Menu
Dr. Weil Logo Dr. Weil Logo Weil™ Andrew Weil, M.D.
  • Health & Wellness
    Health & Wellness
    Body, Mind & Spirit
    • Addiction
    • Allergy & Asthma
    • Autoimmune Disorders
    • Back Pain
    • Bone & Joint
    • Cancer
    • Colds & Flu
    • Dental & Oral
    • Diabetes
    • Disease & Disorders
    • Ears, Nose, & Throat
    • Feet
    • Gastrointestinal
    • Hair, Skin, & Nails
    • Headache
    • Heart
    • Insects & Parasites
    • Liver & Kidney
    • Mental Health
    • Pregnancy & Fertility
    • Respiratory
    • Sexual Health
    • Sleep Issues
    • Stress & Anxiety
    • Vision
    Balanced Living
    • Exercise & Fitness
    • Gardening
    • Healthy Home
    • Healthy Living
    • Meditation & Inspiration
    • Meet Dr. Weil
    • Pets & Pet Care
    • Technology
    • Wellness Therapies
    Health Centers
    • Aging Gracefully
    • Children
    • Condition Care Guide
    • Men
    • Women
  • Diet & Nutrition
    Diet & Nutrition
    Anti-Inflammatory Diet & Pyramid
    Anti-Inflammatory Diet Pyramid
    Cooking & Cookware
    Healthy Cooking & Cookware
    Diets & Weight Loss
    Diets & Weight Loss
    Food Safety
    Diets & Nutrition - Food Safety
    Nutrition
    healthy nutrition
    Recipes
    healthy recipes
  • Vitamins, Supplements & Herbs
    Vitamins, Supplements & Herbs
    Herbs
    herbal remedies - herbs
    Supplements & Remedies
    suppliments & remedies
    Vitamins
    ask-dr-weil_vitamins-supplements-herbs_vitamins-topnav
  • Ask Dr. Weil
  • Blogs
    Blogs
    Bulletins
    The Legacy Of Living Yes | Spontaneous Happiness | Andrew Weil, M.D.
    Health Tips
    Healthy Drinks To Start Sipping | Andrew Weil, M.D.
    Spontaneous Happiness
    blog_spontaneous-happiness_topnav
  • COVID-19
  • Dr. Weil Origins Skin Care
  • Marketplace
  • Healthy Aging
  • Podcasts
  • Meet Dr. Weil
  • Accessibility
  • Subscribe
How To Choose A Quality Olive Oil
Subscribe
Press "Enter" to search
  1. Home
  2. Diet & Nutrition
  3. Anti-Inflammatory Diet & Pyramid

How To Choose A Quality Olive Oil

How To Choose A Quality Olive Oil | Nutrition | Andrew Weil, M.D.
1 min

Olive oil, historically used in the U.S. mostly by immigrants from Mediterranean countries and adventurous gourmets, has gone mainstream. Americans consume over 70 million gallons; a nearly ten-fold increase since 1982.

This is good news. Olive oil has the highest percentage of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat of any edible oil. Quality olive oil also contains abundant antioxidants, substances that have been shown to provide cardiovascular and anti-cancer effects. And, of course, quality olive tastes wonderful; the vibrant green treat has probably helped many Americans realize that there is no need to sacrifice sensory pleasure in pursuit of healthy eating.

But the olive oil industry’s expansion in the U.S. and worldwide has come with controversy. In an issue of the New Yorker, an article called “Slippery Business” by Tom Mueller revealed that fraud remains a major problem in the imported olive oil business. Mueller reported that adulteration with inferior seed and nut oils is widespread.

Further, while large companies cultivate the image that the oil comes from rustic groves in the Italian countryside, the London Telegraph reported that the president of one major Italian importer admitted that only about a fifth of his company’s oil is pressed from Italian olives.

The designation “extra virgin” is also problematic. Mueller’s article pointed out that even the stringent taste tests established by the International Olive Oil Council (IOOC) to determine which oils qualify as “extra virgin” have their limitations – in Italy, producers often successfully appeal a negative verdict by arguing that samples were incorrectly collected or stored, or by resubmitting their samples to a friendlier panel.

