ConsumerLab.com uses JavaScript to provide the best possible experience for our content, but your browser has it disabled. Learn how to enable it here.

About ConsumerLab.com

Search

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Organic Olive Oil?

April 23, 2024
Favorited Not Favorited
Are pesticides used on olives and should I seek organic olive oil? See the discussion in our Extra Virgin Olive Oil Review, which includes our Top Pick for organic extra virgin olive oil.

How Olive Oil Lowers Cholesterol

April 19, 2024
Favorited Not Favorited
A recent study suggested how substituting olive oil in place of saturated fats can reduce cholesterol. Get the details in the Cardiovascular Disease section of our Extra Virgin Olive Oil Review, which includes our Top Picks for olive oil.

Also see: Which supplements or foods can help lower cholesterol and keep my heart healthy? Are there any to avoid?

Olive Oil & Fatty Liver

March 19, 2024
Favorited Not Favorited
Olive oil seems to offer benefits to people with fatty liver disease. See what a recent study showed in our Extra Virgin Olive Oil Review, which includes our Top Picks among olive oils.

Also see: Do any supplements help with fatty liver disease? Are some diets more beneficial than others?

Top Pick Extra Virgin Olive Oil Renamed

January 30, 2024
Favorited Not Favorited
In case you've been trying to find our Top Pick EVOO for "high polyphenols," we learned that the name has changed. For details, see the Top Picks section of our Extra Virgin Olive Oil Review.

Pesticides in Olive Oil?

January 26, 2024
Favorited Not Favorited
How big a risk is pesticide contamination in extra virgin olive oils? See what recent study found in the Quality Concerns section of our Extra Virgin Olive Review. Also see our Top Picks for olive oil.

Olive Oil & Inflammation

July 07, 2023
Favorited Not Favorited

Does high-polyphenol extra virgin olive oil decrease inflammation compared to regular olive oil? See what a recent study found in our Extra Virgin Olive Oil Review.

Also see our Top Picks among extra virgin olive oils and learn what impact these oils may have on insulin and blood sugar control.

Olive Oil Review Expanded: Many Do Not Make the Grade

March 31, 2023
Favorited Not Favorited

We tested three new olive oils based on reader requests, and the results are in! Our new tests included two olive oils that claim to be high in polyphenols, and the results were surprising:

-- One olive oil was rated so poorly by our professional taster it was considered to be "lampante" -- i.e., not fit for human consumption.

-- The other high-polyphenol oil delivered a good amount of polyphenols, rated well for taste, and is now our new Top Pick for a very high-polyphenol olive oil.

We also tested California Olive Ranch Global Blend but were somewhat disappointed.

See the results now for 13 popular olive oils in our updated Extra Virgin Olive Oil Review.

Olive Oil for Memory?

January 10, 2023
Favorited Not Favorited

Can extra virgin olive oil improve memory and learning in people with mild cognitive impairment? Find out what a recent study found in the Memory section of our Extra Virgin Olive Oil Review.

Also see our answer to the question: Do any supplements, foods or lifestyle modifications help with brain function, like memory and cognition?

Olive Oil Impact on Cholesterol

November 18, 2022
Favorited Not Favorited

Replacing saturated fat in the diet with olive oil may help lower cholesterol levels. But what happens when one adds a large amount of olive oil to the diet? See what a recent study found in the Cardiovascular disease section of our Extra Virgin Olive Oil Review.

Olive Oil Lowers Risk of Death

January 31, 2022
Favorited Not Favorited
Regular consumption of olive oil was associated with reduced risk of death from heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease in a large, long-term study – but only if replacing certain other foods. Get the details in the What It Does section of our Extra Virgin Olive Oil Review. Also see our Top Picks among extra virgin olive oils.

Best Way to Store Olive Oil

September 13, 2021
Favorited Not Favorited
Even if unopened, it is best to store extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) at the right temperature, according to results of a recent study. Get the details on the best way to store EVOO in our Extra Virgin Olive Oil Review. Also see our Top Picks among extra virgin olive oils.

EVOO vs. Regular Olive Oil

September 06, 2021
Favorited Not Favorited
Extra virgin olive oil may be more beneficial than regular olive oil for blood sugar control and satiety, according to a recent study. Get the details in the Insulin Control and Blood Sugar section of our Extra Virgin Olive Oil Review. Also see our Top Picks among extra virgin olive oils.

Mediterranean vs. Low-Fat Diet for Arteries

August 20, 2021
Favorited Not Favorited
A long-term study in people with coronary heart disease compared the effects of a Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil with a low-fat diet. Find out which diet decreased atherosclerosis (plaque build-up in arteries) in the Cardiovascular Disease section of our Extra Virgin Olive Oil Review. Also see our Top Picks among extra virgin olive oils.

Olive Oil & Alzheimer's?

April 23, 2021
Favorited Not Favorited
Can regular consumption of extra virgin olive oil improve cognition and reduce blood levels of markers associated with Alzheimer's disease? See what a recent study found in the What It Does section of our Extra Virgin Olive Oils Review. Also see our Top Picks among olive oils.

Olive Oil & Cognition

October 15, 2020
Favorited Not Favorited
Does consuming extra olive oil improve cognitive function in people with mild cognitive impairment? Find out what a recent study showed in the What It Does section of our Extra Virgin Olive Oil Review. Also see our Top Picks for olive oil.

Olive Oil & Breast Cancer Risk

September 14, 2020
Favorited Not Favorited
Is olive oil consumption associated with a lower risk of breast cancer in women? See what a recent analysis found in the What It Does section of the Extra Virgin Olive Oil Review. Also see our Top Picks for olive oil.

