Healthy Fats · Foods That Heal

Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Benefits, Best Type, Cooking & Side Effects

A physician's guide to extra virgin olive oil: what the heart, longevity and brain research shows, what makes a bottle truly extra virgin, how to cook with it, how much to use, and how to buy a good one.

By Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CNS·18-min read

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Evidence-based34 sources citedUpdated September 23, 2026

Published Jun 17, 2026Last updated Sep 26, 2026Editorial policyMedical review policyFact-checking policy

Extra virgin olive oil comes from the fruit of the olive tree (Olea europaea), pressed and spun without refining.

The Dr. Axe Score™

9.0/10

Overall Dr. Axe Score · Extra Virgin Olive Oil

An editorial assessment by the DrAxe.com team, not a clinical measurement.

Scientific Evidence

9.5/10

A large diet trial with extra virgin olive oil, a polyphenol trial, and very large cohorts.

Antioxidant & Anti-Inflammatory

9.3/10

Rich in polyphenols like oleocanthal and hydroxytyrosol, which refining removes.

Clinical Effectiveness

9.2/10

Our judgment of practical usefulness: an easy daily swap with consistent human evidence.

Nutrient Density

7.8/10

Excellent fat quality plus vitamins E and K, but a concentrated fat, not a broad nutrient source.

Why this score?

Why Extra Virgin Olive Oil scores 9.0 / 10

A Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra virgin olive oil lowered a combined measure of heart attack, stroke and cardiovascular death by about 30% in the PREDIMED trial.
In 92,383 U.S. adults, more than half a tablespoon of olive oil a day was linked to 19% lower total mortality.
In a randomized trial, olive oil's polyphenols protected LDL cholesterol from oxidation, and the EU authorizes a health claim for oils rich in them.
In lab testing, its oleocanthal inhibits the same inflammatory enzymes as ibuprofen.
How the score works: Scientific Evidence rates the amount and quality of human, animal and lab research; Antioxidant & Anti-Inflammatory Power and Nutrient Density reflect measured composition and trial findings; Clinical Effectiveness is our judgment of real-world usefulness, informed by human studies, traditional use and Dr. Axe's clinical experience. These are editorial ratings, not validated clinical measurements.
Weighting: Evidence 30% · Antioxidant & Anti-Inflammatory 25% · Clinical Effectiveness 25% · Nutrient Density 20% (9.5×0.30 + 9.3×0.25 + 9.2×0.25 + 7.8×0.20 = 9.035, shown as 9.0).

How the score works → Editorial score · Extra Virgin Olive Oil Extra virgin olive oil sits near the top of what nutrition research can support for a single food. A large randomized trial found a Mediterranean diet supplemented with it lowered cardiovascular events, a randomized trial showed its polyphenols protect cholesterol from oxidation, and cohorts of more than 90,000 adults tie higher olive oil intake to a longer life. It gives up a little ground on nutrient density because it's a concentrated fat, which keeps it just short of a perfect score.

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Extra virgin olive oil at a glance

Extra virgin olive oil is the fresh-pressed oil of the olive, made by mechanical extraction and held to strict chemical and taste standards, and it's one of the best-studied foods in nutrition. A tablespoon has about 119 calories, mostly monounsaturated fat, plus vitamin E and a family of polyphenol antioxidants that refining removes. In the PREDIMED trial, a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra virgin olive oil lowered a combined measure of heart attack, stroke and cardiovascular death by about 30% compared with a low-fat diet, and large cohorts link higher olive oil intake to a longer life. As a food it's very safe; the main considerations are its calories and the fact that applying it to your skin can weaken the skin barrier.

Best for: your everyday cooking and finishing fat, in place of butter, margarine and refined oils
How much: about 1½ to 4 tablespoons a day, replacing other fats rather than adding to them
Buy: extra virgin, with a recent harvest date, in dark glass or tin
Cook: yes; sautéing, roasting and shallow frying are all fine

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Extra virgin olive oil is one of the rare foods whose ancient reputation and modern research point in the same direction.

Olive oil does two jobs at once. About three-quarters of it is oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat that improves your cholesterol profile when it replaces saturated fat.1 Real extra virgin oil also carries polyphenols like oleocanthal and hydroxytyrosol, plant compounds that protect cholesterol from oxidation and calm inflammation.2 3 It's the number one oil I recommend my patients use daily: when someone asks for the single easiest swap to make their diet healthier, my answer is almost always to replace the other fats in their kitchen with extra virgin olive oil.

