Does anyone know the difference between "light" and "original" and "extra virgin" olive oil?

Question

In the store today, I told my bf GET THE LIGHT KIND! and he was like NO WAY, and then I looked at the nutrition facts, and the fat grams, saturated fat, etc. was all the same on each kind. Can someone tell me what the difference is? Thank you

Answer 1

Types of Olive Oil

Olive oil is made only from green olives. Nearly the entire production of green olives in Italy is converted into olive oil.

Flavor, color, and consistency vary, like fine wines, due to different olive varieties, location, and weather. The olive oils of some small producers are treated and priced like fine vintage wines.

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil:
Any olive oil that is less than 1% acidity, produced by the first pressing of the olive fruit through the cold pressing process. Most olive oils today are extra virgin in name only, meeting only the minimum requirement. Extra virgin is a chemical requirement that does not indicate quality and taste.

Virgin Olive Oil:
It is made from olives that are slightly riper than those used for extra-virgin oil and is produced in exactly the same manner. It is essentially defective Extra Virgin oil. This oil has a slightly higher level of acidity (1 1/2).

Refined Olive Oil:
Olive oil known as "Refined Oil" is obtained from refining virgin olive oil that has defects (the result is an essentially tasteless olive oil). Among the defects are a natural acidity higher than 3.3%, poor flavor, and an unpleasant odor. This product is also known as "A" refined olive oil.

Pure Olive Oil:
Pure olive oil, often simply called olive oil, comes either from the second cold pressing or the chemical extraction of the olive mash left over after the first pressing. Also called commercial grade oil. It is lighter in color and blander than virgin olive oil. It is more general-purpose olive oil. Pure refers to the fact that no non-olive oils are mixed in.

Refined Olive-Pomace Oil:
Oil which is obtained by treating olive pomace with solvents is refined using methods which do not lead to alterations in the initial glyceridic structure. Don't buy this grade, as it is bad for you.

Olive-Pomace Oil:
Olive oil which consists of a blend of refined olive-pomace oil and virgin olive oil. Don't buy this grade, as it is bad for you.

Light & Extra Light" Olive Oil:
The olive oil that you see on the supermarket shelf advertised as "light" or as "Extra Light" olive oil contains the exact same number of calories as regular olive oil and is a mixture of refined olive oils that are derived from the lowest quality olive oils available through chemical processing. These oils are so bad that cannot be consumed by humans without refining.

Answer 2

The difference is when the olives were pressed. Extra virgin oil is from the first run of pressing the olives, virgin from the second, etc.

I have no idea about "light" olive oil, having never seen it, but I wonder if it's not cut with some other kind of oil like canola. Considering that pure olive oil is very healthy to begin with, I can't imagine why anyone would sacrifice taste for the sake of eating 'light.'

Answer 3

Light or original refer to the taste while extra virgin is the first pressing. It has the most nutreints and flavour. virgin is the second cold pressing. The olives may be pressed up to 10 times to extrac all the oil.

Answer 4

It has to do with the taste not the fat content - original is just that , light has a lighter taste and the extra virgin has the lightest taste

Answer 5

how do they get virgin olive oil?
do olives have sex?
haha

Answer 6

I think the "extra virgin" made it through college. :)