Olive oil is one of the main ingredients in the Mediterranean diet. However, although its use is becoming more and more widespread throughout the world, many are hesitant to distinguish its varieties and their differences in terms of quality.
When buying Olive Oil we have to make sure that its label comes with names and surnames. That is to say, if its label does not include: Virgin and Extra it is a sign that we are not buying top quality oil.
For an olive oil to be considered Extra Virgin, it must be produced from healthy olives, freshly harvested from the tree and processed (milled) under strict control of hygiene and quality standards, at room temperature and without additives. It also has impeccable organoleptic characteristics, i.e., without defects in smell and taste, and with an acidity that does not exceed 0.8%.
This last parameter is not related to acid flavors, as might be mistakenly associated with a fruit. It is part of its biological composition and a quality characteristic that is measured in laboratory analyses.
Therefore, buying Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) guarantees quality, flavor and health, since it is the best oil and the vegetable fat that provides the most healthy and nutritional benefits to the body both raw and for cooking.
There are different types of Olive Oil, and this can cause us some confusion when buying if we do not know in detail their differences. We can find the following types:
To begin with, those oils whose label does not include Virgin or Extra Virgin, are oils that come from blends of refined oils. This does not mean that they are “finer”, it refers to the fact that they have undergone chemical processes to eliminate important defects, neutralize odors and flavors; therefore, they become saturated fats, one more fat in the pile, with no contribution of nutrients or health benefits.
Virgin Olive Oil and Extra Virgin Olive Oil have in common that they are the juice or oil extracted from the olive by physical or mechanical methods, therefore, no chemicals are used, nor are they subjected to high temperatures to obtain them.
However, the difference lies in their biological composition (amount of free fatty acids and the presence of polyphenols) and in their organoleptic characteristics (presence of flavor or aroma defects). These differences can have their origin in different factors: quality of the fruit, time and form of harvesting, time elapsed between harvesting and milling, errors in the extraction process and inadequate storage, among other factors.
