Extra Virgin Olive Oil - Types of Olive Oils

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Lebanese Olive Oil | Types of Oils

While Phoenicia chooses to preserve the robust, floral flavors and vital health benefits of the olive fruit by producing only the finest unfiltered extra virgin olive oil, this is hardly the only type of olive oil on the market. In fact, there are several, and you should familiarize yourself with the various classifications of oil to ensure that you buy only the very best.

The International Olive Oil Council (IOOC) recognizes and grades several qualities of olive oil based on taste, production method and acid content:

Extra Virgin Olive Oil – the highest quality and overall healthiest, extra virgin olive oils have an acidity no greater than 0.8% and are from the first cold pressing
Virgin Olive Oil – a cold pressed oil with an acidity no greater than 2%, typically from the second pressing
Olive Oil – a blend of virgin olive oils and refined olive oils which have been chemically treated to mute flavors and acid content; may not be labeled as virgin
Olive-Pomace Oil – an oil extracted by treating the plant matter that remains after crushing (pomace) to heat and chemicals; though edible, olive-pomace oil lacks the flavor and health benefits of better oils entirely
Lampante Oil – this oil is used as an industrial fuel and is not fit for consumption

Pure olive oils are traditionally blended from virgin or extra virgin oils and refined oils and may or may not be of higher quality than regular olive oil. Be wary of Light or Extra Light olive oils as these terms are unregulated and typically refer to products that have been processed considerably. Also, understand that Light refers only to flavor, as all true olive oils possess 120 calories/tablespoon.

While the act of filtering olive oil is not regulated by the IOOC, it does have a profound effect on flavor. Unfiltered olive oils retain the fullest and most honest flavor of the fruits and soil that produced them while additionally retaining the highest possible number of healthy phenol and antioxidant compounds. For this reason, Phoenicia's Extra Virgin Olive Oil is unfiltered. Learn about how our olive oil is made.

When in doubt, always purchase Phoenicia's Extra Virgin Olive Oil for superior flavor and health.