- What is in olive oil?

What is in olive oil?

Written by Keith vonB

Unlike alot of other vegetable oils, olive oil is at it's essence a fruit juice. Other vegetable oils must be extracted from their plant matter by solvents. During the process of pressing the olive oil from the rest of the olive solids and separating it from non-oil liquids other microscopic "plant bits" get suspended in the olive oil. This is one of the things that researchers think contribute heavily to the health benefits of olive oil. All of the things that were there to keep the olive oil fresh for use by the olive seed help preserve our bodies when we ingest it.

There are three primary components of olive oil and tons of secondary components. Between the benefits of the type of oil that is contained in the primary parts, and the anti-oxidive qualities of the secondary parts lies the story of the health benefits of olive oil.

First thing, before we get started, don't be put off by the "acid" label on the main components of olive oil. This is a scientific term, and isn't really related to what you and I think of as acid, eg. vinegar, lemon juice. It is just the technical name for something that is related to a "fatty acid" which is what all fats are.

The percentages and amounts listed of the different components of olive oil can vary widely in olive oil depending on the weather, olive variety, location where it is grown, how mature the olive is and how much processing the olive oil undergoes after pressing.

Primary Components

Oleic acid

Oleic acid makes up between 55% and 85% of olive oil. It is oleic acid that makes olive oil primarily monounsaturated and is an Omega-9 oil. Olive oil has the highest percentage of monounsaturated fat of all vegetable oils.

Essential fatty acids

Both Linoleic and Linolenic acids are essential fatty acids. Essential fatty acids are fatty acids that your body is not able to create on it's own. Because of this, your diet must contain these essential fatty acids. All other fatty acids your body is able to create on it's own from other things you eat.

Linoleic acid

Linoleic acid makes up about 9% or 10% of olive oil. It is polyunsaturated and is an Omega-6 oil.

Linolenic acid

Linolenic acid makes up about 1% of olive oil. It is polyunsaturated and is an Omega-3 oil. This is the same type of oil you may have heard about being so good for you coming from fatty fish like Tuna and Salmon. Many health professionals recommend the ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 oil to be 10:1, and as you can see olive oil has that ratio. While it is also good to get Omega-3 oils from other sources like fish, there are risks of contaminants building up in the fatty tissue of fish, like PCB's, mercury and dioxins. Olive oil can be a good source of Omega-3 oil that does not have the risk of contamination. You can find more info on fish and mecury here, here, and here.