It's also a food woven through Scripture. An olive leaf is the first sign of hope after the flood (Genesis 8:11), and by a count of the King James text, "oil" appears 202 times and "olive" or "olives" 53 more.4 Below I'll walk through what the research shows, what makes a bottle truly extra virgin, and how to use it every day.

A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey.Deuteronomy 8:8 (KJV)

Did you know?

To be sold as extra virgin, olive oil must have free acidity of no more than 0.8% and pass a trained taste panel with no defects.5
At the ancient Panathenaic Games in Athens, a winning boxer took home 60 amphoras of olive oil, roughly 600 gallons.6
The peppery catch in your throat from fresh olive oil comes from oleocanthal, a polyphenol that acts on the same enzymes as ibuprofen in lab tests.7

What is extra virgin olive oil?

Quick answer

Extra virgin olive oil is the highest grade of olive oil. It's extracted from the fruit of the olive tree only by mechanical or other physical means, under conditions, particularly temperatures, that don't alter the oil. It must also have free acidity of no more than 0.8% and pass a trained taste panel with no defects.5 It's roughly three-quarters monounsaturated fat, with vitamin E, vitamin K and polyphenols.

Olives are a fruit, and olive oil is essentially their juice. The olives are crushed into a paste, slowly mixed (a step called malaxation) and spun to separate the oil; beyond that, only washing, decanting, centrifuging and filtering are allowed.5 "Cold pressed" and "cold extracted" are optional label terms for low-temperature processing, but the extra virgin grade itself is defined by the extraction method plus chemistry and taste.

What separates extra virgin from refined, "pure" and "light" olive oils is mostly the polyphenols. The fat is similar across grades, but refined oil loses most of the antioxidant compounds that give good oil its peppery bite, and in trials the protective effects rose with polyphenol content.2 The strongest trials used extra virgin oil, while the largest cohorts measured total olive oil intake, so I'll note which is which as we go.

A short history of olive oil

Olive oil runs through the Bible as food, light and blessing. The tabernacle lamp burned "pure oil olive beaten for the light" (Exodus 27:20), the holy anointing oil was made with olive oil (Exodus 30:24), and the promised land was "a land of oil olive, and honey" (Deuteronomy 8:8).4 That's one reason I see olive oil as a food worth treasuring, not just a cooking fat.

The ancient Greeks prized it just as highly. At the Panathenaic Games in Athens, winners received painted amphoras filled with olive oil from Athena's sacred trees, and a victorious boxer could take home 60 of them.6 Today olive oil is the defining fat of the Mediterranean diet, the eating pattern most consistently linked to longevity and heart health.8

Olive oil nutrition facts

Quick answer

One tablespoon (13.5 grams) of olive oil has about 119 calories and 13.5 grams of fat, most of it monounsaturated, with about 13% of the daily value for vitamin E and 7% for vitamin K. Its polyphenol content varies widely from bottle to bottle.9 10

Olive oil per tablespoon (13.5 g). Fat profile from USDA's extra virgin record; calories and vitamins from USDA's general olive oil record.
Nutrient	Per 1 Tbsp	% Daily Value
Calories	119	n/a
Total fat	13.5 g	17%
Monounsaturated fat	9.3 g	n/a
Saturated fat	2.1 g	10%
Polyunsaturated fat	1.2 g	n/a
Vitamin E	1.9 mg	13%
Vitamin K	8.1 mcg	7%
Polyphenols	Varies widely by oil	Oils meeting the EU health claim supply at least 5 mg of hydroxytyrosol and related compounds per 20 g (about 1½ Tbsp)

Olive oil's value isn't in its vitamins, which are modest, but in the type of fat it provides and the plant compounds that come with it.11

What is extra virgin olive oil good for?

Quick answer

Extra virgin olive oil is best supported for heart health and a longer life. The research also points to protecting LDL cholesterol from oxidation, healthier blood vessels and blood pressure, lower inflammation, steadier blood sugar and, in earlier studies, brain health.

