Extra Virgin Olive Oil is the default healthy cooking oil these days. No doubt,

you've heard it's good for you, but do you know why or the different kinds? Learn their benefits and when to use them.


Nutrition Info

All oils have about 120 calories and 14 grams of fat per tablespoon. With those high tallies, it's always a good idea

to measure precisely when cooking to avoid sneaking extra calories into your dishes. Olive oil is high in

healthy monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs). MUFAs may help lower cholesterol when you swap them for the saturated fat

in your diet (like using olive oil instead of butter). Olives are also rich in antioxidants called polyphenols, plant compounds with cancer-fighting properties.


Types of Olive Oil

Olive oil is commonly available in extra-virgin, virgin and light varieties. Extra-virgin oil comes from the first press of the olives;

it has a low amount of acidity and is typically the most expensive. It has a green color and strong olive flavor, making it best for

dipping bread or drizzling over salad and veggies (more usage tips below). Virgin oil is produced in a similar fashion to extra-virgin

(from pressing already crushed olives) and it’s slightly more acidic.

Extra-virgin and virgin olive oils haven't been refined (oils can be refined -- or "processed" -- by exposure to heat or chemicals).

An oil just labeled “olive oil” may be a blend of refined and virgin oils. Light olive oil is often further refined to remove any color and flavor.

Don’t be fooled by the word “light” -- that refers to flavor and color only, not calories or fat (light olive oil has just as much as the other types).


Storage and Uses

Store olive oil in a cool, dark place, away from direct sunlight or heat (your kitchen cupboard or pantry is

perfect -- as long as it's not directly above the oven). Most olive oils have a shelf life of up to two years from crush date.

UP Logo Program Overview


Ultra Premium (UP) is a new category of olive oil that distinguishes the highest quality olive oil in the world. The UP standard was created by Veronica Foods in response to the growing need to separate high quality extra virgin olive oils from what dominates the so called “gourmet” and “premium” olive oil markets, as well as the broader category sold in mass markets the world over under thousands of brands and private labels. The absurdly low standards created and fostered by numerous trade associations and government agencies responsible for policing them has only contributed to the confusion and misinformation. EU producers are actually given a perverse incentive in the form of government subsidies to keep their oils in storage until market conditions improve. This practice clearly demonstrates the governmental complicity with retailers and bottlers to sacrifice quality for price. Lack of enforcement and testing by these trade associations and governmental agencies has led to a marketplace dominated by inferior oils and rife with adulteration. These practices by some of the world’s largest olive oil producers and bottlers have led to a steep decline in prices of extra virgin olive oil and are driving quality oil producers out of business.


The self serving overemphasis on “Where” extra virgin olive oil is produced continues to dominate perceptions at the expense of the far more significant “When, What, and How” the oil is made. The UP standard has as its principal barometers Chemistry and Freshness. These two underappreciated variables can be objectively measured, quantified, and certified. Since the highest quality EVOO comes from high quality fruit coupled with high quality production processes, the UP standard encompasses strict requirements for both the end-product and the production process.

No matter how high the quality of fruit and production methods used, the best olive oils in the world are never as good as when they are fresh. There are no standards for shelf-life of EVOO, and the current IOC “best buy” date is intentionally misleading and utilized at the whim of the retailer and bottler. When a quality EVOO is fresh, there is significantly more positive sensory attributes detectable by the palate. As any EVOO ages, it naturally oxidizes losing positive sensory qualities as well as inheriting defects. Newly developed tests can objectively quantify the “Freshness” of an EVOO at various stages in its lifecycle and are referred to as the “Fresh Pack” tests encompassing both the Diacylglycerol Content (DAGS) and Pyropheophytins (PPP).

The UP standard is reserved for the finest extra virgin olive oils in the world, as such, the UP grade exceeds all existing European, Italian, Spanish, Greek, North American, Californian, or any other standard for the grade known as extra virgin olive oil. In order to qualify for the UP grade, the extra virgin olive oil must meet or exceed a comprehensive set of Production, Storage, Transportation, Testing, Chemistry, and Organoleptic requirements as set forth in the following document. Instead of placing an overemphasis on what is less important (Terroir) to the detriment of the most critical factors (Chemistry and Freshness), the UP program is intended to reward farmers for producing high quality oil. The UP program is intended to promote Fair Trade practices and help create a demand for a higher quality product thereby increasing the value.