JaanYar
Chapter 1 of 18

Olive Oil

If You Read Nothing Else

A dark green bottle of extra virgin olive oil beside a small glass filled with the oil, clear and bright golden-green
Poured into glass, good olive oil shows its true colour — bright, clean and green-gold, not cloudy.

Two tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil a day is one of the most durably studied habits for heart and brain aging.

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The polyphenol (protective plant compounds) oleocanthal — the peppery bite in fresh EVOO — behaves biochemically like a low-dose ibuprofen.

Freshness matters more than country of origin: buy a bottle with a harvest date within the last twelve months.

What Else to Know

EVOO is more heat-stable than often claimed. Its antioxidants protect it through everyday sautéing.

If there's one everyday fat at the heart of Mediterranean eating, it's olive oil, especially extra-virgin (EVOO). This is one of the best-supported dietary patterns for heart health and longevity, and much of the benefit comes from monounsaturated fats and polyphenols (protective plant compounds) such as oleocanthal.

Known to botanists as Olea europaea.