Olive Oil Nutrition Benefits and Facts

Nutritional summary

Olive oil consumption is consistently linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, with meta-analyses showing a 16% reduction in risk for every additional 25g (roughly two tablespoons) consumed daily .
Regular intake is well-established as a tool for managing heart health markers, specifically by reducing systolic blood pressure and lowering LDL-cholesterol (the type associated with arterial plaque) .
The health benefits appear to be driven by minor constituents like polyphenols (naturally occurring antioxidants) rather than just the fat content itself, as olive oil shows stronger protective effects against mortality and stroke than other sources of monounsaturated fats .
Evidence from large-scale systematic reviews indicates that replacing other dietary fats with olive oil is associated with a 22% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes .
High-phenolic extra virgin olive oil may offer superior benefits for blood pressure and cholesterol compared to refined olive oils, though the exact concentration of phenols required for these effects is still being refined in clinical research .

Interesting fact

The oldest known olive oil production site dates back to the 6th millennium BC in present-day Israel, where archaeologists found crushed olive pits and stone basins.

Standout nutrients

EPIC

SOURCE

Vitamin E

GREAT

SOURCE

Chromium

ACE

SOURCE

Sum n-3 fatty acids

GREAT

SOURCE

Vitamin K

900

kcal per 100g

Fat100.0g

Fat breakdown

Polyunsat8.45g

Monounsat72.8g

Saturated13.5g

Seasonality

Not available

Diet

VeganVegetarianPescatarianGluten FreeDairy FreeKetoLow FodmapPaleo

Sustainability

Lighter footprint

Olive trees are carbon sinks and require relatively little water compared to other oil crops, though processing waste can impact local water systems.

Confidencemedium

Storage

Cool Dark Place

1–2 years

Light and heat degrade the oil's quality and antioxidants.

Away From Direct Sunlight

1–2 years

Airtight Container

1–2 years

Oxygen causes the oil to go rancid over time.

Flavour

Data & Sources

Harmonized from 4 validated sources

French Food Database

1 contributing source food

Swiss Food Database

1 contributing source food

McCance & Widdowson

1 contributing source food

USDA

USDA FoodData Central

1 contributing source food

Claim citations

Virgin Olive Oil Ranks First in a New Nutritional Quality Score Due to Its Compositional Profile - PMC

[2]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Virgin Olive Oil and Health: Summary of the III International Conference on Virgin Olive Oil and Health Consensus Report, JAEN (Spain) 2018 - PMC

[6]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effect of olive oil consumption on cardiovascular disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and all-cause mortality: A systematic review and meta-analysis - ScienceDirect

[8]www.sciencedirect.comsciencedirect.com

Is Extra Virgin Olive Oil the Critical Ingredient Driving the Health Benefits of a Mediterranean Diet? A Narrative Review - PMC

[10]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Coverage

Nutrients

FoodCompass

60.3

Version

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