Most Commonly Asked Questions About Olive Oil
Are olives fruits or vegetables?
Olives are fruit, grown on the olive tree, olea
europaea. Olive trees have been cultivated for
thousands of years, and were already plentiful
during biblical times. Plucked from the tree, the
olive is extremely bitter, and virtually inedible.
Prior to eating, olives are typically cured, either
in brine,water or in oil. Freshly picked olives can
also be stir-fried to remove some of the bitterness
before eating.
Where are olives grown?
Major olive producers in the world include countries
which border the Mediterranean Sea (e.g., France,
Greece, Israel, Italy, Morocco, Portugal, Spain,
Tunisia, Turkey), as well as California and in South
America. It is reported that Thomas Jefferson tried
but failed to cultivate olive trees in his native
Virginia.
How is olive oil produced?
The traditional method of extracting olive oil from
the fruit is virtually the same today as it has been
for thousands of years. At harvest time, which
varies from region to region, olives are harvested
by hand, and collected in nets placed around the
foot of the tree. A day or two thereafter, the
olives are taken to the mill. Giant stones weighing
several tons are used to crush the olives and pits
into mash.
The olive mash is then spread onto thin mats. These
mats are stacked, and placed into a machine "press."
As the press applies several hundred pounds of
pressure, oil and water from the mash seep out of
the mats, and drip into collection vats. In the
traditional method, no heat is applied in the
pressing--hence the term "first cold pressed." The
oil is allowed to settle, and any vegetable water is
removed either by centrifuge or decantation.
Oil extracted from the mechanical pressing of the
olive is described as "virgin" olive oil, because it
is pure, unrefined and unprocessed.
What are the differences among extra virgin olive
oil, ordinary olive oil, and "light" olive oils?
Extra Virgin Olive Oil. "Extra" is the highest grade
for olive oil--the best you can buy. The virgin oil
produced from the mechanical pressing described
above may be called "extra" if it has less than 1%
free oleic acid, and if it exhibits superior taste,
color and aroma. Thus, the "extra" in extra virgin
olive oil means "premium," or simply, "the best."
Olive Oil. Ordinary "olive oil" is actually a
blended oil product. Olive oil producers start with
low quality virgin olive oils. For these oils to be
fit for consumption, they must be refined using
mechanical, thermal and/or chemical processes. The
resulting "refined olive oil" is largely colorless
and tasteless. Before the resulting product is sold
as "olive oil," the producer blends into the refined
olive oil a percentage of quality virgin olive oil
to provide color and taste.
"Light" or "Mild" Olive Oil. Light olive oil is a
variation on ordinary olive oil. Producers of this
product use a highly refined olive oil, and add less
quality virgin oil than that typically used to blend
olive oil. The only thing "light" about light olive
oil is the taste and color; it has the same caloric
and fat content as other oils.
Olive-Pomace Oil. Olive-pomace oil is the residue
oil that is extracted by chemical solvents from
previously pressed olive mash. This oil must be
highly-refined to remove chemical impurities. Like
ordinary olive oil, refined olive-pomace oil is
enriched with virgin olive oil prior to sale.
Olive Oil Blends. Olive oil blends (e.g., canola oil
enriched with some virgin olive oil) are sometimes
used as a more economical substitute for olive oil
(but not as a substitute for extra virgin olive
oil). Because the production of good olive oil is
labor intensive--the olives must essentially be
picked by hand--the resulting product is more
expensive than other vegetable oils. To offer a more
economical product with some of the goodness of
olive oil, some companies make olive oil blends. In
an olive oil blend, the producer uses a base of a
less expensive vegetable oil (e.g. canola oil) to
which it adds a percentage (e.g. 25%) of virgin
olive oil. These products have proven particularly
attractive to restaurant and institutional
purchasers where the small savings per tablespoon
results in big savings due to the large volume they
purchase.
What is the difference between filtered and
unfiltered extra virgin olive oil?
Extra virgin oil may be consumed either in a
filtered or unfiltered state. Filtration is the
process by which the microscopic bits of the fruit
of the olive are removed from the oil. Unfiltered
oil will be cloudy until it settles to the bottom.
Some consider unfiltered oil superior because of the
added flavor from the fruit, while others say it
shortens the oil's shelf life. Ultimately, it is a
matter of personal preference.
Are all extra virgin olive oils the same?
No. Like wines, extra virgin olive oils can vary
dramatically in taste, depending upon the type and
quality of the fruit that is pressed, the time of
harvest, the weather during the growing season, and
the region from which the olives were produced.
Connoisseurs generally use the following adjectives
in appraising extra virgin olive oils: mild,
semi-fruity and fruity, depending on the flavor of
the olive that can be detected. Further, some oils,
such as the finer oils from Tuscany and Southern
Italy, have a peppery finish that many appreciate.
What are the nutritional components?
A tablespoon of olive oil contains 120 calories, 14
grams of fat, and no cholesterol. Seventy seven
percent (77%) of the fat in olive oil is
monounsaturated, and nine percent (9%) is
polyunsaturated fat; fourteen percent (14%) is
vegetable-derived saturated fat. Virgin olive oils
also contain the antioxidants beta-carotene and
Vitamin E, as well as the phenolic compounds tyrosol
and hydroxytyrosol.
What makes olive oil a superior product to other
oils?
Three things make olive oil superior to vegetable
oils: taste, nutrition and integrity.
Taste is the most obvious difference between olive
oil and the commercially popular vegetable oils such
as corn, soybean and canola oils. These oils are
tasteless fats. You would not want to eat a piece of
bread dipped in vegetable oil; for the same basic
reason, many chefs refrain from adding tasteless fat
to the foods they prepare. When you cook with oil,
get the most flavor and texture you can.
