Olive oil, liquid gold, was already considered to be a luxury and aromatic food since the ancient times. Olive oil is made from the ripe fruit of the olive tree and is rich in valuable fatty acids and vitamins such as vitamin E.

Olive oils come mainly from the Mediterranean. The tops producers from this region are Italy, Spain and Greece. Olive oil is also produced in other countries, such as France. The oil has its very own flavour which is influenced by its country of origin. In addition to this are of course the different ways in which the oil is produced and extracted from the olives. There is extra virgin olive oil, filtered olive oil, other unrefined olive oils or refined olive oil. The flavour and colour can become more intense depending on the method of manufacture and the quality of the olives.

In Switzerland, there is a differentiation between three different levels of quality of olive oils on the market.

• Extra virgin olive oil (extra vergine)
• Virgin olive oil
• Olive oil

Extra virgin olive oil comes from the first press. As the name already suggests, it is pure. This oil appeals to consumers because of its fruity taste, which makes it great for use on salads and other cold dishes. On the other hand, virgin olive oil has a somewhat stronger flavour and contains, minimally, more acid than the extra virgin olive oil. The cheapest form is olive oil. This is very simple in its quality and is most suitable for roasting or frying. It is not heavily dominated by a strong taste, so the flavours of the meat or vegetables can come through.

The olive tree is one of the oldest cultivated plants and crops. The success story of its fruit, the olive, dates back more than six thousand years. Already back in ancient times, this stone fruit and the olive oil extracted from it, were considered to be luxury food and a feast was not complete without it. And so a long tradition of cultivation, harvesting and processing grew around this remarkable fruit, which has remained virtually unchanged to date.

Growing

Once you have planted an olive tree, you then have to wait up to seven years before it starts to bear fruit. Before this the harvest of the fruit is so low that it is not worth picking the ripe olives. Even the care of the tree is demanding. In order to enjoy a bountiful harvest, the olive trees must be cut back every year. This also keeps the shape of the tree so that the harvesting is all the easier and quicker by hand.

Harvesting

Even today, olives are usually picked by hand. This is due to the fact that the fruit of the olive tree is extremely delicate and can be easily damaged. It is only through traditional manual work that the quality of the future product can be ensured. Another reason for this method is simply due to the area the trees grow in. Most olive trees grow in hilly landscapes, in areas that are difficult to access, meaning that the use of machinery is nigh-on impossible.
The harvest season for olives starts in late autumn and lasts right through to spring. During this time, farm workers, farmers and pickers are out almost every day, some with their long rods, harvesting the olives.

As with any other oil, olive oil has a limited shelf life. It usually keeps well for 14 to 18 months. Therefore you should take care to note the expiry date when purchasing the oil. In addition to this indication, which symbolises a certain guarantee for the quality of the oil, the conditions it is stored in play a decisive role. However, generally speaking, a bottle of olive oil, once it has been opened, should be used quickly.

If you do not use very much oil as a rule, you should perhaps select the smaller bottles for your purchase.

Once a bottle has been opened, then the correct storage conditions play a decisive role. Generally speaking, olive oil is sensitive to light and heat and it reacts with the air. That is why the oil should always be stored in a dark, cool and dry place. Sunlight causes a reaction in the oil which oxidizes it making it taste bitter and rancid. Furthermore, you should always keep a good seal on the oil bottle. On the one hand it reacts with the air and on the other hand, as with milk, it quickly absorbs the taste and odours of its surroundings or other food stored with it. The best solution is to store the oil at a temperature of between 14 and 18 degrees.

If the olive oil is fresh, particles may settle at the bottom of the bottle during the first few weeks. In this instance, the oil should be decanted into a different, clean bottle after one to two months. The sediment at the bottom of the bottle may create an unpleasant smell.

If the temperature at which the olive oil is stored is too low, then it may flocculate. This is a completely natural process and does not alter the taste of the oil. In order to dissolve these solid particles again, simply put the olive oil out at room temperature for a few minutes. The solid particles will dissolve again and the oil can be used again as normal.

The way and conditions in which the oil is stored have a fundamental impact on the quality and shelf life of the olive oil. If the oil is not stored properly, it can become bitter or even rancid before it has reached its expiry date. To ensure that you enjoy your, at times very expensive, oil for longer, you should follow a few simple steps. Only when it is stored properly will the oil retain its taste, smell and structure as well as its valuable nutrients. Once the oil has become rancid, there is nothing more you can do, apart from throw it away.

A few simple rules for storing olive oil

Every time olive oil is exposed to air, it oxidizes. That is why it should ideally be stored in a way that keeps the air out. Close the bottles well and once a bottle is open always use it quickly.

Store the oil in a dark place. Olive oil reacts to light. Light or strong sunlight can make the oil turn rancid very quickly. That is why olive oil is usually kept in dark bottles.

