Is Olive Oil Good For You?
Extra Virgin Olive Oil is a healthy fat made by extracting the naturally produced fats from the fruit of the olive tree. Most modern extraction occurs by crushing the olives (pit included) using a clean and cold mechanical process and then separating the water and solids from the oil in a centrifuge. The result is an unadulterated natural fruit fat: olive oil.
There are levels of quality to the final product. Generally speaking, unblemished olives that are treated with care and processed soon after harvest will yield an Extra Virgin Olive Oil with a pleasant aroma and positive health benefits.
Of course, not all olives are harvested in a timely manner or handled carefully. These olives produce oils of virgin quality or worse. The lowest quality olive oils must be refined in a factory prior to human consumption. These refined oils will have small amounts of Extra Virgin Olive Oil added before being sold with labels like Olive Oil, Pure Olive Oil, Light Olive Oil, or Extra Light Olive Oil. While not near the same standard as 100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil, because they contain some amount of EVOO, these labels above are better choices than seed or vegetable oils, like soy, canola, corn, etc. Seed oils by definition must be refined and chemically processed to meet food quality standards, and yet they still break down into toxic byproducts when heated. Extra Virgin Olive Oil is your best choice for a healthy cooking fat.