Olive oil is wonderfully versatile, and can be used in a huge variety of dishes from dip for freshly baked bread to salad dressing to olive oil cake! But how exactly is this oil made, and is it as good for you as claimed?

I’m here to give you everything you need to know about each type of olive oil and its production, plus I’ll let you in on why you should think about organic olive oil next time you shop.

Finally I’ll give you all the info on four of my favorite organic olive oil brands to take the stress out of your next shop. Time to learn about the good stuff!

This organic food guide will explore what olive oil is, how it's made, different types of olive oil, and some of the best olive oil brands including a few that I've tried and love!

This post does contain some affiliate links. If you decide to make a purchase The Honest Consumer may receive a commission at no additional cost to you.

What Is Olive Oil?

Olive oil is a type of oil made from olives, the fruit of the olive tree. Yes, it really is as simple as that! While there are different types of olive oil, it all comes down to that simple fact.

Olive oil has been around for centuries, and continues to be a major part of Mediterranean cuisine — food that is said to be some of the healthiest in the world.

How is Olive Oil Made?

Making olive oil begins with harvesting the olives at the right time. When is this? Well, it all depends on the olive oil that you want to make. Ripe olives will produce a milder oil, while olives that are slightly green will give a slightly bitter taste.

Once the olives are washed to remove any debris, they are then crushed to extract the oil. This is a completely mechanical process, and traditionally, large stone mills were used.

While this is still done, modern production more often uses steel blades to extract the oil. It is this initial pressing that gives the best quality olive oil, and there is very rarely a second pressing.

When there is, this is generally mixed with virgin oil and then labeled “Pure Olive Oil” and oil that’s only used for deep frying and higher temperatures

Different Types of Olive Oil

Let’s explore some of the different options you might see when shopping for olive oil.

What Is Organic Olive Oil?

With organic olive oil, all of the olive trees are grown and cultivated without the use of pesticides, herbicides, or chemical fertilizers.

This means that none of these products will end up in the final product — the bottle of olive oil you’re cooking with every day of the week. With olive oil, going organic just makes sense, as the olive tree is already a naturally very hardy and pest resistant plant.

It really doesn’t need any extra chemicals for it to grow delicious olives, and it means that the wider environment won’t suffer the effects of these chemicals either.

For olive oil to be labeled as organic, it needs to be certified as such by a third party such as the USDA. Olive oil producers are not all created equally, so read on for the differences in olive oil qualities.

Unrefined Vs Refined Olive Oil

The two main types of olive oils are unrefined and refined. Unrefined olive oil is either the “virgin” or “extra virgin” oil that you’re used to seeing. It’s unrefined oil because the oil is pressed out of the olives mechanically — not using any heat or chemicals in the process.

This means that the oil typically has a lot of flavor, and it will differ depending on the region that the olives are from. It is often also called "cold-pressed olive oil."

A lot of olive oil that is refined is generally made from olives that are of a lower quality, and aren’t suitable for making unrefined oil. It’s “refined” because the oil goes through a refining process using heat and/or chemicals to get rid of any impurities.

This also means that it removes much of the delicate flavor and aroma that you would associate with unrefined olive oil. It is used more often in cooking thanks to its mild flavor, plus it has a higher smoke point, which makes it more suitable for this.

Refined olive oil is also sometimes mixed with other cooking oils like vegetable oil or seed oil. It is much less common to find refined oil that is organic, but it is still possible, if only heat is used in the refining process, with no chemical addition.

What Is Extra Virgin Olive Oil?

Extra virgin olive oil is quite similar to virgin olive oil in many ways. It is pressed mechanically without the use of chemicals just like virgin olive oil. With extra virgin olive oil however, there are some key differences.

The olives in extra virgin olive oil are of the highest quality available, and efforts are made to make sure that they are picked at exactly the right time, and that they don’t contain any defects. What makes it "extra-virgin oil"?

Extra virgin olive oil therefore has a lower acidity rate compared to virgin olive oil, and it must be less than 0.8% for it to be labeled as extra virgin.

Due to this, it is the purest form of olive oil you can buy, and therefore the best for marinades, salad dressings, and dipping bread! While it can be used for cooking, it’s better at moderate temperatures, so virgin olive oil is used more often for this.

Health Benefits Of Olive Oil?

Olive oil has long been praised for its health benefits. The Mediterranean diet is known to be one of the healthiest in the world.

While there are a number of different components that make this diet so healthy, the people who eat this way don’t shy away from drizzling olive oil on everything on a daily basis. There are a number of supposed benefits of olive oil:

Anti-inflammatory

Olive oil is packed with antioxidants that can help to reduce inflammation throughout the body, which in turn can help many chronic diseases.

Lower risk of heart disease

As olive oil has been shown to both improve cholesterol levels and reduce blood pressure, this in turn can lower your risk for heart disease.

