    The typical American restaurant will serve you bread and butter. The Italian restaurants will serve their bread with a dipping dish of olive oil with herbs.

    This was one of my most favorite snacks as a child, dipping celery or any raw vegetable in some olive oil with herbs to give it a nice taste.

    -Donna

    1. Hi Donna,

      Yours is a precious comment and I greatly value it since it has come from someone who has been using olive oil literally for the whole of lifetime. Thanks for sharing your experiences as they are really helpful in understanding the importance of olive oil.

      Yes, olive oil if also good for hair and skin. Sherman shared his experience at an Italian restaurant just in the comment above yours. I think it is wise to use olive oil in place of butter. It might seem a bit odd and different to some, but then soon it can become a habit with frequent use, and a healthy habit to have.

      One thing I would appreciate from you is your view on cooking with olive oil. If you read a few comments on this post, many are reluctant to use EVOO for heating and for deep frying cooking. Do you use it that way at all?

      Thanks for visiting and sharing your experiences and views.

  23. Hey Vinay,

    This was a great article on Olive Oil. What brought me to this article was that I had olive oil with bread just yesterday in an Italian restaurant. So I figure I’d stop by and read about the nutritional facts about Olive Oil since I really have no clue.

    It was quite interesting and I didn’t know there were 4 types of Olive Oil. So now I know I need to concentrate on the EVOO. I really like the look of the mediterranean diet. I eat red meat once a week, but I mainly eat chicken and fish almost daily. I eat fruit just about everyday and I just added salads, and other vegetables every day. I tell you that you feel a lot better when you eat like this!

    Thanks for sharing this great information and i hope you have a great rest of the week!

    1. Hi Sherman,

      Donna too mentioned this in her comment just below yours – most Italian restaurants offer you olive oil instead of butter, as it is a healthy replacement. EVOO is great for salad and vegetable garnishing and using it for dips or spreading on bread. Best form of olive intake would be to eat the processed whole olives.

      You’re definitely getting better with your diet, and you’ll feel much better as you increase the portion of leafy greens and add-on beans and whole grains.

      I’m glad you liked the post and benefited from it. Thanks for reading and sharing your experiences.

  24. I am sorry for posting twice but I thought I would like to share this too. My neice who is just 2-3 months older is getting massaged by EVOO. They say it is good for kids. I want to know if this is a myth too as we should not risk the child’s health just assuming something.

    1. Swadhin, olive oil is good for skin and hair. Not only for kids, but even you can use it for massaging. So, your folks pretty much know what they are doing and they are doing the right thing. 🙂

  25. Hi Vinay sir,
    Olive oil is what I see everyone in the TV use. I thought it might be good but we always consume sunflower oil in the house. as for the parathas we use desi ghee which is again way too unhealthy. I wish I could explain my parents that eating such heavy diet is the only reason for obesity.
    This is really a detailed post on Olive oil and I guess it cleared almost all of my doubts regarding it.

    Seeing your infographic on Mediterranean Diet, I think I am inspired to eat healthy.
    LoL I never knew people wrongly consider olive oil as “the older the better”.

    Thanks for this insightful post which I think is of great value in our day to day life. 🙂
    Have a great week (and a cool one, as its too hot here).

    1. Hi Swadhin,

      All oils have some or the other benefits. The specialty of olive oil is that it is rich in anti-oxidants, has less saturated fats, and more of plant sterols. And it is one of the costliest oils.

      It is not very apt for the Indian style of cooking, however, there are a few olive oil products that claim to be suited for Indian cooking, which require high smoke point. But most people do not use EVOO when cooking at high temperatures is required.

      Desi ghee or clarified butter is again high in saturated fat and cholesterol, which should be taken in moderation. Ideally, all types of oil can be used but in moderation.

      Mediterranean diet is ideal which can be universally adopted and so is the Indian diet very balanced nutritionally – basically you need to eat lots of fruits, nuts, whole grains, and vegetables.

      Hope you enforce a healthy diet and cherish its benefits. Thanks for reading and commenting.

  26. Wonderful article Vinay. I love olive oil and although I do not use it to fry, because of he heat restrictions, I love it on almost everything else. Thank you for clearing up some of he myths.

    1. Hi Clearissa,

      Yes, olive oil does have some heat restriction in comparison to some other oils, but you can certainly use if for normal cooking and heating. There are conflicting reports but none conclusively negative so far on the heating issue. But if you read one of the comments above, Sandy did face a negative experience, so I guess we need some more solid researches and reports by the scientists on this issue.

