What to Look for When Buying Olive Oil

What to Look for When Buying Olive Oil

If all these options confuse you, here are oils suitable both for dipping bread or drizzling over food, and for cooking. Have you ever stood in front of the olive oil aisle at the supermarket and thought, “Why does this have to be so complicated?” So many brands, so many types — extra virgin, light, and just olive oil. Which one is best for cooking, which one to drizzle over sourdough, and which over tomatoes and mozzarella?

Are they all the same in terms of health benefits? And can you really taste the difference between a $10 bottle and a $30 bottle?

“Extra virgin oil should taste fresh, provide the flavor of the olive fruit, and also a bit of bitterness and pungency — meaning a peppery, warm, slightly sharp sensation in the back of the throat,” says dietitian Amy Keating, who leads CR’s olive oil tests. Oils should not have flaws like musty (damp, moldy) or rancid (oxidized) flavors, nor should they taste like made from old, fermented, or spoiled olives.

CR found 11 oils that met the taste expectations for extra virgin olive oil. Some, like Wonder Valley and Brightland, came from companies you might not know. Some were expensive (up to $37 for 12.7 fluid ounces, or $2.91 per ounce), but there are also budget-friendly options.

Other oils — including Bertolli, Colavita, Filippo Berio, Goya, and Trader Joe’s — varied in quality: some had satisfactory taste, while others did not impress the experts.

What Is Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)?

Olive oils are graded based on aroma, flavor, and chemical composition.

The highest grade, extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), must pass specific chemical tests. These oils should have optimal (low) acidity and UV absorption levels. High levels may indicate poor processing or lower quality.

Extra virgin oils should also be very flavorful, though the taste can vary: some fruity and nutty, others herbaceous or slightly bitter and pungent, and many a combination of these flavors.

The compounds that give EVOO its bitterness and pungency — polyphenols — also contribute to its health benefits. These antioxidants help combat cell damage that can lead to heart disease and other illnesses. EVOOs are also rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats.

Turning olives into extra virgin oil requires careful processing from the start. “Olives are harvested when still green but beginning to darken,” says Dr. Selina Wang, an olive oil expert at UC Davis’s Food Science and Technology Department. The olives are washed, crushed, and spun in a centrifuge to extract the oil. This “cold pressing” process preserves antioxidants. No heat or chemicals are used, so the oils are considered unrefined.

The next grade, virgin olive oil, is also produced without heat or chemicals but may have some chemical or flavor defects (though still edible) and is not as rich in antioxidants. It is also harder to find; while common in Europe, it is rare in the U.S.

Products labeled simply as “olive oil” are blends of refined oils with extra virgin or virgin oils. They have a milder flavor and fewer antioxidants than EVOO or virgin oils. “Light” olive oil is mainly refined and has an even lighter taste.