Where the research stands

The strongest trial, PREDIMED, tested a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra virgin olive oil, so olive oil's share can't be separated from the rest of the diet. The largest cohorts measured total olive oil intake and show associations rather than proof. Direct trials of olive oil itself, like EUROLIVE, show its polyphenols protect cholesterol. Together, that's one of the most consistent evidence bases of any everyday food.

Olive oil benefits, graded by evidence strength (Updated September 2026)
Benefit	Evidence	What was studied	What it shows
Heart protection	Strong	Mediterranean diet + extra virgin olive oil vs. low-fat, 7,447 adults	About 30% lower combined heart attack, stroke and cardiovascular death
Longer life	Moderate	Total olive oil, 92,383 adults	19% lower total mortality with more than ½ Tbsp a day
LDL protection	Strong	Olive oils differing in polyphenols, 200 men	Less LDL oxidation and higher HDL as polyphenols rose
Blood vessels & pressure	Moderate	Polyphenol-rich vs. polyphenol-free olive oil; PREDIMED	Lower blood pressure in young women; slightly lower diastolic in PREDIMED
Inflammation	Moderate	30 trials of olive oil; oleocanthal in the lab	Lower CRP and IL-6; COX inhibition in lab tests
Blood sugar	Moderate	Cohorts and trials; Mediterranean diet + olive oil	16% lower type 2 diabetes risk; lower HbA1c in diabetes
Brain health	Emerging	Total olive oil; Mediterranean diet + olive oil	28% lower dementia-related death; better cognition scores
Breast cancer risk	Emerging	Mediterranean diet + extra virgin olive oil, 4,152 women	Lower invasive breast cancer rate (35 cases in total)

What does olive oil do for your body?

Olive oil works through its fat and its polyphenols at the same time. Its oleic acid improves your blood fats, and its polyphenols protect cholesterol from oxidation and calm inflammatory signaling. Refined oils keep the fat but lose most of the polyphenols.

It improves blood fats. Across 60 controlled feeding trials, replacing saturated fat with unsaturated fats like olive oil's oleic acid lowered the ratio of total to HDL cholesterol.1
It protects cholesterol from oxidation. Markers of LDL oxidation fell as olive oil's polyphenols rose in a randomized trial,2 and the EU permits a health claim that olive oil polyphenols help protect blood lipids from oxidative stress.11
It cools inflammation. Across 30 randomized trials, olive oil lowered CRP and IL-6 and improved blood-vessel function,3 and in lab testing its oleocanthal inhibits the same COX enzymes as ibuprofen.7

Hydroxytyrosol, oleuropein and tyrosol are the other key polyphenols, and vitamin E helps protect the oil's own fats from oxidation.

Health benefits of olive oil, ranked by evidence

Ranked by the strength of the research, here's what olive oil has shown. The label beside each heading shows the evidence behind it, and each card opens with exactly what was studied.

Heart protection

Strong evidenceRCT of diet · cohorts · 7,447 adults · 90,000+

In PREDIMED, 7,447 Spanish adults aged 55 to 80 at high cardiovascular risk were assigned to a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra virgin olive oil (about four tablespoons a day), the same diet with nuts, or advice to follow a low-fat diet. The olive oil group had a 31% lower rate of a combined endpoint of heart attack, stroke and cardiovascular death (hazard ratio 0.69).12 That result belongs to the whole diet, not the oil alone, and to the combined endpoint rather than each outcome separately. Within the trial, people who ate the most extra virgin olive oil had 39% lower cardiovascular risk, and each extra 10 grams a day tracked with 10% lower risk,13 and the olive oil group had 38% less atrial fibrillation.14 In U.S. cohorts, more than half a tablespoon of olive oil a day was linked to 14% lower cardiovascular disease and 18% lower coronary heart disease, though not to stroke,15 while in older French adults, intensive olive oil users had 41% fewer strokes.16

Study takeaway: a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra virgin olive oil lowered a combined measure of heart attack, stroke and cardiovascular death by about 30% in a randomized trial.

