10 Best Olive Oils in 2022 (Chef-Reviewed)

Danilo is an Italian chef who has grown up cooking traditional dishes under his nonna and mamma's tutelage. He has also worked in Italian restaurants in various countries such as Australia and Japan.

The skills he has acquired at home and in a professional kitchen have enabled him to preserve and expound on Italian cuisine while dabbling in recipes from other cultures. Read on to see his insight into the article! 

Having fat in your diet is always a controversial topic, and many types of fat are not recommended to be used as a beauty product. 

Just type in "fat" in a Google search, and you'll find that there are tons of debates and discussions revolving about animal fat, plant-based fat, nutty oil, and so on. However, one of the few fats that is approved as beneficial for your body is olive oil. 

Olive oil is extracted from the olive tree's fruits and has a high amount of vitamins E and K as well as essential fatty acids. However, what sets olive oil apart from other oils is it that it contains an abundance of antioxidants that protect the cells from being damaged by free radicals. 

Some of the notable antioxidants include oleocanthal (which reduces inflammation) and oleuropein, which can protect LDL cholesterol from oxidation. Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fat that can withstand high heat, so you don't have to worry when deep-frying your favorite ingredients using this type of oil. 

Because of its vitamins, antioxidants, and various benefits, olive oil is widely used in cooking as well as cosmetics. 

Olive oil can help prevent and treat some health problems such as atherosclerosis, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease. It can also regulate blood circulation and support our digestive and excretory functions. 

Additionally, olive oil acts as a catalyst to enhance the metabolism in the body and strengthen the bones. The high amount of vitamin A, D, and K, as well as carotene and antioxidants in olive oil assist support our immune system to fight against illness and free radicals. 

As a fat containing great amount of vitamins and antioxidants, olive oil can nourish and moisturize your skin effectively. Especially for those with dry skin, olive oil can soften and exfoliate your skin, slow down the aging process, and reduce wrinkles and stretch marks. 

Many people apply olive oil to their skin overnight to improve the skin's elasticity, giving it a youthful look. Besides nourishing your skin, olive oil can help prevent hair loss and tangles. Your tired, dull hair will become silky-smooth in no time! 

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*Please note that these products were chosen after extensive research by mybest writers. The choices are not necessarily affiliated with or recommended by Danilo Specchiulli.

In this buying guide, we narrowed down some aspects that you should look into when purchasing a product, including the type of the olive oil, the bottle color, shelf life, among others. 

There are four main types of olive oil: extra virgin, virgin, pure, and lite. Different types have their own pros and cons, so you should consider them carefully to see which type meets your needs and preferences! 

Extra virgin olive oil is extracted directly from olives. This type of oil has low acidity (often less than 0.8%) and the purest, richest taste. Acidity indicates the amount of fatty acids in an olive oil; anything higher than 2% is considered inedible.

This is considered the highest quality oil since it is raw, unrefined, and does not go through many production processes, thus retaining all of the antioxidants and inflammatory properties. As a result, the price is relatively high. 

This oil is great for marinades, salads, dipping, and drizzling, as well as for your hair and skin. You should not use this olive oil for deep frying, since the smoke point is only around 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Virgin olive oil, similar to extra-virgin, is not intensely processed. However, it has a higher acidity level than extra virgin, but it cannot exceed 2%.

Even though the flavor is not as dense and bold as extra-virgin olive oil, virgin oil is still great in terms of quality for an affordable price. Many people use this type of oil for marinades, salads, sautéing, or beauty care. 

Pure olive oil often undergoes various treatment processes such as refining. The final product is often taken from the second press, thus has a lower purity compared to virgin and extra-virgin oil. 

Compared to unrefined oil like extra-virgin, refined oil such as pure olive oil tends to lose a bit of olive flavor and color, as well as bitterness. Therefore, it contains fewer antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. You can easily find this type of oil in supermarkets. Usually, this oil is great for cooking, frying, or deep-frying. 

This olive oil has an extremely mild or light flavor since it has been processed multiple times. If you want some very mild olive flavor on your sauces or foods, you can use this type of olive oil since it will not overpower the taste of other ingredients. 

Some cleansing oils also use light olive oil, since it is safe for people's skin while pretty affordable in terms of pricing. If budget is your main concern, then light olive oil is an option to consider.

As a rule of thumb, you should buy fresh olive oil for the richest taste. It's also useful to pay attention to the harvest date. The more recent, the fresher it is! If you don't see the harvest date on the label, you might want to consider another product for safety and freshness reasons. 

You should also pay attention to its production method. Great olive oil should be cold-pressed with no heat involved during the extraction process since heat could remove the delicate aroma and taste of olives. 

A good olive oil should have a grassy, fruity fragrance with a pronounced green or bright yellow color. The taste should be peppery, bitter, and even pungent. 

Therefore, when choosing olive oil online, you should look at the review section and see if there are any comments on the taste of the olive oil. If people say the color is light with no bitter taste, then it's likely that the oil has been exposed to heat or light and lose some of its nutrients. 

Furthermore, many olive oils are infused or flavored with different ingredients such as garlic, herbs, or chili for a different taste. If you want to add some more flavors to your cooking, you can choose those products as well!

To retain its freshness, olive oil should not be exposed to heat or light. Especially for extra-virgin olive oil, you should look for the one with a dark-colored or opaque container since it will protect the oil from being damaged by light. 

If you still want to choose a clear bottle, you can put it into boxes or in a closed cabinet to protect the oil from light or going rancid. If you're someone that uses a lot of olive oil quickly, though, this may not be as much of a concern!

Official certification is also another aspect that you should consider. Olive oils that are certified by organizations such as California Olive Oil Council as 100% extra virgin tend to have better quality than others. Ones approved by 'AOC' (France), 'DOP' and 'DPO' (Italy), or 'DO' (Spain) are of great quality as well. 

Danilo says, "Want to get the best-tasting homemade flavored olive oil? Remember to always dry the extra ingredients you will be adding. For example, you can cut fresh chilis in half, sprinkle them with rock salt, and put them under the sun to dry. The salt will absorb excess moisture for the drying process. 

They will need about two weeks under the sun, changing the salt when needed. When they’re dry, place the chili into the oil in a bottle. Store in a dark place and let rest for two months. Every five days to a week, overturn the bottle to ensure a good mix. This process is like winemaking. 

What you get with careful preparation and aging is superior quality. If you don’t dry your extra ingredients well, they will grow mold when inside the oil and cause it to expire faster."

If you are hoping to find some options that can make your cooking life much easier, look no further! Check out our links for recommendations.

Author: Thuy Nguyen

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