Regular olive oil is lower quality than genuine extra virgin olive oil. It is processed using chemicals and other additives, has a lighter color, has a more neutral flavor, and has an oleic acid level between 3% – 4%.

Regular olive oil is a solid all-purpose cooking oil with a smoke point of around 450 degrees Fahrenheit, which makes it best suited for low-temperature cooking. On a side note, peanut oil is superior to both olive oils for frying.

Extra virgin olive oil is referred to as refined olive oil because of how it’s processed (cold-pressed). This leads to a more robust flavor, a higher concentration of vitamins and minerals, and no more than 1% of oleic acid. It’s the highest quality olive oil you can buy. To be labeled as extra virgin olive oil, it must be certified by the International Olive Council or California Olive Oil Council. Extra virgin olive oil has the lower smoke point of around 320 degrees Fahrenheit. This makes it better suited for dressings and dips as opposed to low heat cooking.

You might be wondering if you can substitute one for the other. The short answer is yes, but keep the smoke point differences in mind.

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INTERESTING FACTS
  1. Eleven pounds of olives are required to make 32 ounces of Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
  2. California is responsible for producing 99% of all olive oil made in the U.S.
  3. One olive tree can produce around 1 gallon of oil every year for hundreds of years.
INTERESTING VIDEO

INTERESTING REFERENCES
  1.  TheNest.com – What’s the Difference Between Extra-Virgin & Regular Olive Oil?
  2. TastingTable.com – Cooking Q&A: Regular Olive Oil vs. Extra-Virgin?
  3. WeOlive.com – Fun Facts

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