      Thanks for visiting and commenting.

  27. Hello Vinay and Harleena,

    Thank you for sharing the benefits of using Olive Oil. My husband’s doctor recommended he incorporate olive oil in his diet to reduce his cholesterol but I didn’t know about the other added benefits. I will definitely be using it more :).

    Have a wonderful day and here’s to a great week ahead!

    Cori

    1. Hi Corina,

      Glad the post helped you know more about the health benefits of olive oil. Like everything in life, olive oil too should be used in moderation, but it benefits more if you adopt a diet on the lines of Mediterranean diet.

      Thanks for visiting and sharing your views.

  28. Hi Vinay sir,

    I never read such a detailed post about Olive oil before nor I knew that it had so many benefits if consumed. I wonder why I never saw them in the supermarkets. Maybe I didn’t paid much attention as we do not consume it. I will suggest my mom to read this. 😛

    Since olive oil is full of anti-oxidants that must be neutralizing the free radicals, thereby preventing free radicals to cause any damage.

    You have busted some interesting myths about olive oils. This post seems to be very researched rather I should say this is an ineffable write up. Thank you and have a great week. 🙂

    ~ Rohan.

    1. Hi Rohan,

      Olive oil has less consumption in India and the reason is its high price. You’ll find them in the supermarkets in some corner and they have few takers. Few years back we bought Olive Pomace oil and thought that we made the best buy, because we were not aware of the different grades of olive oil. For us, it was olive oil, and we treated them all equal. However, even the lowest grade of olive oil is costlier than the highest grade of coconut oil, at least in India.

      Every oil has some or the other benefits but olive oil is one with least disadvantages. It’s anti-oxidant properties is what makes it stand apart and shine. Flaxseed oil is good too and you also get oils that are a mixture of olive oil, canola oil, and flaxseed oil, bringing together the goodness of all of them.

      I had to leave out a few facts as the post became too long, so will think of writing another post if readers show interest in knowing more. But thanks for your comment and I didn’t expect the young lots or the ‘techies’ comment on a post about oils. 🙂

      Thanks for your comment and views.

  29. Great article Vinay. Although was are told that its good to cook with olive oil as they do in the Mediterranean I don’t now agree with that. Many health experts say that it should not be heated to above 180C (355f approx) as the fatty acids in it that are so beneficial may become damaged. I see many recipes that call for heating it to way above that temperature.

    I used to roast vegetables in it but I never heated my oven to above 180C yet a fatty acid profile done on my red blood cells showed that they contained some bad fatty acids which they said came from heated olive oil.

    Since then I have used coconut oil for cooking and saved olive oil for my home made salad dressings or simply drizzling neat over vegetables.

    Then there is the problem of adulteration that has been publicised a lot. Some unscrupulous middlemen were diluting the olive oil with other cheaper oils. The answer to this seems to be to only buy your olive oil from single family farms or small co-op of growers.

    1. Hi Sandy,

      You’re right about extreme heating of olive oil. It does cause nutrition loss if it is over heated and I’ve mentioned that in the post as well. However, a good EVOO would have high smoke point that is enough for normal heating. Of course, that would still be lower than the smoke point of coconut oil.

      I read many articles quoting different researches while writing this post and there are mixed opinions about the heating issue of olive oil. Many of them approved EVOO for cooking at high, but not very high temperatures. However, I would give more value to personal experiences like yours. Also, it depends on the grade or type of oil you use and the quality of the product. The market is also flooded with adulterated olive oil, which can cause more harm than good.

      Using olive oil to sprinkle over salads and vegetables is a very good choice, however, coconut oil is rich in saturated fat, which is bad for health if it exceeds limits, so that should be used in moderation. Though there are various reports that claim miracle powers of coconut oil, yet many scientific organizations still call to limit the intake of coconut oil.

      So, I guess the only way is to use different oils for different purposes, but in moderation. And the best way would be to use as less oil as possible in our diet. The problem of adulteration is there in all kinds of oils, so we need to be aware and learn to choose only the best oils.

      I think your suggestion makes sense to purchase your oil from the single family farms and small co-op’s to face minimum risk of adulteration.

      Thanks for contributing your wise views and additional information, it would certainly help the readers.

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