How to choose the best extra virgin olive oil

Author: Danielle Brown

Published: November 11, 2026

Obtaining genuine, high-quality extra virgin olive oil can be tricky, with many suppliers blending olive oil with other types of oil, due to crop shortages.

Finding authentic olive oil rich in polyphenols, the compounds behind its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activity, is easy if you know what to look for. Here’s a quick explainer to help you choose the best, most therapeutically active olive oil.

Bottle of extra virgin olive oil labelled with what to look for: dark glass, ‘extra virgin’, a named origin, harvest date, polyphenol content and a quality seal

Benefits of extra virgin olive oil

Extra virgin olive oil is antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory. Most of these therapeutic powers come from its high levels of polyphenols.^1,2 Refining olive oil strips the polyphenols out, so cheaper “light” and refined oils don’t have much. Take two tablespoons daily with food (salad dressing, dipping) or straight off the spoon.

Choose a reputable brand, as sadly not all olive oil is actually 100 per cent olive oil anymore. Look for a dark glass bottle, third-party testing seals and a harvest date.

Look for

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), not “light”, “pure” or plain “olive oil”
A certification seal from your region (see below)
Dark glass or tin packaging, to keep out light
Bottles stored somewhere cool, not in a sunny shop window
A harvest date within the last 12–18 months
A stated polyphenol content, if the producer lists it
Ideally, a specialty shop, farmers’ market or direct from the producer

Check the label for key information

“First cold pressed” or “cold extraction” – in the EU, this means the oil was kept below 27 °C during processing.³ All extra virgin olive oil is made without chemicals, so it’s not a big selling point.
Specific origin – the best oils name the estate or region. “Product of the EU” or “blend of EU and non-EU oils” means oil from several countries, so you can’t tell how fresh it is.
“Extra virgin” – free acidity of 0.8 per cent or less, no off smells or flavours, and a fresh, fruity taste.⁴

Avoid these red flags

Clear bottles – light breaks down the oil and its polyphenols.
Plastic bottles – air gets through plastic, so the oil goes stale faster.
Only a best-before date, or no date at all – you can’t tell when the olives were picked.

Clear bottle of ‘pure’ olive oil labelled with red flags: clear plastic or glass, ‘pure’ or ‘light’, blended oils, a big discount and only a best-before date

Use your senses (if tasting is an option)

A good extra virgin olive oil should be:

Fresh-smelling – fruity, grassy or green. Rancid oil smells like crayons, putty or stale nuts, and musty oil smells mouldy.
Bitter and peppery – these flavours come from the polyphenols.
A bit harsh on the throat – a catch or cough at the back of your throat is a good sign. It comes from oleocanthal, the polyphenol that acts a little like ibuprofen.²

Buy from reputable sources

Be wary of big-brand olive oils sold at a deep discount in supermarkets. A price that seems too good to be true is a warning sign. Good olive oil is not cheap.

Look for certification seals

A seal means the oil has been independently checked. Look for the one used where you live:

Australia – the OliveCare triangle on Australian-grown oils. Imported oils may carry the Australian Olive Oil Association’s Certified Quality Seal.
New Zealand – OliveMark, from Olives New Zealand.
USA and Canada – NAOOA Certified (North American Olive Oil Association), found on many US brands and now expanding into Canada. Oils made from California olives may carry the COOC seal (California Olive Oil Council).
UK and Europe – PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) or PGI (Protected Geographical Indication). Some labels use the local name instead: DOP in Italy, Spain and Portugal, AOP in France, ΠΟΠ in Greece.

Seals confirm the oil is genuine, but they don’t measure polyphenols. Check the label for a polyphenol figure as well.