Thinking Of Adding Olive Oil To Your Daily Routine? Learn Everything About Different Kinds Of Olive Oil And Their Benefits

Olive oil is believed to have originated in the region of Syria, Iran, and Palestine about 6000 years ago. From there it spread to the Mediterranean region and today, Spain alone fulfills 50% of the world’s Olive Oil demand. Olive oil is extracted from the Olive fruit by either a mechanical or chemical process and is considered excellent cooking oil. Moreover, it also has medicinal and religious significance in different countries since ancient times. Raw olives are crushed to a paste, then decanted and finally the oil is separated by centrifugation process.

Olive Oil contains healthy monounsaturated fats and it’s also packed with antioxidants which reduces the risk of chronic diseases. This oil has strong anti-inflammatory properties so regular use in cooking lowers the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, etc. Moreover, Olive Oil is helpful to cut risks of stroke, maybe effective to fight Alzheimer's disease, and can help treat Rheumatoid Arthritis.

The varieties of olive oils mentioned above are meant for different culinary options. Extra virgin oil is appropriate for salads; Virgin olive oil is good for baking, sauté and can also be used in salads. Moreover, Virgin olive oil serves as a good option for body and hair massage. Refined Olive Oil is not suitable for salads, but only for cooking purposes. Pure Olive Oil is strictly meant for high heat cooking and light olive oil can be used for baking or cooking minus the olive flavor.

Apart from being edible oil, Olive oil has numerous benefits for your skin as well. It can help moisturize your skin by reducing water loss, hence improving the glow of the skin. The antioxidant properties of olive oil protect your skin against environmental factors like dust and pollution. Vitamin A, D, E, and K present in the oil prevents premature aging and the anti-inflammatory ingredients help to heal wounds faster. Olive oil is also effective in lifting makeup, especially waterproof makeup.

Olive oil can be differentiated into six categories based on its quality, degree of refinement, level of acidity, and smoke point (the temperature at which oil starts releasing smoke). These oils also have different odors and flavors as well and are used for cooking and other purposes.

The best olive oil in terms of health benefits, EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil) is extracted by the traditional cold-pressed method which keeps the natural flavor, aroma, and nutrients intact. This oil has a maximum acidity of 0.8% which is directly proportional to the quantity of free fatty acids present in it. This olive oil is considered the best for consumption and can be taken without even mixing any other ingredient in it. Extra Virgin Olive Oil is expensive and generally used for drizzling, dipping, and salad dressings.

Virgin Olive Oil is extracted through the same method as an extra virgin, but it’s an unrefined form due to which the natural flavors and aroma are stronger than the other varieties of Olive Oil. The taste is milder as compared to EVOO and the acidity level of Virgin Olive Oil is between 0.8 to 2 %. This oil is considered good for drizzling, sautéing, baking, for salads, or while making sauces, but is not meant for deep frying. Virgin Olive Oil is good for low heat cooking purposes.

Refined Olive Oil is extracted from ripe and black olive fruits and has the least amount of nutrients that are beneficial for health. This oil is obtained by refining methods that don’t alter the original glyceridic structure present in Olives, so they still have the nutrients of Olives, but is low quality as compared to Virgin Oil. Though refined olive oil can be projected as better than the Virgin Olive Oil, but with an acidity level below 3% and high smoke point, it’s considered good only for high-temperature cooking.

A blend of EVOO or virgin olive oil and refined olive oils, the name ‘Pure Olive Oil’ gives an impression of high-quality olive oil, but actually, it’s not. Whenever a batch of refined olive oil is not up to the prescribed standard, it’s mixed with better quality (virgin or extra virgin) oil. The resulting oil has an acidity level of less than 3.3%, better flavour and a higher concentration of vitamin E. Though the flavour is milder as compared to EVOO or Virgin Olive Oil, Pure Olive Oil is still considered good for baking, grilling, cooking, and frying. This oil is also used for preparing massage oils and herbal oils.

Olive Pomace Oil is also known as Orujo Oil because it’s a blend of virgin olive oil mixed with a solid residue of olive oil called Orujo, which is obtained by chemical processes. It’s the least expensive and lowest quality olive oil suitable only for high heat cooking. As it’s mainly extracted from the left out of the olive fruit, hence, it does not have the health properties which are present in extra virgin or virgin olive oil. Apart from high heat frying, olive pomace oil is also used for cleaning purposes like furniture polish, etc.

The light olive oil has a lighter odor, color, and a neutral flavor along with a higher smoke point. This oil is also refined using heat and chemical processes and has no less fat or calories than a virgin or refined olive oil. It’s a lesser quality oil meant for people who don’t like the olive flavor but still want to use it for deep frying purposes. Light Olive Oil has a longer shelf life than the other variants.

Like most edible items, olive oil has its own share of side effects which can be caused by excess consumption or allergy to this oil. The major side effects which one may encounter are acne, allergy, skin rashes, not suitable for a baby or dry skin, blackheads, lowered blood sugar, gallbladder stones, diarrhea and lowered blood pressure, etc.