3 Myths About Bulk Extra Virgin Olive Oil [And Their Truths]

MYTH #1:  The color of olive oil is related to it's quality

Only 6% of the population knew this assumption was wrong!  In reality, the color of olive oil doesn't indicate the quality of the oil at all.  In fact, olive oil gets it's color from a number of factors, including:

• The olive varietal(s) used
• When the oil is harvested
• How ripe the olives are (and what color their skin is)
• The climate and weather conditions during the growing season
• How old the oil is
• If it's been stored properly

Tom Mueller states in his book Extra Virginity, “Don’t pay much attention to the color of an oil. Good oils come in all shades, from vivid green to gold to pale straw”.  It's true!  It's much more important to focus on the taste of the oil.

MYTH #2:  Light-Tasting Olive Oil Has Fewer Calories Than Normal Olive Oil

Blame it on the marketing and labeling folks...  Only 16% of people knew this was false.  Light Olive Oil, or Light-Tasting Olive Oil has no less (and no more) calories than normal olive oil or Extra Virgin.  The term is used as an adjective, to describe the taste and color of a grade of olive oil-- what's known as Refined Olive Oil in the bulk world.

Why did the world come to describe refined olive oil as Light, Extra Lite or Light-Tasting?  Because consumers don't love the word "refined" and it also isn't a good descriptor of the oil itself so marketers changed the name on the label.  

The oil itself is actually Virgin Olive Oil that has been refined to remove taste and color.  The result is a light yellow oil with a delicate taste that could replace Canola or Soybean Oil in recipes.  We know it as Refined Olive Oil, because that's how the USDA and IOC have both defined it.  But light Olive Oil sounds better, so marketers began labeling the oil as such, and that is what has been established over time to describe that grade of oil.

Needless to say, we're sorry to report that there is no low-fat or low-calorie olive oil option.  They all have just about the same amount, about 120 calories per tablespoon.

MYTH #3:  Like Wine, Olive Oil Gets Better With Age

Sorry to the 75% percent of folks that believed this was true.  It's not.

Olive oil is just natural olive juice-- really, it is the fresh squeezed liquid that comes out of the olive.

Wine, on the other hand, is grape juice that has it has been fermented.  The fermentation process causes a reaction in the grape juice.  As a result, that wine keeps getting better with age.  

But olive oil is not fermented like wine, and if you leave it to age for 25 years, you will not like what you taste at the end of that time.  It seems that because these two products are both a part of the Mediterranean diet and are often referred to (and eaten) together, their recommended storage advice has gotten a bit mixed and confused.

Here's our advice: buy what you can use within 6-12 months in a manufacturing facility or even less within your home kitchen.  And make sure that you store it properly!

Source: Attitudes & Usage Habits of Olive Oil Users in the U.S. Study

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