Olive oil reacts to heat. That is why it must never be exposed at temperatures above 26 degrees during storage. Just as heat may make the oil go off, it must also never be stored at low temperatures, i.e. under 5 degrees.

Olive oil should ideally be stored in the refrigerator. Only there can a constantly cool temperature be guaranteed. This would also ensure that it is stored in a dark place. If the olive oil is stored at a low temperature, then it may flocculate. This reaction is caused by the oil’s chemical and physical properties. It does not affect the quality or flavour of the oil in any way. Simply leave the olive oil to stand for a few minutes out of the refrigerator before using it. The solidified oil will soon dissolve again at room temperature.

If the olive oil is freshly pressed or still quite young, particles may settle at the bottom during the first couple of months. This may let off an unpleasant odour. In this instance, you should decant the olive oil in another bottle and leave the deposits in the original bottle.

The most important factor influencing the quality of the olive oil is of course the raw material. It has the greatest impact on the flavour, smell and appearance of the end product. A variety of other factors also influence the quality of the oil that is ultimately extracted. A high-quality raw material is just as decisive as the way in which the oil is extracted or the manufacturing process.

The following influential factors, at the raw material level, determine the taste and flavour of the olive oil:

• Varieties of olives
• Care and pruning of the olive trees
• Water supply during growth
• Ripeness of the olives
• Harvest (directly from the tree by hand) – olives are an extremely delicate fruit and must not be damaged when they are harvested, this will otherwise impair the future quality of the oil.
• Proportion of damaged, rotten or infested fruit
• Proportion of foreign parts such as twigs, branches or leaves
• Storage conditions
• Duration of storage until the fruit is processed (ideally, the olives should be processed 72 hours after being harvested, at the latest, the earlier the better so as to preserve more of the phytonutrients).

As the oil is being produced, it is not only the method used for its manufacture that has a significant influence on its flavour, smell and colour. The following factors also play a role:

• Cleanliness of the equipment used to produce the olive oil; the frequency with which the residue is cleaned and removed in particular.
• The use of stainless steel appliances.
• Continuous checking of the temperature during the pressing and processing stages.
• Filtering of the oil. The suspended solids and the lees contain enzymes that essentially determine the quality of the olive oil.
• Storing the olive oil under airtight conditions.

Generally, olive oil in Europe is divided into eight different classes of quality. These classes are used to indicate the level of quality of the oil and are regulated by a European standard. The oil may only be sold on the market under these names.
The most labour-intensive element of the olive oil making process is the care of the trees and the harvesting of the ripe fruit. This accounts for approximately 75% of the future costs of the oil when it is sold on the market.

Olive oil is the ideal choice for frying tender cuts of meat, fish, poultry, vegetables and potatoes. This is also recommended by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Ernährung e. V. (DGE – German Nutrition Society). Nevertheless, a few points need to be observed in this regard. We have listed a few useful tips in our guide below.

The right temperature is important
If you want to use olive oil for frying, the temperature of the oil is crucial. Tender meat, fish, poultry, vegetable and potatoes should not be fried too hot. A moderate heat is ideal in this case. To test if the temperature of the oil is ready for frying, simply place a wooden cooking spoon of a little piece of bread in the heated oil. As soon as the bubbles start to form, it means the oil has reached the right temperature for frying.

Olive oil for frying steak and meat

If you want to use olive oil to fry steaks and meat, then you will usually need a slightly higher temperature of approximately 180 degrees. If you are using extra virgin oil for frying, the temperature must not be higher than this under any circumstances, otherwise the smoke point of the oil will be exceeded and harmful ingredients may be produced. You can test the temperature with a drop of water in the oil. If it crackles, this means the oil is at the ideal temperature for cooking steak and meat.

High-quality extra virgin oil

You can of course use high-quality extra virgin oil for frying. However, since oils generally loose their flavour and valuable ingredients when heated, you should ask yourself whether it is worth it. Finally, the olive oil was also extracted separately at particularly mild temperatures. Virgin olive oil is perfectly suitable for the purposes of frying.

6 basic rules for frying properly with olive oil:

Oil, no matter what kind, should never be heated up in a closed pan. The oil could ignite and start to burn.

Always pat dry the food you are going to fry with paper towels, so that the oil does not spray out when you put it in the hot oil.

Never use food that has just come out of the refrigerator of freezer. It should always be defrosted or ideally at room temperature, otherwise it will cool down the hot frying oil and the food will only be heated up very slowly. When the cooking process is impaired in this way, the meat loses its juices and becomes tough. Furthermore, deep-frozen meat or fish literally absorbs the cooking oil.

When frying with olive oil, you should always heat the frying pan first. You should only add the cooking oil when the pan is hot enough. The food can be placed in the pan once the oil has reached a temperature of between 140 and 180 degrees.