A longer life

Moderate evidenceLarge cohorts · 92,383 adults · 28 years

In 92,383 U.S. adults followed for 28 years, those who used more than half a tablespoon of olive oil a day had 19% lower total and cardiovascular mortality, 17% lower cancer mortality, 29% lower neurodegenerative mortality and 18% lower respiratory mortality than those who rarely used it, and swapping margarine, butter, mayonnaise or dairy fat for olive oil was linked to lower risk.17 A meta-analysis of 32 cohort studies found the clearest links for olive oil specifically: lower all-cause mortality, cardiovascular events and stroke.18 These are associations rather than proof, but they're consistent.

Study takeaway: more than half a tablespoon of olive oil a day tracked with 19% lower mortality in 92,383 adults.

LDL protection

Strong evidenceRCT · EU health claim · 200 men

In the EUROLIVE trial, 200 healthy men in five European countries took 25 mL a day of three olive oils that differed only in polyphenol content, in random order. As polyphenols rose, HDL rose and markers of LDL oxidation fell.2 Oxidized LDL is a key step in artery plaque, and European regulators authorize a health claim that olive oil polyphenols protect blood lipids from oxidative stress, for oils supplying at least 5 mg of hydroxytyrosol and related compounds per 20 grams.11

Blood vessels and blood pressure

Moderate evidenceRCTs · 24 women · PREDIMED

In a double-blind trial, 24 young women with high-normal blood pressure or mild hypertension ate a diet with polyphenol-rich olive oil and, separately, the same diet with polyphenol-free olive oil, for two months each. Only the polyphenol-rich oil lowered blood pressure, by 7.9 points systolic and 6.7 points diastolic from baseline, along with lower CRP and oxidized LDL.19 In PREDIMED, the extra virgin olive oil diet lowered diastolic pressure by about 1.5 points versus the control diet, with no difference in systolic pressure,20 and across randomized trials olive oil improved blood-vessel function.3 See my high blood pressure diet for the full plan.

Lower inflammation

Moderate evidenceMeta-analysis · lab · 30 trials · 3,106 people

Across 30 randomized trials with 3,106 people, olive oil lowered CRP by 0.64 mg/L and IL-6 compared with control diets.3 The peppery sting of fresh extra virgin oil comes from oleocanthal, which in laboratory testing inhibits the same COX enzymes as ibuprofen.7 That's a mechanism, not a demonstrated pain reliever: no study has shown that eating olive oil relieves pain the way a painkiller does. Its value is a steady contribution to an anti-inflammatory diet.

Steadier blood sugar

Moderate evidenceMeta-analysis · RCT of diet · Cohorts and trials

In a meta-analysis, the highest olive oil intakes were linked to 16% lower risk of type 2 diabetes, and in people with diabetes, olive oil lowered HbA1c by 0.27 percentage points and fasting glucose compared with control diets.21 In the PREDIMED-Reus trial, a Mediterranean diet with olive oil roughly halved new cases of diabetes compared with a low-fat diet (hazard ratio 0.49), without calorie restriction; that result belongs to the whole diet.22

Brain health

Emerging evidenceCohort · RCT of diet · 92,383 adults · 334 adults

In 92,383 U.S. adults followed for 28 years, eating at least 7 grams of olive oil a day (about half a tablespoon) was linked to 28% lower risk of dementia-related death, independent of the APOE ε4 gene and overall diet quality.23 That study measured total olive oil, not extra virgin specifically. In a PREDIMED sub-study of 334 older adults, the Mediterranean diet plus olive oil group scored better on global cognition than the low-fat group.24 It's encouraging, and it fits the MIND diet, but the first finding is observational and the trial tested the whole diet.

Breast cancer risk

Emerging evidenceSecondary RCT outcome · 4,152 women · 35 cases

In a PREDIMED analysis of 4,152 women, those on the Mediterranean diet with extra virgin olive oil had a lower rate of invasive breast cancer than the control group (hazard ratio 0.32), and each additional 5% of calories from extra virgin olive oil tracked with lower risk.25 Only 35 cases occurred in total, so this is an early signal rather than an established effect.

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Is olive oil good for your skin?

Eating olive oil and putting it on your skin are two different things. In the diet, olive oil contributes vitamin E and polyphenols as part of an anti-inflammatory way of eating. Applied to the skin, though, it can weaken the skin barrier.

