Health Benefits of High-Phenolic EVOOs

Over the past decade, high-phenolic olive oils have increasingly appeared on the market. These are olive oils with a high content of phenolic compounds (antioxidants) directly associated with olive oil’s health benefits.

According to the European Union's Regulation 432/2012 on nutrition and health claims, olive oils containing at least 5 mg of hydroxytyrosol and its derivatives (such as oleuropein complex and tyrosol) per 20 g of olive oil may carry an authorized health claim on their label. This amount translates to 250 mg of hydroxytyrosol and its derivatives per kg of olive oil.

The beneficial effect for consumers is achieved with just a daily intake of 20 g of raw olive oil – approximately 1½ tablespoons. This daily intake of high-phenolic olive oil contributes to the protection of blood lipids from oxidative stress.

The University of California, Davis, Harvard University, the School of Pharmacy of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, and many research centers around the world have demonstrated these benefits through studies conducted over more than a decade with various groups of participants.

In Greece, the World Olive Center for Health, a non-profit organization aiming to strengthen the entire olive and olive oil sector through certification, research and education on the health benefits of olive products, continuously conducts studies on the benefits of high-phenolic olive oil. It also offers a range of analyses for Greek producers to determine the phenolic content of their olive oil.

Olive oils with the highest phenolic content automatically receive awards at the Olympia Awards Health & Nutrition, organized by the Center. You can view some of Greece’s highest-phenolic olive oils in this awarded olive oil list.

Olive oils high in phenolic compounds have been reported to help with the following:

• Reducing blood pressure

• Supporting vascular health and protection from oxidative damage

• Reducing LDL, or “bad,” cholesterol

• Reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes

• Reducing the risk of certain cancers

• Reducing stroke risk

• Combating premature aging

• Reducing the risk of depression and dementia

• Slowing cognitive decline and the progression of Alzheimer's disease

• Reducing inflammation in the body.

What are phenolic compounds?

Phenolic compounds are organic compounds that are by-products of plant metabolism and are also known as phytochemicals. Plants produce them when under stress. Health-promoting phenols, or antioxidants, are found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds and legumes; beverages such as coffee, tea and wine; fats such as olive oil; and spices.

However, certain phenolic compounds are unique to olive oil and are formed during olive crushing and malaxation through enzymatic reactions. There are more than 30 known phenolic compounds in olive oil. The three most extensively researched for their protective health benefits are hydroxytyrosol – with more than 1,000 studies – oleocanthal, and oleacein. They are known for their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

The presence of oleocanthal is indicated by the pungent sensation at the back of the throat, which may sometimes cause a burning feeling or trigger a cough reflex. On the other hand, oleacein is associated with the bitter sensation at the back of the tongue. Phenolic aglycones also contribute to the bitter taste and pungent sensation of olive oil.

Consumers accustomed to buying supermarket olive oils – such as refined indicated on the label as “classic” - "light" or "pure" olive oil – are often unfamiliar with olive oil’s bitterness and pungent finish. When they taste a high-phenolic extra virgin olive oil, they may mistakenly consider it defective, which is not the case.

The more bitter and pungent an olive oil is, the higher its phenolic content tends to be. On the other hand, an olive oil that is high in phenols is not automatically extra virgin, because phenolic content is not a quality criterion or a criterion for classifying olive oil into a quality category.

When it comes to agronomic factors, phenolic content depends on soil conditions and weather – microclimate and terroir – olive variety, harvest time, milling practices and fruit ripeness, with greener olives generally having a higher phenolic content.

For you, the consumer

If you buy a high-phenolic olive oil for its health benefits, you should consider incorporating it into your daily diet much like a functional food. Consume it daily, preferably raw over food and salads, or take one to two tablespoons in the morning before breakfast.

If your budget allows, you can cook or fry with high-phenolic olive oil. It will make your food more delicious and healthier, even if some phenols are lost during cooking. High-phenolic olive oil withstands the high temperatures of frying (180-200°C) more effectively and dispels the common misconception that olive oil becomes toxic during normal domestic frying.

A more economical option is to cook with virgin olive oil or with olive oil composed of refined and virgin olive oils, while reserving high-phenolic extra virgin olive oil for salads and anything else you wish to finish with raw olive oil.

In addition, it is best to consume a high-phenolic olive oil before its best-before date. Once opened, store it in a cool, dark place, ideally at 15-18°C, always with the cap tightly closed. This helps minimize the loss of phenolic compounds and preserve its rich aromas.

Light, heat, oxygen, and time are the enemies of every olive oil, and olive oil is a much more delicate product than you may imagine. This means avoiding decorative, transparent bottles that are left open at the top, and never leaving olive oil beside the stove or near a window while cooking.

It is important to understand that high-phenolic olive oil costs more than most olive oils on the market because producing and storing it requires high expertise and exceptionally careful practices.

We began to discover and study high-phenolic olive oils during the past decade, thanks to visionary olive oil producers and university professors who took risks to do things differently, challenge centuries-old traditions, habits and culture, and create olive oils of high nutritional value.

Let us get to know them and make them part of our everyday diet.