When cooking, frying or roasting, if the olive oil in the pan starts to smoke, this means that it is too hot and it has exceeded the so-called smoke point. The temperature should be turned down straight away, otherwise harmful substances may form in the oil.

Do not pour any further oil in the pan whilst cooking. The cold cooking oil lowers the temperature of the oil and disturbs the cooking process. By having to re-heat the oil, the meat, steak or fish you are cooking will also lose its juices.

• The less olive oil there is in the bottle, the quicker you should use it up. Sometime it is worth pouring the olive oil into a smaller bottle.
• Always store the olive oil somewhere dark and cool. Storage temperatures of between 10 and 16 degrees are ideal. Furthermore, you should always make sure that the bottles are well sealed, so that the oil cannot react with the oxygen and thereby quickly loose its flavour and valuable ingredients as it turns rancid/goes off.
• When stored correctly (in a cool, dark place, and airtight) it will last for up to 18 months. Ideally, once a bottle has been opened, it should be used quickly. The label on the bottle will provide information on how long the olive oil will last.
• Oil should never be heated up in a closed pan because it could ignite. If this should happen, never put the fire out with water, instead you should put a cloth, e.g. tea towel or a blanket, over it in order to smother it. If you try to put the burning oil out with water, you will create bigger flames. Olive oil should always be at room temperature when used as an ingredient for a salad dressing, seasoning oil or marinade. This helps it mix together well with the other ingredients.
• To add a special touch to the olive oil when roasting or frying, add some herbs, garlic, chilli peppers or bay leaves to the oil as it heats up in the pan. But you must remove these additional ingredients from the pan before adding the meat or vegetables. Otherwise the herbs, spices or garlic will burn if they are left to cook for too long and they will leave an unpleasantly bitter taste.
• If you store the olive oil in the refrigerator, it may flocculate or solidify. This is a completely natural process. If the temperature of the oil falls below 8 degrees it will solidify. This does not mean that the quality is impaired in any way and it does not alter the taste of the oil. You can continue to use the oil as normal. To return it to its liquid state, simply leave the bottle of oil at room temperature for a little while.
• When heated up too much, olive oil starts to smoke. Olive oil is more sensitive due to its lower smoke point, which means that it will start to smoke before other oils do, such as rapeseed oil or sunflower oil. If the oil starts to smoke, you should remove the pan from the heat source immediately and lower the temperature. To avoid the oil overheating from the start, simply heat it up at a lower temperature from the outset.
• Olive oil is a very rich oil. That is why you should not add too much olive oil to your dishes, otherwise it can drown out the flavours of the other ingredients. Tasting your food properly during the preparation stage is therefore essential. You will find that you usually require less oil than you are used to with other oils. A positive side effect is that you can cut back on the calories.
• When you heat or warm up oil, it creates a steam that contains the typical smells and flavours. The fruitier the oil, the stronger the smell. Ideally, you should therefore use less fruity or milder olive oils when roasting or frying.

Olive oil is a healthy cooking oil. Today the oil is as much a part of the essential must haves in the kitchen as salt and pepper are. It is extremely good for you and can be used both in cold as well as hot dishes. Nevertheless, many people still want to know how many calories olive oil actually contains and whether it is suitable for their diet to help them lose weight.

Surprisingly it is actually Mediterranean cooking, which is known for its generous use of olive oil, that is widely reputed as being a good diet. The Greeks are the highest consumers of olive oil per capita, in the EU. They currently consume approx. 20 litres of this high-quality oil per capita, followed by Spain and Italy with approx. 10 litres. The trend in Switzerland is somewhat more frugal at less than one litre per capita, but as its good reputation increases year after year, so does the trend.

And this is how many calories there are in olive oil

100 ml olive oil
810 calories (kcal) or 3,400 kilojoules (kJ)
However, given that from experience we know that a lot less olive oil is needed to make a salad dressing or for frying, stewing, roasting and grilling, we thought it useful to list how many calories are in the quantities of olive oil usually used in cooking.
1 tablespoon (15ml or14g) of olive oil contains 121 calories (kcal)
1 teaspoon (5ml) of olive oil contains 40 calories

Whether or not olive oil is suitable for a diet or for weight loss cannot be determined solely on the number of calories. However, olive oil is healthier than some of the other cooking oils because of its low content of saturated fatty acids.

In addition to the actual calories, olive oil also contains many other healthy and beneficial ingredients. Here is a general overview.

Comparison of the calories in olive oil and other vegetable oils

The difference between the number of calories in olive oil and other cooking oils is relatively low. We have compiled a list of the oils and how many calories they contain. Their fat content is almost the same. The important distinction between the oils is the ratio of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids.

A healthy diet

The amount of calories in olive oil is not necessarily an important issue for a healthy diet. Depending on the way in which the food is prepared, other oils or fats can be better suited, as their contents are generally more heat-resistant and therefore more appropriate.