Difference Between Olive Oil and Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Olive oil is definitely one of the healthier and most expensive ingredients used by home cooks. Apart from cooking, olive oil is used in cosmetics, medicine, soaps, etc. But there are so many different kinds of olive oil used when it comes to cooking. For example, there is pure and light olive oil we use for cooking and then there is this extra virgin olive oil. People often get confused seeing so many options in the grocery store shelf, stressing about which one to choose. So, is there any difference between the regular olive oil and the extra virgin olive oil?

What is Olive Oil?

Olive oil is one of the prime ingredients of the Mediterranean diet. The historical origins of olive oil date back to almost 6,000 years in what are now Syria, Iran, and Palestine. Olive oil is made by crushing and pressing whole olives, and extracting oils from them. Spain is the largest producer of olive oil with millions of olive trees, mostly located in the southern region of Andalusia. Olive trees are wonderful and live for over a thousand of years. In fact, olive trees are among the oldest cultivated trees known to mankind. It is popular cooking oil and is graded by its level of acidity or free oleic acid.

What is Extra Virgin Olive Oil?

This is yet another popular method to produce olive oil that meets extra virgin standards. The term ‘extra virgin’ refers to the process used to produce the olive oil. The extra virgin olive oil is defined as having a unique aroma and flavor with median defects or equal to zero. It has an acidity level content of more than 0.8%, which is 0.8 grams of oleic acid per 100 grams of oil. This is in fact the highest quality of oil produced by the manufacturers using the cold pressed method. The olives should be cold pressed only once. It has reasonably good flavor and odor. The extra virgin olive oil is the most natural form of olive oil that comes straight from pressed fruits without the additives.

Difference between Olive Oil and Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Process

– Olive oil is made by crushing and pressing whole olives, and extracting oils from them. The main difference between the two kinds of oil is the process used to produce the oil. The regular olive oil is the refined oil that is undergone various processes after harvesting in order to neutralize defects in the oil. The extra virgin olive oil is the unrefined oil which is pure and untreated. It is cold pressed, avoiding any chemical or thermal treatment.

Acidity Level

– The olive oil is graded by its level of acidity or free oleic acid. Acidity is the percentage of oleic acid – an omega-9 fatty acid found in various animal and vegetable sources. The extra virgin has an acidity level content of more than 0.8%, which is 0.8 grams of oleic acid per 100 grams of oil. The regular olive oil has a slightly higher level of oleic acid, probably higher than 2% of the free fatty acid so it is processed to remove all the impurities to make it consumable.

Flavor

– The extra virgin olive oil is defined as having a unique aroma and flavor with median defects or equal to zero because it is the least processed olive oil produced to meet the extra virgin standards. The regular olive oil is a blend of refined olive oil and virgin olive oil that yields some flavor and aroma with some characteristics of the virgin oil. They have little to no aroma, flavor, or color, when compared to extra virgin olive oil.

Olive Oil vs. Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Comparison Chart

Summary

The extra virgin olive oil is the most natural form of olive oil that comes straight from pressed fruits without the additives and the level of oleic acid no more than 0.8%, which results in an excellent flavor and aroma. So, it is always advisable to use the extra virgin cold pressed olive oil that is in fact the highest quality of oil produced by the manufacturers using the cold pressed method. The regular olive oil is refined oil that is highly processed to remove all the impurities to make it more sellable. This is basically a blend of refined olive oil and virgin olive oil that yields some flavor and aroma with some characteristics of the virgin oil.

Can I use extra virgin olive oil instead of normal olive oil?

Yes. You can definitely use extra virgin olive oil because 1. It is more natural and least processed 2. More healthy and 3. It has an excellent aroma and flavor.

Can extra virgin olive oil be used for cooking?

The smoke point of the extra virgin olive oil is optimal, somewhere around 374 – 405F, making it a good choice of ingredient for cooking.

Which is better extra virgin olive oil or olive oil?

The olive oil that meets the extra virgin standards is surely the better one because it is unrefined and has an excellent flavor and aroma.

What is virgin olive oil vs. Extra Virgin?

Virgin olive oil is a blend of extra virgin and processed oils, with a reasonably good aroma and flavor, and with a free fatty acid content of no more than 2%.

Which olive oil is best for cooking?

Among the many kinds of olive oil, the extra virgin is best for cooking because it is the most natural form of olive oil and is healthier. Also, extra virgin olive oil can be heated up to 420F which is much higher than any other vegetable oil can handle.

Which oil is best for cooking?

The extra virgin olive is the least processed and the most natural olive oil with an excellent flavor and aroma. So, this definitely makes a great cooking ingredient.

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