In a randomized forearm study, 19 adults with and without a history of eczema applied six drops of olive oil to one forearm twice a day. Olive oil significantly reduced the integrity of the skin's outer barrier and caused mild redness, while sunflower seed oil preserved the barrier and improved hydration in the same volunteers.26 So I don't recommend olive oil as a skin or baby moisturizer, especially for dry or eczema-prone skin, and it can clog pores in acne-prone skin. Keep it in the kitchen.

Olive oil grades: extra virgin vs. virgin vs. refined vs. "light"

Extra virgin and virgin olive oils are unrefined; refined, "pure" and "light" oils are not. The calories are the same across grades, but the polyphenols that carry many of the benefits are highest in extra virgin.

How olive oil grades compare (International Olive Council standard)
Grade	How it's made	Free acidity	Polyphenols	Best for
Extra virgin	Mechanical or physical extraction at temperatures that don't alter the oil; no defects on a trained taste panel	≤ 0.8%	Highest	Everything, raw and cooked
Virgin	Same extraction; small taste defects allowed	≤ 2.0%	Moderate	Everyday cooking
"Olive oil," "pure," "regular"	A blend of refined olive oil with some virgin oil	≤ 1.0%	Low	Neutral-flavored cooking
Refined; "light"	Refined from virgin oils; "light" is a U.S. marketing term for mild flavor and color, not fewer calories	≤ 0.3%	Lowest	Baking where you want no olive taste

The free acidity limits come from the International Olive Council's trade standard.5 The peppery bitterness of a good extra virgin oil is a feature, not a flaw: it signals the polyphenols.7

Can you cook with extra virgin olive oil?

Quick answer

Yes. Extra virgin olive oil is stable under normal cooking heat because it's low in fragile polyunsaturated fat and rich in antioxidants. Sautéing, roasting and shallow frying are all fine. High heat does reduce some of its delicate polyphenols and flavor, so finish dishes with a fresh drizzle too.

When an oil is heated, the real concern isn't the wisp of smoke; it's the formation of oxidation by-products like polar compounds. In a laboratory study by an Australian olive oil testing lab, oils were heated to 240°C (464°F) and held at 180°C (356°F) for six hours. Extra virgin olive oil produced low levels of polar compounds and oxidation by-products, while canola oil produced high levels, and smoke point didn't predict how stable an oil was.27 My rule: cook with a good everyday extra virgin oil, and finish dishes with a fresh, peppery bottle drizzled raw.

Olive oil vs. other oils and fats

Extra virgin olive oil is my everyday fat because it's minimally processed, rich in polyphenols, stable under heat and backed by strong human research. Here's how it compares.

Extra virgin olive oil and other common cooking fats
Fat	Main fat type	Processing	What the research shows	My take
Extra virgin olive oil	Monounsaturated	Mechanically extracted	Diet trial and large cohorts; polyphenols protect LDL	Everyday cooking and finishing fat
Avocado oil	Monounsaturated	Often refined	Similar fat profile; much less outcome research	Good for very high heat
Refined seed oils (canola, soybean, corn)	Polyunsaturated	Heavily refined	Mixed and debated; less stable under long heating	Limit when possible
Butter	Saturated	Minimal	Swapping butter for olive oil is linked to lower risk	Fine for flavor in moderation
Coconut oil	Saturated	Varies	Raised LDL by about 10 mg/dL vs. non-tropical oils	Fine in moderation

Replacing 5 grams a day of margarine, butter, mayonnaise or dairy fat with olive oil was linked to 5% to 7% lower cardiovascular risk in U.S. cohorts,15 and in a meta-analysis of 16 trials, coconut oil raised LDL by 10.5 mg/dL compared with non-tropical vegetable oils.28 I steer people away from refined seed oils because of how they're processed and how they hold up under long heating.27

Four markers that show how your fats are working

Swapping in olive oil is meant to move a few numbers: the particles that carry cholesterol, low-grade inflammation, triglycerides and blood sugar control. These markers can't tell you how much olive oil you eat or pinpoint the effect of any single food, but they show the targets a Mediterranean way of eating is meant to improve. The ranges below are functional medicine optimal ranges, which are narrower than standard lab ranges.

