Extra Virgin Olive Oil Myths vs Facts

We thought we knew everything about extra virgin olive oil, but that’s not the case. Just listening to the many common misconceptions that still circulate among people makes it clear how necessary and important it is to clarify some lesser-known or completely ignored aspects of the delicious olive juice.

In this article, we present an excerpt that takes the form of a true or false game, providing readers with important and useful information.

Understanding Extra Virgin Olive Oil, point by point.

Extra virgin olive oil is fattier than seed oils: FALSE!

All oils contain the same amount of fat and provide 9 calories per gram. Extra virgin olive oil is not more caloric than seed oil, and since it is more flavorful, a smaller quantity is sufficient.

Extra virgin olive oil is heavier and therefore less digestible than seed oils: FALSE!

Extra virgin olive oil is the most digestible of all oils, it has no contraindications, and it is also recommended in an infant’s diet.

All vegetable fats are similar from a dietary and nutritional perspective: FALSE!

Palm oil and coconut oil, often hidden behind the term “vegetable fats” on food labels, are rich in saturated fatty acids typical of the animal world. Therefore, the generic term “vegetable fats” does not guarantee their nutritional quality.

Seed oil is the best for frying foods: FALSE!

Extra virgin olive oil is more resistant to high temperatures. Among seed oils, peanut oil is the most suitable for frying.

It’s ok to use a frying pan to fry foods with Olive Oil: FALSE!

The wide and shallow shape of the pan causes the oil to have a large surface area in contact with the air, leading to rapid oxidation. It is preferable to use a narrow and deep container (e.g., a deep fryer).

Expired olive oil is harmful to your health: FALSE!

Expired olive oil is not harmful unless it is rancid, but it has lower nutritional characteristics and may have unpleasant organoleptic properties.

Transparent glass bottles are the most suitable containers for storing oil: FALSE!

Dark glass bottles, preferably wrapped with a metallic film, aluminum containers, or tin-plated or stainless steel containers are the most suitable because they protect the oil from light, which catalyzes oxidation very quickly.

Vinegar is a suitable product for cleaning containers used for oil storage: FALSE!

It is advisable to avoid such products as they can leave an odor that is easily absorbed by the oil. The best substances to use for cleaning and washing are caustic soda or unscented detergent properly diluted in hot water. It is important to rinse thoroughly.

Any environment is suitable for oil storage: FALSE!

Oil should be stored in environments with a constant temperature (+10 to +15 °C), in the dark, avoiding the proximity of scented detergents, cured meats, wine, vinegar, or other odor-absorbing substances. Packaging used for daily use should be kept away from heat sources, tightly sealed, and stored in the dark.

A genuine product is always of high quality: FALSE!

We could define genuineness as the minimum level of quality or a prerequisite for oil. The lower the values of certain chemical parameters compared to the maximum values prescribed by law, the higher the level of quality. For example, an extra virgin olive oil with an acidity of 0.2 is of superior quality compared to an extra virgin olive oil with an acidity of 0.8, even though both fall within the legal parameters.

The quality of extra virgin olive oil is exclusively determined by natural factors: FALSE!

Even anthropic factors, identified with olive cultivation practices and the preservation of olives before milling, have a decisive influence on the characteristics of the oil. Therefore, quality originates in the field and is preserved in the mill.

A high-quality extra virgin oil is also typical: FALSE!

A high-quality extra virgin oil is considered typical only if it possesses distinctive organoleptic characteristics (flavor, aroma, and color) primarily derived from the geographical environment and the varietal features from which it originated. We can say that typicity is the ultimate expression of guaranteed quality, especially in terms of territoriality.

Bitterness is a negative sensory characteristic of extra virgin olive oil: FALSE!

Bitterness is a characteristic taste of oil obtained from green or just harvested olives, so it is a positive trait.

Spiciness is a negative characteristic of olive oil: FALSE!

The burning sensation (spiciness) is a pungent perception characteristic of oils obtained at the beginning of the harvest from still green olives, so it is a positive trait.

The acidity of olive oil is perceived by taste: FALSE!

Acidity is not perceptible at a taste level, but only through chemical analysis, and it represents the percentage of free oleic acid.