Olive oil is considered the liquid gold of the Mediterranean, and it has become an integral part of countless cultural cuisines around the world. There’s no shortage of research pointing to the benefits of cooking with olive oil. With so many types of on the market these days, StudyFinds wanted to know what experts believe to be the best olive oil on the grocery store shelves.
According to recent research, olive oil consumption has increased over the years — and for good reason. This long-term study also showed that replacing margarine, butter, mayonnaise, and dairy fat with an equivalent amount of olive oil reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease. When researchers compared those who rarely or never consumed olive oil, those in the highest consumption category had a 19 percent lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease, a 17 percent lower risk of cancer death, a 29 percent lower risk of death from dementia, and an 18 percent lower risk of respiratory disease death.
This is consistent with the plethora of findings published about the health benefits of a Mediterranean diet, which is rich in fruits, vegetables, oily fish, and olive oil.
Another study examining the blood and urine samples of over 600 elderly people over two decades found that the Mediterranean diet contributed to living a longer life. It has also been implicated in stopping Alzheimer’s disease, preventing frailty in the elderly, promoting healthy aging, and fighting off depression.
Health benefits aside, olive oil offers great flavor in cooking, ranging from roasts to cakes. To help you find the best olive oil, StudyFinds visited 10 expert websites and put together this list of the most-recommended products across these sites.
The List: Best Olive Oils Recommended By Expert Websites
1. California Olive Ranch
California Olive Ranch is one of the most popular brands due to its emphasis on freshness and transparency with harvesting. “This is because California Olive Ranch is one of the few bigger producers that always note the harvest date,” The Strategist writes.
It’s also popular for its beautiful color and mild flavor, making it a great option for versatile and aesthetically-pleasing cooking.
“Pour a bit of this oil out in a dish for dipping and you’ll see it has a stunning golden hue and a slightly floral aroma. As for the flavor, it’s incredibly versatile, ” Taste of Home writes.
2. Filippo Berio
The taste and texture of this olive oil makes it stand out, but especially when used for dips and vinaigrettes.
“This gold-hued oil was buttery and fruity with just a touch of acidity—the perfect balance for creating herbaceous dipping oil or tangy lemon vinaigrette,” Taste of Home writes.
It’s a blend from Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain, but together the flavors combine for a subtle note.
“If you’re the nitpicky person who doesn’t like oils too bitter or too ripely sweet, this is your Goldilocks (literally, golden). The neutral flavor makes it a great basic olive oil to get your pantry started,” Tasting Table writes.
3. Brightland
If you’re looking to splurge, Brightland has different flavors that meet your culinary needs. The Awake and Lucid varieties are some of the best-sellers, featuring a robust flavor and a lemony one respectively.
“This 100% extra-virgin olive oil is described as “bold and robust,” ideal for “roasting, sauteing, soups, stews and bread,” Forbes writes about Awake.
“One of the tell-tale signs of a truly great olive oil is how well it coats a salad and how few ingredients are needed alongside it in a dressing. Brightland’s bestselling Lucid olive oil is a clear winner here. Infused with lemon, this early-harvest oil is zesty and bright, and works as well with fruit and vegetables as it does protein,” Women’s Health Magazine writes.
4. Pompeian
This olive oil is mild, versatile, and affordable, making it one of the best overall options to add to your grocery list.
“It boasts a clean and simple taste, with both fruity and oaky notes, so it’ll bring out the flavor in whatever you’re cooking without overtaking it,” Women’s Health Magazine writes.
It’s great for dipping or drizzling over a salad, but the flavors get brought out more during cooking.
“It tasted great on its own but reaches higher highs when used for cooking. Catherine suggests using it to sautee cruciferous veggies like brussels sprouts or broccoli,” Taste of Home writes, including the thoughts of recipe developer Catherine Ward.
5. Pianogrillo Farm
Originating from Sicily, this oil is well-balanced and great for neutral cooking.
‘If you’re in the market for an olive oil you can use liberally, seek out one that balances spiciness and grassiness, as well as citrus and floral notes,” Forbes writes.
Though because of the varying environment depending on when it’s harvested, it may taste differently.
“Pianogrillo Farm’s olive oil tastes a bit different year to year depending on the year’s climate and harvest time, but according to Italian-food importer Beatrice Ughi, there is one constant: “Because of the soil, it always has the flavor of green tomatoes.” Ughi likes using it to prepare seafood, but a fruity olive oil can enhance the flavors of everything from white meats to cakes to vegetable dishes, making the last sweeter and more caramelized,” The Strategist writes.
Sources:
- The Strategist
- Forbes
- Taste of Home
- Women’s Health Magazine
- Tasting Table
- Active
- The Spruce Eats
- Food Network
- Good Housekeeping
- Bon Appetit
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Note: This article was not paid for nor sponsored. StudyFinds is not connected to nor partnered with any of the brands mentioned and receives no compensation for its recommendations.
I’m Australian and our home grown olive oil brands are as good or even better.
The writer of the article as well as the people who have commented in here have no knowledge at all about Oliveoil.
Greece produces by far the best olive oil. I can write a whole thesis about it but it’s not worthy to lose my time with people who have no knowledge at all.
Have you tried olive oil from the Holy Land?
It beats many of these brands, if not all!
Fact!
Not true, this article is misleading the public. The cheapest Spanish olive oil is better than any of the brands you have listed. Years ago Italians were bottling Spanish olive oil under their own labels. It’s reliably reported that 80% of the Italian olive on the market is fraudulent. Poor quality olive oil deliberately mislabeled as virgin or extra virgin. And for the California olive oils to be listed as number 1, that’s not true either.
As an olive oil sommelier, these brands are definitely at the bottom of my list. Please research producers and not brands. Olive oil should not be treated as a neutral fat but a fruit juice with as much respect as wine. If you want all the health benefits, it is not a detail to know when it was produced and by whom. Most of the brands you mentioned are “bottling” companies, not olive oil producers…
The cooperativa down the road from my house in Spain will beat all of these. Very surprised by the list. It is very well known that most italian olive oil is seconds from Spain and repackaged as Italian.
Imperial olive mills