To start off, you need to first and foremost appreciate that there are different olive oils out there and they are each differentiated based upon the type of processing that they had to go through.
1. Virgin Olive Oil
Olive oil that’s been classed as being virgin is one that has been produced by physical methods rather than using any sort of chemical treatment.
The absolute best stuff out there is created using the ripest olives which are taken and then ground up into a paste using either millstones or steel drums.
The only sort of processing that a virgin olive oil can go through is washing, decanting, centrifuging and of course filtering. Nothing else is actually allowed to be used on any oil that is labeled as being virgin.
2. Refined Olive Oil
Olive oil that’s been labeled as being refined is very low quality because it’s been made from olive oil that had impurities in it, and in order for it to be edible it had to go through the process of refining.
The process of refining usually involves using things like charcoal filters or some other similar process and while the end product will be more shelf stable, it will be void of any taste.
3. Olive Pomace Oil
This type of olive oil is created by taking the leftover bits that were used to make virgin olive oil and then extracting the oil that remains in it, usually using some kind of chemical solvent.
And while this isn’t really classed as being an olive oil because it’s not meant to be eaten, it is actually used as one of the main ingredients in many of the soaps you see in grocery stores.
4. Blended Olive Oil
The lowest quality olive oil out there goes by the name blended olive oil and believe me you’re going to want to totally avoid it. This oil is usually a mix up of some vegetable oil along with a bit of olive oil.
Again this oil will come with a long shelf life but it will also contain a heck of a lot more polyunsaturated fats and far less monounsaturated fats. So please do yourself a favor and totally avoid this oil!
5. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
The best of the best olive oils out there is something that goes by the name of extra virgin olive oil.
There is an official statement given out by the International Olive Oil Council which states that in order for an oil to be classed as being extra virgin it must contain at the very most 0.8% acidity and on top of that it must also taste far richer and deeper than any other type of olive oil on the market.
The really good extra virgin oils will have gone through the process of being unfiltered and cold pressed all of which will result in an oil that tastes a whole lot more richer and deeper than anything else out there.
Oh yes, you should also note that extra virgin olive oil also contains a great deal more polyphenols which are some of the best antioxidants you can put in your body!
Points To Remember When Looking For a New Olive Oil
You must understand and appreciate the simple fact that just because an olive oil has been classed as being extra virgin doesn’t at all make it something that is of high quality.
Your money would be far better spent on buying an olive oil that was locally produced rather than going for something that was made somewhere like Greece or Italy.
Extra virgin olive oils are very, very fragile by nature and therefore the journey they take to get across the ocean will result in the flavors getting destroyed to the point where you’ll feel like it doesn’t taste like anything.
But the good news is that practically every grocery store out there these days stocks at least one good quality olive oil that was made locally or at the very least domestically.
When you’re out there looking for a new olive oil to buy, you should treat the whole process much like you would if you were buying a new bottle of wine.
The first step in the process is to smell the oil. Doing so should give you a strong, fresh smell of olives with a hint of grassiness and apples.
I wouldn’t rely too much on sight because the color of an oil can very easily be manipulated. Rather you should pay most of your attention towards the one thing that truly matters and that’s taste.
Simply take half a teaspoon of olive oil, put it in your mouth and swirl it about… just like you would do with a fine wine.
Doing this you should get a taste of olives, grass, apples and perhaps even fennel if you’ve got your hands on some good oil. If you’re getting a metallic taste then it’s very likely that the oil is rancid.
The best way to get your hands on a good quality oil is to start experimenting until you find that one oil that you’re going to absolutely love. While this may turn out to be a long and tedious journey, it’s the only way to find that one oil you’re going to love.
However just because you find the right olive oil doesn’t mean you can use it in any way you want. You must know the right ways on using it.
The most important rule of is to ensure that you never use an olive oil to sauté something because this will totally ruin the delicate flavors of the food.
Rather you should cook all your food with butter and then use the olive oil to finish off the dish. This way you’ll be able to really enjoy the taste of the olive oil while at the same time avoid wasting even a single drop of it!
So there you have it, I really hope that this article has helped to shed some light on the various different types of olive oil that are out there and what you need to do in order to make sure that you get your hands on the absolute best kind!
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