Are All Olive Oils Equal?
The short answer is no. With labels listing olive oil as Pure, Virgin, Extra Virgin or simply Olive Oil it can become quite confusing when choosing the right oil. Although there are several factors that contribute to an olive oil’s quality, we’re going to concentrate on what we find inside the oil that determine it’s label and health value.
According to the IOOC (International Olive Oil Council) EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil) offers the most health benefits. In addition to certain organoleptic or sensory properties, the IOOC defines EVOO as oil obtained solely from mechanical or physical means without using heat or chemicals that has a free fatty acid content <0.8%. What are ‘free fatty acids,’ and why does the level found in oil matter you ask? To find out, let’s get a bit nostalgic- think Magic School Bus - and take a dive into a drop of EVOO and look around.
Inside our oil drop we’ll see chains of fatty acid molecules, collectively called fats, floating around. In EVOO, around 75% of these chains are MUFA’s (monounsaturated fatty acid chains), with Oleic acid as the main MUFA present. Oleic acid has been shown to lower cholesterol, reduce inflammation, facilitate wound healing, regulate insulin levels in the bloodstream to prevent diabetes and promote weight loss, protect against Alzheimer’s disease, and even induce apoptosis (cell death) of cancer cells. That’s quite a list, right? We’ll also find chains of fat called PUFAs (polyunsaturated fatty acid chains). The primary PUFA in EVOO is Linoleic acid which promotes lean body mass, prevents diabetes, heart, and liver disease. The health benefits of these MUFA and PUFA fatty acid chains are astounding!
Notice however, that MUFAs and PUFAs are chains or links of fatty acids. When oil is exposed to heat, light, or chemicals; whether during harvesting and production or afterwards during improper storage; the bonds that link these fatty acids break, allowing the fatty acids to roam free. And in their free state, fatty acids do not offer the health benefits they once did linked together. In a nutshell, the less free fatty acids floating around, the healthier the oil. For this reason, EVOO must have less than 0.8% free fatty acid content.
And if that is not enough to convince you to include EVOO in your diet, consider a group of antioxidant molecules called polyphenols that we’ll also encounter inside our journey in this oil drop. Polyphenols are linked to lowered risk of multiple diseases including Alzheimer’s, diabetes, prostate and breast cancers, heart disease, and obesity. The level of polyphenols found in EVOO is depdendent on both olive harvesting times and the type or cultivar of olive. Olives harvested earlier and in more temperate climates have higher levels of polyphenols; as do oils produced from Coratina, Cornicabra, Maurino, Picual, and Mission cultivars.
Of the 25 specific polyphenols found in EVOO, Oleuropein, Hydroxytyrosol, and Oleocanthal are the most important. In addition to their health benefits, these key polyphenols are responsible for the flavor profile we specifically attribute to quality EVOO. That bitter taste in the center of our tongue is caused by Oleuropein, while pungency, or the the stinging sensation in the back of our throat is due to the presence of Oleocanthal. In general, the bigger the ‘bite’ the more polyphenols present.
So why does this all matter? Choosing an olive oil must become more than a pretty label and cheap price tag. Educating yourself about the qualities to look for in EVOO will give you the confidence as a consumer that you are getting exactly what you are paying for, a quality EVOO with a vast array of health benefits.