HOW TO BUY THE BEST EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

I am often told by those attending our Extra Virgin Olive Oil Tasting Tours of the difficulties in selecting the best extra virgin olive oil or even just a good olive oil when they shop at home.

They are not familiar with the brands, nor can they meaningfully translate the information on the label into helpful knowledge.

So, invariably, their selection is based on price or packaging, or what a famous chef recommends. Regrettably, they do not know what is meant by EXTRA VIRGIN, how to decipher the label, or simply decide if the quality of the oil will be good.

So, as  I am a certified extra virgin olive oil taster I have put together some information, and ten basic rules which will help you to choose the best Extra Virgin Olive Oil (“EVOO”) in the store where you shop.

where to buy best olive oil

BENEFITS OF EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL (VS OTHER OILS)

First of all, contrary to other oils, extra virgin olive oil has lots of health benefits, which make it the best fat to be used both raw and for cooking.

It is rich in monounsaturated fats (the good ones!). Many other oils are rich in saturated fats (which are bad for us!).

Lots of medical research has proven that using not more than 4 tbsp of evoo per day can reduce risks of several heart diseases.

Extra virgin olive oil is also rich in antioxidants which help protect cells from damage.

Moreover, EVOO is extracted only by physical means, contrary to many other oils which need chemical solvents to be extracted or to be refined!

Finally, to enhance food’s nutrients and flavors you should never cook at high flame. This means that it’s not really important that the EVOO does not have the highest smoke point  (even though it is already pretty high!).

WHAT DOES “EXTRA VIRGIN” OLIVE OIL MEAN?

When you buy olive oil you should always look for the two MAGIC words EXTRA and VIRGIN on the label or COLD PRESSE.

OLIVE OIL (without those two words), PURE OLIVE OIL, or LIGHT OLIVE OIL are completely different oils as they are refined using chemicals! Not only are they refined with chemicals but also at very high temperature destroying most nutritional values.

An olive oil which is extra and virgin is a PERFECT olive oil. What makes it perfect is the combination of extraction without chemicals (only with a machine), extraction at low temperature, a low acidity level AND zero defects at the organoleptic test conducted by a panel of certified extra virgin olive oil tasters.

To be extra virgin (or perfect) olive oil these things have to happen all at the same time.

So this means that the olive oil may be extracted at low temperatue and with machines….and still not be extra virgin because at the organoleptic test it has many defects. In this case we call it VIRGIN OLIVE OIL because it is not perfect (but it still ok to eat as it is not refined with chemicals).

In order to receive a complete guide contact me specifying in the message that you are interested in learning more about extra virgin olive oil.

You will learn how to buy the best extra virgin olive oil, the meaning of cold pressed and extra virgin, how to taste it, what the best oil for cooking or frying is, all the health benefits of using the best olive oil and the difference between extra virgin olive oil and all other oils: from avocado oil, sunflower oil to coconut oil, safflower oil, grapeseed oil etc.