Better digestion

All of those healthy fats present in olive oil can help improve digestion and reduce the risk of digestive issues.

Improved brain function

Some studies suggest that, due to its anti-inflammatory properties, olive oil may help protect against cognitive decline.

Healthy skin and hair

The antioxidants in olive oil may help protect against skin damage and improve the health of hair and scalp.

Are There Benefits Of Choosing Organic Olive Oil Over Conventional?

While in theory, organic olive oil will offer many of the same health benefits that conventional olive oil does, there are further things that you may want to consider.

As organic olives are grown completely without chemicals, or GMOs, organic olive oil is the healthier choice, as no trace of these pesticides or synthetic fertilizer will end up on your salad dressing.

In addition to this, organic olives are generally grown using sustainable farming practices, which is better for the environment in the long term and there will be no detrimental effect to flora or fauna from the pesticides used.

Organic olive oil may also contain higher levers of the beneficial compounds that make this oil so good for you, making the benefits to heart health and inflammation even better.

Remember, olive oil is best preserved by storing it in a cool, dark place away from intense heat or direct sunlight. We also recommend shopping for olive oil in glass rather than plastic bottles for a more sustainable option.

5 Organic Olive Oil Brands to Try

Now that you know about the different types of olive oil out there, and why it might be time to switch to organic olive oil, it’s time to take a look at four of my favorite organic olive oil brands on the market today.

You can find good olive oil at your local grocery store, or online directly from these brands.

Kosterina Organic olive oil great for gifting

Kosterina has a great range of olive oil suitable for a variety of uses. From cooking with heat, to drizzling over salads, there’s an option for everything.

Their Organic Everyday Extra Virgin Olive Oil has a mild, fruity flavor and peppery notes, and is made with early harvest date Koroneiki olives from small batches that are grown and harvested on family farms in the Peloponnese region of Greece.

This olive oil brand even shares recipes from their own test kitchen!

I've recently been using Kosterina's organic olive oil for cooking and have been enjoying the high quality. I also love how beautiful the bottle looks! The bold blue bottle great for keeping out on your kitchen counter or giving as a gift!

Shop Kosterina

Bragg’s organic olive oil kitchen staple

Made with Greek Koroneiki olives, Bragg olive oil is unrefined, organic, and extra virgin. widely recognized for its high quality and purity, all of the olives used are carefully selected and then cold-pressed to extract the oil.

This preserves all of the wonderful natural flavor of these olives, leaving you with a rich, robust oil. Plus, it helps to lock in all of those healthy fats and antioxidants!

Bragg is our go-to olive oil that we keep in our kitchen! I feel like it's a good deal for the price and quantity. Plus, it's easy to find in store and online.

Shop Bragg

Thrive Market’s usda certified organic olive oil

Thrive Market's organic olive oil is made from 100% certified organic Koroneiki olives. The olives are grown, harvested & bottled on a single estate in western Crete, Greece. Olives are crushed soon after harvest, meaning higher quality, fresher taste & lower acidity.

Their organic olive oil offers a bright, fruity, peppery flavor profile. Thrive Market's organic olive oil can be purchased in a 25.4 ounce bottle.

We have tried Thrive Market’s olive oil and it is great quality. I do think this is one of the more affordable organic olive oil options. However, Thrive Market does require a membership to purchase their products.

Shop Thrive Market

Primal Kitchen Organic Extra Virgin olive oil

Primal Kitchen organic extra virgin olive oil is known for its high-quality, purity, and exceptional taste. Sourced from sustainably harvested olives from family farms in both California and Italy.

They are carefully selected for optimal ripeness and then cold-pressed to preserve their flavor. Their delicious olive oil is perfect for dips, dressings and a finishing oil for all kinds of dishes.

Primal Kitchen products are Whole30 Approved, Certified Paleo, and Keto Certified which is great for conscious consumers looking for clean ingredients.

While I haven’t specifically tried Primal Kitchen’s olive oil, I have tried plenty of their other products. I’m always impressed with the clean ingredient lists and the high quality of their kitchen essentials.

Shop Primal Kitchen

La Tourangelle

A premium brand of organic extra virgin olive oil, La Tourangelle is known for its exceptional quality and fragrant and fresh flavor. This French company partnered with a California Olive ranch to bring high quality olive oil and other products to the US.

Made using traditional methods from olives grown in the Mediterranean, it has been certified organic by the USDA and is rich in healthy fats as well as antioxidants. They have a range of oils that are perfect for a variety of uses, so there’s something for everyone!

Shop La Tourangelle

There you have it, you are now an olive oil expert! This article has everything you need to know about olive oil, how it’s made, plus all of the differences between refined, virgin, organic, and extra virgin olive oil.

We've tried to represent olive oils from different countries, so you can try French, Greek, Californian and Italian olive oils to find your favorite flavor!

I hope that you’ve learned something new that will help you find the best olive oil and make all of your culinary adventures taste fantastic this summer.

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