Name: Olive oil, pressed from the fruit of the olive tree (Olea europaea). “Olive oil” covers several grades of differing quality — extra virgin (described on its own page), virgin, and refined “pure” or “light” olive oil, which is typically a blend of refined oil with a small amount of virgin oil added back for flavour.
Description
Olive oil production dates back roughly 8,000 years near the Sea of Galilee, with the Minoan civilisation on Crete domesticating the olive tree around 5,000 years ago; by at least 4,000 years ago there was already international trade in olive oil between Egypt, Greece and Crete. Olives were as important as wheat in the ancient Mediterranean economy, transported across the region in clay amphorae alongside wine.
Stone presses were used for millennia before being replaced by modern mechanical extraction. Today Spain produces more olive oil than any other country, followed by Italy and Greece, with production also significant across North Africa and, increasingly, other Mediterranean-climate regions worldwide.
Main nutrition value
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Like all pure oils, olive oil is essentially 100% fat and around 884 kcal per 100g, regardless of grade. Its fat is predominantly monounsaturated, mostly oleic acid, which is associated with favourable cholesterol effects compared with saturated fat. Refined, lower grades lose the polyphenols and antioxidant compounds that extra-virgin oil retains, though the basic fatty acid profile stays similar across grades.
How best to be consumed
Which grade of olive oil suits a dish best depends mostly on the cooking temperature and how much the oil's own flavour matters.
- Choose extra-virgin olive oil for dressings, dips and finishing dishes where its flavour and antioxidant content matter most.
- Choose refined “pure” or “light” olive oil for higher-heat cooking, since it has a higher smoke point and a more neutral taste.
- Store any grade away from heat and light, and use within a reasonable time after opening.
- Check the label for the specific grade, since “olive oil” alone on a bottle usually means the refined, blended type rather than extra virgin.
Overconsumption could cause…
As with any oil, the main concern at high intake is simply excess calories.
- Excess calorie intake if used generously, since a tablespoon carries well over 100 kcal regardless of grade.
- No specific health risk beyond that of dietary fat in general, given its predominantly monounsaturated profile.
Wikipedia — Olive oil, used for history and grading standards: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olive_oil
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