Why You Should Be Drizzling Cold Pressed Olive Oil On Everything
It’s dinner time. The skillet is hot. As you reach for that bottle of oil next to your stove, ready to give it a generous glug, you realize it’s empty (that darn green glass!)
The temptation to buy what you’re used to is real. Grocery shopping is overwhelming – especially for a product with so many subtle variations. The term ‘olive oil’ doesn’t hold much weight today when there are ‘pure’ versions, ‘light’ versions, and the famed ‘extra’-virgin.
Here at [YOUR BRAND] we’re committed to offering a only curated selection of quality products to streamline how you shop with us. And though olive oil is an artisanal product with lots of nuances, there is one key term to keep an eye out for when shopping for olive oil, whether in-store or online.
Not All Olive Oil Is Created Equally
One of the most important terms to know when sleuthing for high-quality olive oil (even more important than ‘extra virgin’ – we’ll get to that) is ‘cold pressed olive oil.’
So what is it?
Cold pressed olive oil isn’t just oil. It’s actually the juice of the olive (and olives, like avocados, are a fruit with high fat content). That’s why you’ve probably seen the term ‘cold pressed’ gaining traction in the fruit juice industry.
Cold Pressed Olive Oil: A Well-loved Tradition
Hundreds of years ago, the only method for extracting olive oil from olives was crushing the fruit with stone wheels and pressing the resulting pulp (or pomace) between woven mats.
In small villages in Europe, where it’s commonplace to have olive trees on your property, this method is still used by artisans. Each Fall, local villagers bring small quantities of olives to their neighborhood mills to be pressed for that season’s harvest.
Though romantic, this technique is labor-intensive and produces a less consistent product, so it’s not widely used. Nowadays, almost all olive oil mills use crushers instead of stone-grinding; and fast-spinning centrifuges to extract the oil from the pulp instead of pressure.
So What Is Cold Pressed Olive Oil Actually Chilled?
The ‘cold’ in cold pressed means no heat or chemicals were used in the processing of the olives. No chilling is involved (unless you stick a bottle in your fridge, which you can!).
Since the majority of olive oil produced today is no longer pressed, the term is obsolete. But it still means the same thing: No heat. To be clear, it’s not a certification, only a term used to loosely describe the process in which the olive oil is produced.
The First Press
You might notice that some olive oil bottles will go a step further – not only is the oil cold pressed, but it’s also first cold-pressed.
Olives can be crushed (or milled) several times throughout the process of making olive oil. When olive oil is extracted from olive pulp that has been milled only once, it’s referred to as the first cold press.
Is First Cold Pressed Olive Oil More Premium?
Not necessarily. The terms ‘first cold pressed olive oil’ and ‘cold pressed olive oil’ can be used interchangeably.
When olives were being stone-milled and pressed, this oil was then further refined through a second pressing, and only fit for things like fueling lamps (yikes).
Lower-quality olive oils on the market today often rely on heat and a second pressing to squeeze out more olive oil from the remaining olive pomace.
In most large commercial operations (think bulk and refined oils) heat is used to extract more oil from the fruit, nut, or seed in question to drive down the price of the oil. But like with any fast, convenient option, this extraction method comes with a pretty lofty price tag – taste and nutrition.
Heat Impacts The Flavor Of Olive Oil
You may have heard that cold pressed olive oil has better flavor than olive oil that is not cold pressed. But why is that?
Heat destroys nutrients – and nutrients give olive oil its characteristic flavor. The flavor that started your love affair with olives in the first place.
In fact, heat is so impactful on the flavor of oil that some modern mills use methods for crushing olives that avoid raising the temperature, even by a few degrees. This is because a slight increase in temperature can kick off a chemical reaction in the olive pits, which jumpstarts fermentation and makes the oil taste bitter.
It’s not advised to use high-quality oils like cold pressed olive oil with high-heat cooking applications, such as frying, for the same reason.
So Is Cold Pressed Olive Oil Better For Me?
Let’s go back to that grocery store shelf.
Similar to wine, there are top-shelf olive oils and bottom-shelf olive oils. Olive oils that claim the distinction ‘first cold pressed olive oil’ (like ours) mean no heat was used when processing the olives. These are the top-shelf oils. But why?
Cold pressed olive oil contains more antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals than any other olive oil on the market. (Yet another reason why cold pressed juice is so much pricier than the shelf-stable stuff.)
The Best Oil For Drizzling Is Often The More Premium One
It’s no secret that our olive oils command a higher price than bigger brands that can’t make the cold-pressed claim – we’re here to produce olive oils that you can feel confident about showing off naked: in dips, using as a finishing oil, or drizzling on dishes.
By contrast, cheaper, more refined oils have less flavor. This is why neutral oil is used in applications where you need a lot of it, like frying.
Cold Pressed Olive Oil Is A Better Investment In Your Health
You may pay a higher price for cold pressed olive oil, but better nutrition means it’s cheaper in the long run. With its high polyphenol content, our olive oil has an anti-inflammatory effect on the body.
Olives are one of the richest plant foods in polyphenols, at about 115 mg per 25 mg serving (only five olives!) Studies have shown that polyphenols can help your body fight off infection and disease.2
Cold pressed olive oil is also rich in oleic acid, which also boosts your immune system.
Olive Oil Isn’t Just For Eating
Because cold pressed olive oil retains the olive’s nutritional content, it benefits your whole body, including your skin.
Cold pressed olive oil has anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties and is high in vitamin E, which can be soothing for skin ailments like rashes, blemishes, and scarring. Pour a little bit into the palm of your hand and dab on any redness.
What About Extra Virgin Olive Oil?
Not all olive oils that are classified as ‘extra virgin’ are cold pressed.
Extra virgin is a term that describes the sensory and chemical specifications of the oil, and it’s possible for EVOO to pass the test while still rising in temperature enough to change the quality of the oil. 3
Luckily, in California, if an olive oil is not ‘first cold pressed’ it can’t qualify as extra virgin olive oil by California standards.
Cold Pressed Olive Oil Is The Healthier Choice
If you’re looking for an oil with a more nuanced flavor, better nutrition, and a stronger aroma, Cold pressed olive oil is better for you, by far.
And if health is wealth – it’s a better investment, too.
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Sources Cited:
1 Vossen, Paul, et al. OO-NC/CC-11 UNIVERSITY of CALIFORNIA COOPERATIVE EXTENSION 2011 SAMPLE COSTS to ESTABLISH a MEDIUM-DENSITY OLIVE ORCHARD and PRODUCE BOTTLED OLIVE OIL NORTH and CENTRAL COASTS.2 Contributors, WebMD Editorial. “Healthy Foods High in Polyphenols.” WebMD, www.webmd.com/diet/foods-high-in-polyphenols#:~:text=Polyphenols. Accessed 21 Sept. 2023.3 “Cold Pressed Olive Oil: How to Identify It - Myrolion Family.” Www.myrolion.com, 9 July 2020, www.myrolion.com/cold-pressed-olive-oil/#Are_all_Extra_Virgin_Olive_Oils_Cold_Pressed. Accessed 21 Sept. 2023.