ApoB · Optimal: under about 80 mg/dL · The number of cholesterol-carrying particles
hs-CRP · Optimal: under 1.0 mg/L · Low-grade inflammation anywhere in the body
Triglycerides · Optimal: under 100 mg/dL · Blood fats that rise with refined carbs and excess calories
Fasting insulin · Optimal: 2–6 µIU/mL · An early sign of how you handle sugar and starch

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High-polyphenol olive oil benefits

High-polyphenol olive oil is extra virgin olive oil with a tested, above-average level of polyphenols, the antioxidants behind many of olive oil's benefits. Two bottles labeled extra virgin can differ many times over, from under 15 to nearly 2,000 mg/kg in research, depending on the olive variety, how ripe the fruit was at harvest and how fresh the oil is.29 In human trials, the more polyphenols, the bigger the benefit.

The benefits, by the numbers

High-polyphenol olive oil in human trials
Benefit	What happened	Who was studied
Protects LDL cholesterol	Only the high-polyphenol oil significantly lowered oxidized LDL, a key step in artery plaque	200 men, 25 mL a day, 3 weeks2
Raises HDL	HDL rose 1.7 mg/dL, versus 1.0 with a low-polyphenol oil	Same trial
Cools inflammation	hs-CRP fell 1.9 mg/L in people who started above 1 mg/L, only with the high-polyphenol oil	50 adults, 4 Tbsp a day, 3 weeks30
Lowers blood pressure	Down 7.9 points systolic and 6.7 diastolic; polyphenol-free oil didn't lower it	24 women, about 30 mg of polyphenols a day, 2 months19
Supports memory	Better scores on almost every thinking and memory test	Adults with mild cognitive impairment, about 3½ Tbsp a day, 12 months31

These trials are small and short, and not every head-to-head difference was significant, but they all point the same way.

More polyphenols, more benefit: HDL rise after 3 weeks of 25 mL a day, by the oil's polyphenol level
	Low	Medium	High
Oil's polyphenol level	2.7 mg/kg	164 mg/kg	366 mg/kg
HDL change in mg/dL	+1.0	+1.2	+1.7
Oxidized LDL	no drop	no significant drop	down 3.2 U/L

HDL change in mg/dL, EUROLIVE trial, 200 men.2

How to read the label

Look for a polyphenol number in mg/kg. Here's a rough guide:

Low	Medium	High
Under 100 mg/kg	100–250 mg/kg	250+ mg/kg

At 250 mg/kg, an oil reaches the level the European Union requires for its olive oil health claim (5 mg of hydroxytyrosol and related compounds per 20 grams).11 The high-polyphenol oils in the trials above ran 320 to 366 mg/kg. For a quick sense of scale, 2 tablespoons of a 400 mg/kg oil gives you about 11 mg of polyphenols, and the same amount of a 150 mg/kg oil gives you about 4 mg.

How to buy and use it

Check for a tested number and a harvest date. Polyphenols fade as oil ages, so fresher is better.
Store it cool and dark. In an 18-month study, polyphenols broke down considerably faster at 77°F than at 59°F.32
Drizzle it raw. Most polyphenols break down with heat. Oleocanthal holds up well, losing at most 16% even at 464°F,33 but it's smart to cook with everyday extra virgin oil and save the high-polyphenol bottle for finishing food.
Taste for the bite. A peppery burn in the back of your throat is the polyphenols talking.

Is it worth the higher price? If olive oil is already your daily fat, it's one of the smartest upgrades you can make. But a fresh extra virgin oil you'll use every day beats a premium bottle that sits in the pantry.

How much olive oil should you use per day?

Quick answer

Aim for about 1½ to 4 tablespoons (20 to 60 grams) a day, used in place of other fats. The PREDIMED olive oil group aimed for about four tablespoons a day, and in large cohorts, benefits showed up with as little as half a tablespoon.12 17 At about 119 calories a tablespoon, the goal is to swap it in, not pour it on top.

There's a wide, forgiving range here. More polyphenols are better, but you don't need to drink it by the cup; what matters is making extra virgin olive oil your default fat.

How to use olive oil through the day

An easy way to reach 2 to 3 tablespoons a day
Meal	How to use extra virgin olive oil	About how much
Breakfast	Cook eggs in it, or drizzle it over avocado toast or sautéed greens	1 tsp to 1 Tbsp
Lunch	Salad dressing: 3 parts olive oil to 1 part lemon juice or vinegar, with garlic and herbs	1 Tbsp
Dinner	Roast vegetables, sauté fish or chicken, then finish soups, fish and grains with a raw drizzle	1 to 2 Tbsp
Snacks	Drizzle over hummus, white bean dip or sliced tomatoes, or dip sprouted bread	1 to 2 tsp

Want help working olive oil into your meals?

