Extra Virgin Olive Oil - What's it All Mean?

Whenever I go through my local grocery store, I am always confused as to the various types of oil to be found there. There are the various vegetable oils: peanut, corn, safflower, etc. There are the generic blended oils. There's olive oil. There's virgin olive oil. And then there's extra virgin olive oil.

What is extra virgin olive oil, and what's it mean anyway?

Olive oil is of course made from olives, that mainstay of the Middle East's agriculture system. It is used in cosmetics, medicines and soups. But above all, it has many uses in cooking, mainly in Italian and Middle Eastern cuisine, forming the base of many fine salads and bruschetta sauces.

Virgin olive oil is the next grade in quality. "Virgin" denotes oil that is relatively pure, and was produced without the use of any chemicals. This is very different from "refined oil" where chemicals are used to neutralize strong tastes and acid content. Virgin olive oil has an acidity level of less than 2%, and has absolutely no refined oil.

Simply the best, extra virgin olive oil goes one step beyond "virgin olive oil." Extra virgin oil is taken from the very first pressing of the olives, ensuring that it is the very highest quality of oil. It goes without saying that this oil is created without the use of any chemicals. Because of this, the acidity of extra virgin oil is very low, while requiring a large amount of olives. 2,100 olives are required to make 1 L of extra virgin olive oil.

Extra virgin oil also has the most flavor. Extra virgin is the oil of choice whenever making a salad, though many of its qualities are wasted if it is used to cook. Heat can change its flavor and remove it of its many nutritional benefits.

The highest quality of extra virgin olive oil has a buttery taste and can be used as a replacement for butter (of course) or as a bread dip. Of course, unlike butter, olive oil has no cholesterol. Substituting a little oil for butter in your next recipe can certainly reduce your risk of heart disease. It can be used as a daily moisturizer, hair tonic, foot softener or makeup remover. There have been reports of people using it as a cure for snoring or as a hand scrub.