Olive oil, especially extra virgin olive oil, adds a
flavor and textural dimension lacking in other oils,
making it a suitable substitute for butter and
margarine in almost any recipe. In fact, more and
more restaurants are serving extra virgin olive oil,
both plain or flavored with salt and pepper, as an
alternative to butter for bread.
Nutritionally, olive oil contains more
monounsaturated fat than any of the popular
vegetable oils. For more information on the
nutritional qualities of olive oil versus other oils
and fats, please refer to the last chapter in this
booklet.
Moreover, vegetable oils are industrial, processed
foods. Vegetable oils are generally extracted by
means of petroleum-based chemical solvents, and then
must be highly refined to remove impurities. Along
with the impurities, refining removes taste, color
and nutrients.
Extra virgin olive oils are not processed or
refined. It is said that you do not make extra
virgin olive oil, you find it. Extra virgin olive
oil is essentially "fresh squeezed" from the fruit
of the olive tree, without alteration of the color,
taste, and nutrients or vitamins. Because of the
integrity of the product, and its antioxidant
components, olive oil will keep longer than all
other vegetable oils.
How does olive oil compare with butter or margarine?
Butter and margarine are essentially fats like
cooking oils. A tablespoon of ordinary butter
contains twelve grams of fat, of which 8 grams (66%)
are saturated fat. In addition, a serving of butter
contains 33 mgs of cholesterol.
Saturated fat and cholesterol have been linked to
increased levels of low density lipoproteins (LDLs)--the
"bad cholesterol." Thus, compared to butter, a
serving of olive oil contains much less saturated
fat (only 2 grams) and no cholesterol. The
comparison with margarine is more difficult because
the fat breakdown in margarines varies by
manufacturer and ingredient. Margarine typically
contains approximately 10 grams of fat per
tablespoon. However, to solidify the vegetable oils
used to make margarine, the oils have to be
hydrogenized. In the hydrogenization process, trans
fatty acids are created. Trans fatty acids have a
double whammy effect of increasing LDLs and lowering
the high density lipoproteins (HDLs)--the "good
cholesterol" (see discussion of health issues in
last chapter of this booklet).
Can olive oil be used to replace butter and
margarine in recipes?
Yes! Butter and margarine have a pleasant taste, and
there are certain uses of butter and margarine for
which there is no satisfactory replacement in the
American Diet--buttered toast at breakfast comes to
mind. ?Extra Virgin Olive Oil has been described as
"buttery" by many consumers in taste tests. Extra
Virgin Olive Oil can be used in place of butter or
margarine in many recipes, such as on vegetables,
rice, potatoes, and--yes--even corn on the cob.
How do you store olive oil?
Olive oil should be stored in a cool, dark place.
Properly stored, olive oil can keep for at least two
years. It is, however, at its peak within a year of
production, and is its most flavorful for the first
two months. Olive oil should not be stored in the
refrigerator. If chilled, olive oil will become
cloudy and eventually solidify or crystallize.
Should this happen, the oil is perfectly fine; just
leave the oil at room temperature for a time to
restore it to its natural state.
Can olive oil be used in baking recipes that call
for butter, margarine, vegetable oil or shortening?
Yes! Try olive oil in your muffin and cake and
cornbread recipes (but not in recipes in which
butter is the principal flavor like butter cookies
or pound cake).
Can olive oil be used to "grease" a pan in place of
butter or vegetable oil?
Yes!
Can avacado oil or macadamia nut oil be used in
place of olive oil?
Yes! These relatively new oils are very healthy and
taste great too! We like to use avacado oil in salad
dressings and pan fried potatoes. We use the
macadamia nut oil on broiled fish and asparagus.
Are olives fruits or vegetables?
Olives are fruit, grown on the olive tree, olea
europaea. Olive trees have been cultivated for
thousands of years, and were already plentiful
during biblical times. Plucked from the tree, the
olive is extremely bitter, and virtually inedible.
Prior to eating, olives are typically cured, either
in brine,water or in oil. Freshly picked olives can
also be stir-fried to remove some of the bitterness
before eating.
Where are olives grown?
Major olive producers in the world include countries
which border the Mediterranean Sea (e.g., France,
Greece, Israel, Italy, Morocco, Portugal, Spain,
Tunisia, Turkey), as well as California and in South
America. It is reported that Thomas Jefferson tried
but failed to cultivate olive trees in his native
Virginia.
How should olive oil be stored?
It is recommended that olive oil be stored in a
dark, cool area such as a cupboard away from heat or
direct light.
What is the shelf life of olive oil?
Olive oil is best consumed within one to two years
of pressing.
Approximately how many pounds of olives would be
found on an average tree?
This varies a great deal, but approximately 30-200
pounds are produced from the average mature olive
tree. There are many variables.
How many gallons of olive oil could be made from an
average mature tree?
Approximately 2/3 to 4½ gallons of oil per tree.
Do some varieties have higher oil content than
others?
Yes, there is a great span with regard to percentage
of oil from the fruit among the different cultivars.
The range is approximately 12-28%. Examples are
Arbequina (25-27%), Barouni (13-18%), Frantoio
(23-26%), Mission (19-24%), and Pendolino (20-25%).
Are the olives picked when they are green?
No, for oil the best maturity stage for ripe fruit
flavor and good keeping quality is as the fruit is
turning from yellow/green to purple on the outside
skin and before the pulp turns black. Table olives
are picked green and firm. But olives are also
picked at all the other stages of ripeness depending
on your desired style of oil.