Ask Dr. Axe AI about cooking, buying or your health goals, and get a clear answer. Answers are grounded in this library, with sources shown.

How to choose and store the best olive oil

Quick answer

Choose extra virgin olive oil with a recent harvest date, in dark glass or tin, from a named origin, with a fresh, peppery-bitter taste. Store it capped in a cool, dark cupboard away from the stove, and use it within a month or two of opening.

Not every bottle labeled extra virgin meets the standard. In a 2010 UC Davis study of 14 imported and 5 California brands bought in California stores, 69% of imported samples and 10% of California samples failed the extra virgin taste standards. The researchers traced the failures to oxidation from heat, light or age, poor-quality oil, and in some cases adulteration with cheaper refined oil, and they cautioned that the 2010 results shouldn't be used to judge oil sold today.34 So a failed bottle is often simply old or badly stored, not fake. Freshness and good storage matter as much as the label.

Harvest date, not just "best by." Olive oil is a fresh juice; a recent harvest date tells you more than the country on the label.
Dark glass or tin. Light and heat speed oxidation, one of the main reasons oils fail extra virgin standards.34
A named origin and a quality seal. A specific country or estate, or a PDO or PGI seal, signals accountability.
A tested polyphenol number, if you can find one. 250 mg/kg meets the EU health-claim level, and the high-polyphenol oils in human trials ran 320 to 366 mg/kg. See high-polyphenol olive oil.
A peppery, slightly bitter taste. That's the polyphenols. Flat, greasy, musty or crayon-like oil is old or defective.
A size you'll finish. Buy what you'll use within a month or two of opening, and keep it tightly capped.

Myths vs. facts

Myth

You can't cook with extra virgin olive oil because of its smoke point.

Fact

It's stable under normal cooking heat, and in heating tests it produced low levels of harmful by-products.

Myth

"Light" olive oil has fewer calories.

Fact

"Light" means milder flavor and color after refining. Every olive oil has about 119 calories a tablespoon.

Myth

A bottle that fails extra virgin testing must be fake.

Fact

Most failures reflect oxidation, age or poor quality; adulteration is only one possible cause.

Myth

The peppery burn means the oil has gone bad.

Fact

The opposite. The sting is oleocanthal, a sign of freshness and polyphenols.

Side effects & who should be careful

Quick answer

As a food, extra virgin olive oil is very safe. The main considerations are its calories, loose stools if you suddenly take a large amount, a rare olive allergy, and putting it on your skin, which can weaken the skin barrier.

Good to know

Calories: about 119 per tablespoon; use it to replace other fats, and measure rather than free-pour if you're managing weight
Digestion: a large "shot" all at once can cause loose stools or nausea; spread it across meals
Olive allergy: uncommon, but avoid olive oil if you react to olives
On the skin: repeated application weakened the skin barrier in a controlled study, so don't use it as a moisturizer for dry, eczema-prone or baby skin26
Quality: rancid oil loses its polyphenols and tastes stale; buy fresh and store it well

Is extra virgin olive oil good for you?

Yes. A Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra virgin olive oil lowered a combined measure of heart attack, stroke and cardiovascular death by about 30% in the PREDIMED trial, and in large cohorts higher olive oil intake is linked to lower mortality. Its polyphenols also protect LDL cholesterol from oxidation.

Can you cook with extra virgin olive oil?

Yes. It's stable under normal cooking heat because it's low in polyunsaturated fat and rich in antioxidants, and in heating tests it produced low levels of harmful by-products. Sautéing, roasting and shallow frying are fine; finish dishes with a raw drizzle to get the most polyphenols.

Does olive oil have a low smoke point?

Its smoke point is moderate, but smoke point didn't predict stability in heating tests. What matters is how well an oil resists oxidation, and extra virgin olive oil held up well.

How much olive oil should you have per day?

About 1½ to 4 tablespoons (20 to 60 grams), used in place of other fats. The PREDIMED olive oil group aimed for about four tablespoons a day, and in large cohorts benefits appeared with as little as half a tablespoon.

