Best and Worst Olive Oils According to ConsumerLab Tests

White Plains, New York, April 10, 2023 — Extra virgin olive oil can be a heart-healthy alternative to saturated fats in the diet, providing antioxidant polyphenols and plenty of oleic acid, a “healthy” monounsaturated fat. However, ConsumerLab tests of popular extra virgin olive oils show that products on the market vary widely in the amounts of healthful compounds they contain, as well as in quality and taste.

ConsumerLab recently expanded its Extra Virgin Olive Oil Review to include two additional extra virgin olive oils, as well as an olive oil promoted as “rich” in polyphenols, based on requests from its readers. Each olive oil was carefully checked for fatty acid content, including oleic acid, polyphenols, purity, freshness, and evaluated for flavor and aroma by an expert olive oil taster.

All three of the newly tested olive oils passed chemical testing, as did 10 other olive oils ConsumerLab tested in 2021. However, amounts of polyphenols in the extra virgin olive oils varied widely, from 149 mg/kg to 441 mg/kg, and surprisingly, three oils were found to contain less than 70% oleic acid – the minimum amount that the FDA requires of oils to make heart health claims. In addition, nine of the thirteen oils were graded by ConsumerLab’s expert olive oil taster as not extra virgin. Several of these, including one of the newly tested olive oils, were graded as "lampante," meaning unfit for human consumption.

Among the olive oils considered "extra virgin," CL selected three Top Picks, including one that is mild, one with high polyphenols, and one with very high polyphenols.

ConsumerLab’s findings and product ratings are available online now in its expanded Extra Virgin Olive Oil Review, which includes 13 products selected for testing by ConsumerLab: California Olive Ranch 100% California Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Medium, California Olive Ranch Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Everyday Blend, California Olive Ranch Extra Virgin Olive Oil Global Blend – Medium, Carapelli Unfiltered Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Goya Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Gundry MD Polyphenol-Rich Olive Oil, Kirkland Signature [Costco] Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Life Extension California Estate Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Lucini Italia Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Spectrum Culinary Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Terra Delyssa Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and Trader Joe’s Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

The Review also explains that, while a high-quality olive oil with a moderate amount of polyphenols may provide health benefits, there’s no good evidence to suggest that consuming an olive oil with extremely high levels of polyphenols confers more of a health benefit. In addition, simply consuming olive oil, rather than using it in the diet to replace less healthful fats and oils, is not likely to reduce cardiovascular risks. ConsumerLab.com's president, Tod Cooperman, M.D., debunks these two common olive oil myths in a short video on YouTube. A video about how ConsumerLab evaluates olive oil chemically and for flavor and aroma is also available.

Founded in 1999, ConsumerLab.com is a leading provider of consumer information and independent evaluations of products that affect health and nutrition. Membership to ConsumerLab.com is available online and provides immediate access to continually updated reviews of nearly every popular type of dietary supplement and health food, answers to reader questions, and product recalls and warnings. ConsumerLab also provides independent product testing through its voluntary Quality Certification Program. The company is privately held and based in New York. It has no ownership from, or interest in, companies that manufacture, distribute, or sell consumer products.

 

Olive Oil Myths Busted with ConsumerLab's Dr. Tod Cooperman

 

 

Finding the Best Extra Virgin Olive Oil - Dr. Tod Cooperman and Olive Oil Expert Nancy Ash