Extra Virgin Olive Oil: A Masterclass
Inspiring you to discover the world of olive oil through better taste and health is our passion.
Evoolution stands for the evolution of olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil is among the most widely studied foods shown to be beneficial to our health. It is associated with improved cardiovascular health, disease prevention, and cognitive preservation, and it also happens to be wonderfully tasteful. But there’s a divide between what you’ll find down the cooking oil aisle of supermarkets, and what is truly healthful and tasteful extra virgin olive oil. That divide usually comes down to freshness, as olive oil is much the same as any other fruit juice; it’s best when it’s fresh. Fresh olive oil means olives picked and crushed within hours, stored and handled with care, and resupplied every six months by taking advantage of the harvest in both the northern and southern hemispheres. Your own sensory experience is the best judge of freshness, and that’s the reason we invite you to try before you buy at our tasting bars.
Evoolution values putting quality first, innovating to bring you the best olive oil experience, and engaging with you to educate and inspire new ideas for great food.
Fresh EVOO is fruity, green, and full-bodied. It can be peppery and bitter, or it can be mellow and creamy. Even the scent sets it apart from other vegetable oils, often exhibiting notes of fresh-cut grass, stone fruit, and herbs. The pungent scent and taste of EVOO is largely due to the incredible array of bioactive compounds that make the oil such an esteemed part of a healthy diet. EVOO is associated with improved cardiovascular and brain health, longer life, and lower incidence of cancer. Research indicates that the biophenols, healthy fats, and secondary compounds that make up EVOO are a primary driver of these effects.
How is Extra Virgin Olive Oil Made?
Extra virgin olive oil must be made from the first pressing of fresh olives without the use of heat or extraction solvents. It can have no sensory defects and must pass certain chemical testing in order to make the extra virgin grade. It goes without saying that there can be no refining of the oil whatsoever, as minimal processing is what helps extra virgin olive oil retain its unique flavour profile and healthful bioactive compounds.
One of the most important factors in an oil making the extra virgin grade is that it must be made from fresh olives. The olives must be harvested with speed and care and quickly transported to the mill for immediate crushing. There must not be more than a few hours between harvesting and crushing to ensure the olives do not oxidize or fall prey to flies and pests.
At the mill, the olives are washed and debris is removed. They get crushed pits and all, and are mixed in a malaxer that allows the tiny oil drops to aggregate. The mixture is decanted to isolate the oil, which then must be tested in a certified lab to see if it meets the extra virgin grade.
Olive oil is a prized product worldwide, but its roots in the Mediterranean region go deep, and it is a part of the very cultural fabric of the area. Every step of the process from olive to oil has been honed over thousands of years to result in the exceptional extra virgin olive oils we have today. To read more about the process, explore our blogs on Growing, Harvesting, and Crushing olives.
First Press and Cold Press
As per the definition above, all extra virgin olive oil must be both first pressed and cold pressed to legally be considered extra virgin. We do not showcase these terms on our bottles, as these processes are a given for quality EVOOs such as ours. We focus more on the crush date and origin to highlight the freshness of our global EVOO supply.
How EVOO Fits into a Healthy Diet
Extra virgin olive oil is the cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet, which is considered by many to be the healthiest eating pattern in the world. The abundance of the heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, oleic acid, can help improve your cholesterol profile and contribute to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. Read more about the role of oleic acid in EVOO here.
The incredible flavour profile of a fresh extra virgin olive oil not only makes for unique culinary applications, but it also indicates the presence of biophenols. Biophenols (or polyphenols) are secondary compounds found in EVOO that impart powerful antioxidative activity and contribute to a healthy brain, heart, and body. To learn more about the amazing effects EVOO biophenols can have on the body, click here. The links between extra virgin olive oil and healthy brain aging and cancer prevention are being explored all over the world. Read up on current findings in our EVOO and Cognition and EVOO and Cancer blogs.
Why Fresh EVOO is Best
Unlike wine, extra virgin olive oil does not improve with time. The hallmark green, fruity scent and taste of fresh EVOO and exemplary chemistry profile are at their peak immediately after the oil is extracted from the olives. Proper storage, transportation, and care for EVOO helps prolong its taste and health benefits, but it is still recommended to consume EVOO quickly to get the most from it. For more information on storage and shelf like of EVOO, click here.
EVOO Chemistry: What Sets it Apart
Biophenols
Secondary compounds present in EVOO that contribute to its bitter, peppery taste. Their bioactive nature is linked to a variety of positive health outcomes, predominantly through antioxidative activity.
Oleic Acid
A monounsaturated fatty acids that comprises the majority of olive oil. Oleic acid contributes to a healthier cholesterol profile and improved heart health by helping lower LDL cholesterol.
Tocopherols
Forms of vitamin E, the dominant in EVOO being alpha-tocopherol. Vitamin E must come from the diet and helps prevent cell and DNA damage as an antioxidant, can help limit chronic inflammation, and plays an important role in the body's immune response.
Free Fatty Acids
Undesirable breakdown products of triglyceride oxidation. A high FFA value indicates old oil that has oxidized. Low values show fresh oil, treated with care, and shows an inverse relationship with smoke point.
Diacylglycerols
A high diacylglycerol ratio indicates that the oil was made from healthy olives crushed immediately after harvesting, and that the oil has been treated with care during every step of production.
Peroxides
Peroxides are undesirable compounds that result from the oil oxidizing due to improper storage and handling. A low peroxide value indicates the care taken at every step from growing to harvesting to crushing.
Pyropheophytin
A product of chlorophyll breakdown due to processing and refinement via heat. Adulterated and refined oils often show high PPP values, so a low value is one of the markers of fresh, high quality EVOO.
Squalene
Squalene is an antioxidant that acts as an anti-inflammatory agent to help inhibit oxidative damage both internally and when applied topically. It can help control cholesterol oxidation in the arteries, thus helping decrease the risk of harmful acrdiovascular events. EVOO contains approximately 20x the squalene of any other vegetable oil!
Oleocanthal
Oleocanthal is exclusively produced in olive trees. This remarkable biophenol is responsible for most of the pungency or "bite" experienced at the back of the throat when consuming more robust EVOOs. It acts as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent by mimicking the effects of ibuprofen.
How to use EVOO
Extra virgin olive oil is not just reserved for restaurants and the gourmet foodies; it is something that can - and should - be enjoyed by everyone! Just about any recipe can be improved by the addition of EVOO, from breakfast to dessert. Whether you are using it to marinate, dress, dip, or drizzle, there is no wrong way to do it. Plus, it is an easy way to get a dose of heart-healthy fats and antioxidants every day!
Explore our recipes page for inspiration using our extra virgin olive oils as well as our array of flavoured fused & infused olive oils.