Is olive oil better than seed oils?

For everyday use, I prefer extra virgin olive oil because it's minimally processed, rich in polyphenols and stable under heat, and it has strong human research behind it. Research on refined seed oils is mixed and debated.

Is olive oil better than butter?

For most cooking, yes. In U.S. cohorts, replacing butter, margarine, mayonnaise or dairy fat with olive oil was linked to lower cardiovascular risk. Butter is fine in moderation for flavor.

How do I know if my olive oil is real extra virgin?

Look for a recent harvest date, dark glass or tin, a named origin or quality seal, and a fresh, peppery, slightly bitter taste. Flat, greasy or musty oil is usually old or defective.

How should I store olive oil, and does it go bad?

Keep it tightly capped in a cool, dark cupboard away from the stove, and use it within a month or two of opening. Olive oil slowly oxidizes and loses its polyphenols; stale oil smells like crayons or putty.

Is light olive oil lower in calories?

No. "Light" means milder flavor and color after refining. All olive oil has about 119 calories per tablespoon, and light oil has lost most of its polyphenols.

Should I take a shot of olive oil in the morning?

It isn't necessary. What matters is your total daily intake and using olive oil in place of other fats; with food is just as effective and easier on the stomach.

Is olive oil good for your skin?

Eating it is part of a healthy diet, but applying it is a different matter. In a controlled study, olive oil applied to the skin twice a day weakened the skin barrier and caused mild redness, so I don't recommend it as a moisturizer, especially for dry, eczema-prone or baby skin.

What does olive oil mean in the Bible?

Olive oil runs through Scripture as a symbol of peace, light and blessing, from the olive leaf that returned to Noah (Genesis 8:11) to the oil that lit the tabernacle lamp (Exodus 27:20). In the King James text, "oil" appears 202 times and "olive" or "olives" 53 more.

The bottom line

Should you make olive oil your everyday fat?

Yes. Extra virgin olive oil is one of the most valuable foods you can bring into your kitchen, and one of the easiest to use every day. People have treasured it for thousands of years, from the lamps of the tabernacle to the prize amphoras of Athens, and I value that history because the modern research has lined up with it so well: a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra virgin olive oil lowered a combined measure of heart attack, stroke and cardiovascular death by about 30% in a randomized trial, its polyphenols protect cholesterol from oxidation, and people who use it regularly live longer in large cohorts. The brain and cancer findings are promising but still early, and much of the strongest evidence comes from olive oil as part of a Mediterranean way of eating.

Make extra virgin olive oil your default: cook with it, dress your salads with it, finish your meals with a fresh, peppery drizzle, and aim for 1½ to 4 tablespoons a day in place of butter, margarine and refined oils. Buy a recent harvest in dark glass, keep it cool and capped, and keep it off your skin. Build the rest of your plate around vegetables, fish, olives, nuts and whole foods, and you'll be eating the way the world's healthiest populations have eaten for centuries.

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Freshness & update log

What changed in this update (September 23, 2026) — Corrected the dementia study citation; attributed the PREDIMED result to the Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra virgin olive oil and its combined endpoint; noted which findings measured total olive oil; replaced the "without heat" definition with the International Olive Council standard; reframed the UC Davis findings; corrected the skin advice; replaced the polyphenol figure with a serving-size claim level; verified the Scripture counts; removed unsupported claims; added blood pressure, inflammation, cholesterol and coconut oil sources; combined the benefit sections, reduced the FAQ, and added a meal-by-meal serving guide; labeled the score as an editorial assessment; and synchronized dates with the structured data. Also added a section on high-polyphenol olive oil, with the EU health-claim threshold, the polyphenol levels used in human trials and their results, and storage and cooking guidance.

Previous update (June 17, 2026) — Comprehensive rebuild with the Dr. Axe Score, evidence grades, cooking and buying guides, and FAQ.

References

Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CNS

Doctor of Natural Medicine · Founder, DrAxe.com

Dr. Axe is a certified doctor of natural medicine, clinical nutritionist, and multiple New York Times bestselling author. He has spent 20+ years in clinical practice helping people heal at the root cause and founded one of the most-visited natural-health platforms in the world.

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This article is for educational purposes. See our medical disclaimer.