Olive Oil and Heart Disease

March 06, 2020
Favorited Not Favorited
Does consuming olive oil instead of butter or margarine reduce the risk of heart disease? Find out what studies are showing, and the amounts of olive oil being used, in the What It Does section of the Olive Oil Review. Also see our Top Picks for olive oil.

Best Way to Cook With Olive Oil

January 24, 2020
Favorited Not Favorited
Cooking can reduce levels of heart-healthy polyphenols in extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), but a new study showed how to minimize this loss. Get the details in the ConsumerTips section of the Extra Virgin Olive Oil Review. Also see our Top Picks among extra virgin olive oils.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Fatty Liver Disease

August 12, 2019
Favorited Not Favorited
Can consuming a Mediterranean diet enriched with extra-virgin olive oil decrease the incidence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease? See what a new study found in the What It Does section of the Extra Virgin Olive Oil Review. Also see our tests and Top Picks among extra virgin olive oils.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Diabetes

July 22, 2019
Favorited Not Favorited
Several studies have looked at the effects of consuming extra virgin olive oil on improving blood sugar control. The most recent study looked at whether it could delay the need for glucose-lowering medication in people with type 2 diabetes. Get the results in the What It Does section of the Extra Virgin Olive Oils Review. Also see our Top Picks among products.

Plastic Bottles Okay for Olive Oil?

February 11, 2019
Favorited Not Favorited
A recent study compared the effects of storing extra virgin olive oil in plastic versus glass bottles, as well as the effects of light. Find out which bottle and setting fared best in the ConsumerTips section of the Extra Virgin Olive Oils Review. Also see our latest Top Picks for extra virgin olive oil.

Best Olive Oil for Heart?

November 19, 2018
Favorited Not Favorited
This week, the FDA agreed that oils that are at least 70% oleic acid may claim to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease when substituted for saturated fats. Oleic acid is the dominant fatty acid in olive oil. However, our tests of popular extra virgin olive oils show that only some reach the 70% level. Get the details in the Extra Virgin Olive Oil Review. (Also see our Top Picks among extra virgin olive oils.)

Mediterranean Diet Study Retracted

June 14, 2018
Favorited Not Favorited
A landmark study about the benefits of the Mediterranean Diet was retracted and republished this week. Does this change what we know about the benefits of extra virgin olive oil? Find out in the Cardiovascular Disease section of the Extra Virgin Olive Oil Review. (Also see our Top Picks among extra virgin olive oils.)

Choosing Olive Oil for Cholesterol Benefit

May 01, 2018
Favorited Not Favorited
Certain types of olive oil may be more effective at improving cholesterol levels according to a recent analysis. Find out more in the What It Does section of the Extra Virgin Olive Oil Review. (Also see our Top Picks among extra virgin olive oils).

Lower Heart Risk With Olive Oil

December 09, 2017
Favorited Not Favorited
Using olive oil was associated with a dramatic reduction in the risk of cardiovascular disease in a recent study. But what about using olive oil along with other oils? Get the results and learn more in the "What It Does" section of the Extra Virgin Olive Oils Review. Also see our Top Picks among extra virgin olive oils.

Olive Oil and Prostate Cancer

September 09, 2017
Favorited Not Favorited
Another possible benefit of olive oil within a Mediterranean diet is a reduced risk of aggressive prostate cancer, according to a new study. For details about this and other benefits of olive oil, see the updated "What It Does" section of the Extra Virgin Olive Oils Review, which includes our Top Picks among products.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil Aids Fat Loss

September 01, 2017
Favorited Not Favorited
A study among overweight women found that substituting extra virgin olive oil for another plant oil led to greater losses of body fat during dieting. See the details in the "What It Does" section of the Extra Virgin Olive Oils Review -- which includes our Top Picks among extra virgin olive oils.

Olive Oil Helps in Pre-Diabetes

May 29, 2017
Favorited Not Favorited
Adding extra virgin olive oil to a meal decreased the rise in blood sugar and increased insulin levels after the meal, according to a new study in people with pre-diabetes. Similar benefits with olive oil have been shown in people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. For details, see the "Insulin Control and Blood Sugar" section of the Extra Virgin Olive Oils Review, which includes our tests and comparisons of popular olive oils on the market.

Olive Oil Lowers Diabetes Risk

April 22, 2017
Favorited Not Favorited
Consuming a certain amount of olive oil daily reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 13%, according to a new study. Consuming more than this amount did not reduce the risk further. Get the details, and see our tests of popular oils, in the "What It Does" section of the Extra Virgin Olive Oils Review >>

Mediterranean Diet with Olive Oil Improves Depression

February 20, 2017
Favorited Not Favorited
A recent study found that men and women with major depression who consumed a Mediterranean diet with olive oil had significant improvement in symptoms compared to those who maintained their typical diet. Get the details in the "What It Does" section of the Olive Oil Review (which includes our tests of products) >>

Reason for Olive Oil Defects?

January 19, 2017
Favorited Not Favorited
We recently noticed that all three of the extra virgin olive oils which failed to be Approved in our recent review share something in common. For details, see the "What CL Found" section of the Extra Virgin Olive Oil Review (which includes our tests of products) >>

Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Bone Fracture Risk

January 16, 2017
Favorited Not Favorited
A recent study found that higher consumption of extra virgin olive oil was associated with a 51% reduction in the risk of osteoporosis-related bone fractures. Get the details in the "What It Does" section of the Extra Virgin Olive Oil Review (which includes our tests of products) >>