My advice: buy small bottles of a certified organic oil. Check the label for the ICEA (Istituto per la Certificazione Etica e Ambientale, which means Ethical and Environmental Certification Institute) logo, and/or that of another organic certification body such as the USDA’s green-and-white ORGANIC logo. Also, perform your own sensory test: top quality extra-virgin olive oil (which I believe should be used for all cooking, not just bread-dipping and salad-drizzling) has a natural peppery finish and a deep, “green” aroma of grass and artichoke. Such oils are not cheap, because they rely on careful cultivation that preserves olive oils legendary taste and health benefits. But the reward is more than worth it.

Andrew Weil, M.D.

Read more tips, recipes, and insights on a wide variety of topics from Dr. Weil here.

Two bottles with olive oil and grape seed oil with decoration of fresh basil and olives
Food Safety

Fake Olive Oil?

high heat hurt olive oil
Cooking & Cookware

Does High Heat Hurt Olive Oil?

Lemon Olive Oil Cake | Recipes | Dr. Weil's Healthy Kitchen
Recipes

Lemon Olive Oil Cake

Flavoring: olive oil, garlic, pepper, salt and rosemary shot on rustic wood table
Cancer

Does Olive Oil Lower Breast Cancer Risk?

Advertisement
Related Weil Products

Dr. Weil on Healthy Aging - Your Anti-Inflammatory Diet Source

Want to promote overall health and help minimize the risk of inflammatory diseases? Join Dr. Weil on Healthy Aging, your online guide to the anti-inflammatory diet. Start your 14-day free trial now for access to shopping and eating guides, hundreds of recipes, an exclusive version of Dr. Weil’s Anti-Inflammatory Food Pyramid and more!
Get Started
Dr. Weil on Healthy Aging

Start Your 14-Day Free Trial

Free Newsletters

Stay Connected With Dr. Weil

Anti-Inflammatory Diet

Follow Dr. Weil’s Food Pyramid

Get Dr Weils Newsletter Updates

Exclusive Lifestyle, Nutrition & Health Advice

Dr. Weil's FREE health living advice delivered to you!

By clicking "Subscribe," you agree to the DrWeil.com Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. You also agree to receive emails from DrWeil.com, and you may opt out of DrWeil.com subscriptions at any time.

Trending Now

4 Favorite Anti-Inflammatory Foods | Bok Choy | Andrew Weil, M.D.
Anti-Inflammatory Diet & Pyramid

4 Favorite Anti-Inflammatory Foods

true food kitchen
Anti-Inflammatory Diet & Pyramid

All About True Food Kitchen

Anti-Inflammatory Diet: A Weil Food Pyramid? | Andrew Weil, M.D.
Anti-Inflammatory Diet & Pyramid

Anti-Inflammatory Diet: A Weil Food Pyramid?

Anti-Inflammatory Golden Milk | Turmeric | Andrew Weil, M.D.
Anti-Inflammatory Diet & Pyramid

Anti-Inflammatory Golden Milk

Get Dr Weils Newsletter Updates

Stay Connected With Dr. Weil - Get Free Newsletters Right In Your Inbox

Exclusive Lifestyle, Nutrition & Health Advice

Dr. Weil Logo Weil™ Andrew Weil, M.D.
Information
  • About Us
  • Press Information
  • Advertising
  • Contact Us
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Manage Email Subscription
Trending Articles
4 Favorite Anti-Inflammatory Foods | Bok Choy | Andrew Weil, M.D.
Anti-Inflammatory Diet & Pyramid

4 Favorite Anti-Inflammatory Foods

true food kitchen
Anti-Inflammatory Diet & Pyramid

All About True Food Kitchen

Daily Tips
Do You Need Vitamin K? | Health Tips | Andrew Weil, M.D.
Health Tips

Do You Need Vitamin K?

Is Cooking with Aluminum Harmful? | Andrew Weil, M.D.
Health Tips

Aluminum Cookware: What Are The Concerns?

  • Flickr
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram

Terms of Use | Privacy Policy

Information on this website is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professional. You should not use the information on this website for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing any medication or other treatment. Any third party offering or advertising on this website does not constitute an endorsement by Andrew Weil, M.D. or Healthy Lifestyle Brands.

©Copyright2023 Healthy Lifestyle Brands, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. www.drweil.com