Which is the best olive oil to use?

[Zyni]

Virgin, extra virgin, etc., I'm not sure which one is the best to use? I presume that these descriptions have more to do with the flavor of the oil. Which one tastes the best, if you have a preference? Which one is the healthiest? Is there a difference, health wise?

 

[Morning Glory]

Virgin, extra virgin, etc., I'm not sure which one is the best to use? I presume that these descriptions have more to do with the flavor of the oil. Which one tastes the best, if you have a preference? Which one is the healthiest? Is there a difference, health wise?

No difference health wise. For cooking its not worth using extra virgin. Otherwise use what you like and can afford! They all taste different depending on the way they are pressed, the type of olives used, the region etc. etc.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I presume that these descriptions have more to do with the flavor of the oil. Which one tastes the best, if you have a preference

The differences are down to the grades of oil and when and how it is extracted from the olives.

Cold pressed extra virgin is from the first pressing where no heat is used to get the oil from the olive. This will be the darkest green of the olive oils.

From there you gradually go down to the palest of the olive oils where heat has been applied to the remains of the previously pressed olives. Heat allows the producers to extract as much olive as possible from the olive remains. This is the very pale olive oil.

A further complication to life is the equivalent of of vintage champagnes where the oil can be from a certain region or even oil groveand finally whether the oil is from green olives or black olives. It is possible to get olive oil from black olives.

 

[winterybella]

Great question @Zyni. I have not researched it recently but I am happy to listen to the experts here. Honestly I have not had any kind of olive oil for a month or two as it's quite expensive here. Besides that I had heard the conversation where olive was not as great as everyone was suggesting.

 

[Zyni]

Great question @Zyni. I have not researched it recently but I am happy to listen to the experts here. Honestly I have not had any kind of olive oil for a month or two as it's quite expensive here. Besides that I had heard the conversation where olive was not as great as everyone was suggesting.

It is pretty pricey, but I don't go through a lot of it, so I guess it would be worth it (if the health benefits are real). I've heard that we shouldn't bother buying the cheaper stuff though, that it's really not good and does not provide the same benefits. As noted above, the processes for making it are different as well. I need to do some more reading before I make further purchases, I guess.

 

[Zyni]

There is a Spanish shop in Portobello Road (London) where they buy good Spanish oil in big amounts (5l, for example) so it ends being more or less same price as in a regular supermarket but it's definitely better quality. I bought a bottle a week ago, completely different stuff

I'm all for bulk discounts when applicable. I don't use enough oil (my family is shrinking) for such a large purchase to be prudent. Often, I'm only cooking for 3 or less these days. I'll just have to catch some sales or coupons.

 

[beasleym1989]

Thank you for asking this question! I always wondered what the differences were, but never really thought to research it myself. It looks like from this discussion, I need to be spending a little bit more on my olive oil and get a better quality in order to get the benefits.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Thank you for asking this question! I always wondered what the differences were, but never really thought to research it myself. It looks like from this discussion, I need to be spending a little bit more on my olive oil and get a better quality in order to get the benefits.

Curiously there was recently a health study from the BBC that shows you don't need to spend loads of money on expensive olive oil to get the health benefits from using it. They have found the same reduction in certain urine factors and increase in heart health from taking any type of olive oil (20ml raw olive oil consumed daily never heated). It must not be heated in any manner and was compared to taking various other oils. So it would appear that simply using olive oil of any type (cold pressed that is, so that it is raw) would be of benefit. The cold pressed bit appears to be important though because heating olive oil is based for it.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/tWtLcz30LZm3YTk5VfZ307/is-olive-oil-really-good-for-me