How to Pick the Healthiest Olive Oil
For decades we’ve known about the benefits of the “Mediterranean diet” (fresh fruits and veggies, fish, whole grains, red wine, and olive oil). Modern science tells us that of those foods, olive oil appears to have perhaps the biggest impact on our health–but not just any olive oil!
Yes, we should always buy organically grown, extra virgin oils (EVOO), but that is far from the whole story when it comes to selecting the healthiest olive oil.
Read on for tips on buying the healthiest olive oil, our very favorite brands, and how to eat it to ensure you’re enjoying all of the health benefits this super food offers!
High Phenols Mean the Healthiest Olive Oil
What we should really be seeking in our olive oils is those that have high levels of health-producing high-phenolic compounds. Two of the very best are oleocanthal, a natural anti-inflammatory agent, and oleacein, a potent antioxidant.
Some of the benefits of polyphenols include:
As you can tell, high-phenolic olive oils are not only food, they are also medicine. But polyphenols degrade over time, so the higher the parts per million (ppm) of polyphenols is at bottling, the more polyphenols will remain in the bottle over time.
Optimally, you want olive oil that is less than one year old, but when properly stored (cool, dark place–but not the fridge), you could stretch that a bit if the ppm is very high to start with. The oil should also be bottled in dark glass to discourage UV degradation.
How to Identify High-Phenol Olive Oil
High-ppm olive oil has a pleasant peppery after-taste. If your olive oil has absolutely zero peppery burn to it, it’s likely that it has very low polyphenol levels, and is thus not the healthiest olive oil (although still not harmful).
There is an age-old custom of tasting the olive oil and seeing if it’s a one-cough, two-cough, or three-cough olive oil. Sensors found mainly in the human throat—but not the mouth—latch on to a chemical found in high-ppm olive oils. Coughs can indicate high phenolic content. This “cough test” is probably the easiest way to tell if the oil you’re eating has a high phenol level.
It is important to note that phenolic content will vary from year to year from the same manufacturer. However, if you buy a good quality brand of olive oil, it should have high polyphenols. Some olive oil manufacturers publish their ppm scores and/or harvest dates either on the bottle or online. These are typically the healthiest olive oils.
Is the Healthiest Olive Oil Filtered or Unfiltered?
There is one last consideration to keep in mind when selecting the healthiest olive oil–and this is filtered versus unfiltered oil. Unfiltered oil retains minute particles of the fruit in the oil. These particles can contain certain beneficial nutrients. But those particles of fruit also rot, causing the oil to lose polyphenols much more rapidly than filtered oil might.
Bottom line: if you can get very, very fresh unfiltered olive oil, you may gain some health benefits. But if you, like most of us, don’t have access to super fresh oils, it’s probably better to stick with filtered oils.
35 comments
Joanne Lacina
Great article, Suzanne! And thank you for bringing attention to the health benefits of polyphenols and their relation to an oil’s longevity and pungent flavor. With an increased awareness of the benefits of polyphenols, we found it important to state this information when available from our producers on our product pages on Olive Oil Lovers. While it’s not a required parameter in testing for authenticity, it is something more producers are testing as a quality parameter as more consumers look for high phenolic oils. And also thank you for addressing the difference between filtered vs. unfiltered olive oils – something that often confuses consumers. An unfiltered oil such as an early harvest Nuovo is excellent, as long as it’s consumed fresh and within a few weeks after opening; otherwise, as you said, stick to the unfiltered stuff for a longer shelf life.
Nikki
Thoughts on Braggs Organic EVOO first cold pressed? This is all we use. Thanks!
Sumiyah
Recommending to cook olive oil is unhealthy and does not fall in line with this website. OO does not have a high smoke point and when you cook it, you oxidize the fatty acids which contribute to a high # of LDL cholesterol and other inflammation in the body.
-also, thank you…I’ve been waiting for this guide for a while
Suzanne Weaver-Goss
It is not a typo but it can be confusing. You actually want the filtered because it oxidizes more slowly. Olive oil like many healthy foods is best when it’s first harvested and made. It begins to oxidize immediately so if you buy the filtered you don’t have to worry as much about the particles that are subject to rot. Does that make more sense?
Jeri Rand
In the “Bottom line:” section, did you mean to end the sentence with: better to stick with “filtered” instead of unfiltered, since filtered would last longer due to less particles subject to rot? Sorry, I’m confused and thinking maybe a typo? KIND THANKS for your articles and product recommendations. VERY helpful and informative. Thanks for all the work you guys do researching products.