You’re cooking your favorite dish, and you grab the olive oil. Did you know that this simple act is one that’s been done since the 5th or 4th century BCE?

Cold-pressed olive oil is a common term that’s often confused. While the true olive oil product has several benefits, the imposters lack them.

Use this guide to understand what you’re buying and why it’s so important you purchase a genuine olive oil product.

What Is Cold Pressed Olive Oil?

Unfortunately, less than honest olive oil brands add catchy phrases to their labels in an attempt to sway you. According to the International Olive Oil Council, an olive oil must be first cold-pressed to qualify as “extra virgin”. But not all first cold-pressed olive oils qualify at “extra virgin”.

This distinction has led to experts claiming that 80% of the olive oils on American supermarket shelves are fraudulent. This can make identifying and buying the genuine product a challenge.

First Pressed 

If you see this term on an olive oil label, it means that the olives were crushed and pressed once. The oil extracted in this first pressing is typically the purest and the highest quality.

Cold Pressed 

If you see this term on the label, it means that the temperature of the olives never went over a certain threshold. It’s typically around 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Keeping the heat low preserves the quality of the oil.

Why First Cold Press Is Important

Producers of low-quality olive oil will press their olives multiple times at higher temperatures. This is economical because it will produce more oil. But it also means that the oil is lower quality.

Olive oil that’s produced the correct way retains the nutritional benefits, has a more robust flavor, and a pleasing texture. The natural aroma, richness, and earthiness will be evident in the oil.

Benefits of High-Quality Olive Oil 

When you buy the best quality in olive oil, you can several health benefits.

• Lower blood pressure
• Protect against cancer
• Antibacterial action

It’s high in nutrients and unsaturated fat. This is the good kind of fat. It’s known to help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and several other chronic illnesses.

Both vitamins K and E are present in olive oil. Vitamin E is an antioxidant that will improve your immune system function. Vitamin K boosts bone health and helps with blood clotting.

Uses Other Than Cooking

You can use olive oil for more than just cooking. Some popular beauty treatments use olive oil for your hair, skin, and nails.

Try a hair treatment of olive oil to treat your split ends or relieve your scalp dryness. Or you could hydrate your skin by using a small amount to massage into your skin. If your cuticles are dry and chapped, rub a bit of olive oil on them.

Try Cold-Pressed Olive Oil

There’s no better time than the present to toss that imposter grocery store olive oil and replace it with the genuine product. Start cooking with high-quality cold-pressed olive oil and experience the difference in flavor.

Browse our selection of the best quality olive oils and enjoy the benefits of pure extra virgin olive oil.