Fine Olive Oil Vs Extra Virgin Olive Oil - What's the Difference?

Why use olive oil? Where is it used? What's the difference among "virgin", "extra-virgin", "fine" and "refined" olive oil? Will olive oil loses its nutritional value when heated? How to store this liquid gold? Let's find out now.

Why Use Olive Oil?

Olive oil contains high level of monounsaturated fatty acid (mainly oleic acid), which, unlike saturated fat, does not adversely affect blood cholesterol levels and may even help to lower them slightly.

If you're suffering from constipation, eat this oil more often as it helps to lubricate your intestines and eliminate waste from your body, thereby curing your constipation. It also provides natural antioxidants (called polyphenols) that help to reduce your risk for heart disease and cancer.

What's the Difference among "Virgin", "Extra-virgin", "Fine" and "Refined" Grade?

Oil extracted from first pressing of ripe olives is graded as virgin. Extra-virgin simply means that the first-pressed oil is particularly low in acid - less than 1%. Virgin olive oil may hold up to 2% acid. Fino or fine grade is a blend of extra virgin and virgin oils, with an acid content not above 3%.

After first pressing, more oil is extracted in subsequent operations using a combination of pressure, heat, and chemical solvents. These refined oils may be blended with virgin grade to replace some of the flavor lost in processing, and are sold as pure olive oil.

In some countries, you may also stumble upon light olive oil, which has been so finely filtered to remove most of its color and fragrance (and flavor). It holds higher smoke point than other types, so it's best for high-temperature frying.

For best quality, we should go for "Virgin" or "Extra virgin" grade because they come with a fruity and rich flavor. And they won't turn rancid so fast and are more easily digestible than refined oil.

For nutritional values, they are the same. However, lower acidity oils, such as extra virgin, carry more antioxidants.

Where is Olive Oil Used?

Compared with other vegetable oils, only olive oil has enough flavor to replace butter and margarine for a healthier choice. Because of its pure state, extra virgin oil is often used as dressing in salads or dip for breads.

Refined or light oil is suitable for deep frying. It may seem expensive to use it to fry food. But because such oil is four to five times more heat resistant than vegetable oil, that means you can reuse it to fry foods many more times before it breaks down.

Will Olive Oil Loses Its Nutritional Value When Heated?

When heated at high temperature, olive oil will cause its alcohol and esters to evaporate. Esters make up the oil's delicate taste and fragrance.

So it seems logical to say that its nutritional value will retain even after heating. However, the fact is, the oil can break down easily even when exposed to light. So, heating it will somewhat make it lose its nutritional content, depending on how high the temperature is.

If you're so used to cooking with olive oil, I suggest that you use a cheaper type like refined / light oil for frying and then add a more flavorful extra virgin olive oil upon serving.

Will Cooking in Olive Oil Reduce Nutritional Value of the Food When Heated?

Heating food will break down its nutritional value. High heat such as frying is worse than moderate heat such as steaming, which is worse than eating vegetables raw. It is not the cooking oil per se, but the high heat of frying.

Most nutritionists recommend lightly steaming vegetables or eating them raw. A touch of flavorsome extra virgin oil added at the table will add taste and healthful anti-oxidants. This is what "Mediterranean diet" is about, which has been shown to help prevent coronary disease and have other health benefits.

How to Store Olive Oil?

Keep it away from heat, i.e. the stove, to prevent aging of the oil. Better to keep a large container in a dark, cool cupboard and pour a small amount into a dispenser for everyday use. For best storage, you should use a tinted glass container, rather than a transparent one or worse, transparent plastic container.

Alternatively, you can store it in refrigerator or freezer, which will greatly extend its shelf life. Do not worry about the crystallized waxes in the oil when chilled. All you have to do is to thaw or warm the oil back to room temperature to re-liquefy it.

Laura Ng invites you to discover more olive oil health benefits at iOneHealth.com, so that you know exactly how to improve your health dramatically with this liquid gold. Want to take your health to even higher level? Visit iOneHealth.com for more natural health solutions now.

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