What is the best way to store olive oil?

Store it in an airtight container, away from light in a cool cupboard. In this way, you can expect to keep your olive oil fresh and safe for at least a year. To retain its properties it must be kept away from excess heat, air, damp and, above all, light. Stored properly, olive oil keeps longer than all other edible oils.

Doesn’t olive oil have more calories than other cooking oils?

No. Olive oil has 115 calories per tablespoon (9 calories per gram of oil) as any other common cooking or salad oil. But because of its full flavor and aroma we usually use less olive oil in cooking than other oils and of course we get less fat calories.

Does olive oil contain cholesterol?

Olive oil contains absolutely no cholesterol.

Does olive oil have healthful benefits other oils don’t have?

Studies indicate that a Mediterranean diet low in saturated fats such as butter, lard, and other animal fats, but rich in monounsaturated fats such as olive oil, in addition to grains, fruits and vegetables, helps keep the artery-clogging LDL (“bad cholesterol”) low while maintaining healthful levels of HDL (“good cholesterol”). The HDL has a preventative effect on cardiovascular illness because it may help to eliminate LDL from the blood by carrying it to the liver. In addition, many medical researchers and nutritionists agree that olive oil is a good source of vitamin E which may protect against cancer and heart disease.

Can I fry with olive oil?

Olive oil is very stable at high temperatures, so we can fry, sauté, stir fry and even deep fry with it.

What is Protected Designation of Origin Olive Oil?

Olive oils of Protected Designation of Origin bear the name of the region they are originating in and have particular organoleptic characteristics which distinguish them from olive oils produced in other regions (e.g. Greece has a lot of  P.D.O olive Oils such as SITIA LASITHI CRETE, KALAMATA, etc.).

What does P.D.O. guarantee?

  • That the olive oil is produced in a specific geographic area.
  • That the olive oil is pressed from a specific variety of olives cultivated in that area. The quality and organoleptic characteristics of olive oil depend on the climate and the soil.
  • That the olive oil is pressed at less than 27oC.

How do we recognize P.D.O. olive oil? Look for the logo