Why olive oil?

People in the Mediterranean have eaten more or less the same way for thousands of years: lots of vegetables, legumes, fish, whole grains, and olive oil. Lots of olive oil, every day, with everything. It's a way of living with more intention and less rushing, more shared meals in the sun, and a plate that just isn't complete without olive oil.

Health

Olive oil can be enjoyed purely for pleasure, but it's hard to overlook its health benefits. Extra virgin olive oil isn't just a fat - it's pressed olive juice that retains the active compounds found in the fruit, which is exactly why it behaves differently than other vegetable oils.

Oleic acid

Oleic acid is the main fatty acid in extra virgin olive oil, making up 70-80% of its composition. It supports heart function, lowers bad cholesterol (LDL), and helps maintain stable blood sugar levels. Thanks to it, energy from a meal with olive oil is released more slowly and evenly.
Oleocanthal

Oleocanthal is one of the most studied polyphenols in extra virgin olive oil. It has anti-inflammatory properties through a mechanism similar to ibuprofen - inhibiting the same enzymes responsible for inflammation in the body. It's also responsible for the characteristic burning sensation in the throat you feel after swallowing good olive oil. The stronger the burn, the more oleocanthal it contains.
Hydroxytyrosol

Hydroxytyrosol is one of the strongest natural antioxidants: stronger than green tea or coenzyme Q10. It protects cells from free radicals, which damage tissue and accelerate aging. It also prevents the oxidation of LDL ("bad" cholesterol), a process that contributes to plaque buildup in the arteries and increases the risk of heart disease.
Vitamin E

Extra virgin olive oil contains vitamin E in the form of alpha-tocopherol, the form most easily absorbed by the body. It protects cell membranes from oxidative damage and supports tissue regeneration. Its role in skin health is well-documented, not just when applied externally, but especially when consumed regularly. Vitamin E also acts as a natural preservative in the olive oil itself, slowing oxidation and extending its freshness.

Taste

Wine sommeliers talk about terroir, about how the soil, climate, and harvest time leave their mark in the glass. Good olive oil works exactly the same way, but few people talk about it. Click on the tiles to read about the impact of each factor on the taste of your olive oil.

Terroir

Terroir

Soil, climate, and altitude directly influence the chemical composition of olives. Limestone-rich soils produce oils with higher acidity and more mineral character. Higher temperatures accelerate ripening and reduce polyphenol content. Differences between regions - Peloponnese, Andalusia, Tuscany, Istria - are both measurable in the lab and noticeable on the palate.
Variety

Variety

Every olive variety has a unique fatty acid and polyphenol profile, just as different grape varietals yield different wines. Koroneiki, the variety behind our Peloponnese oil, is known for high oleocanthal content, an intense aroma, and a distinct citrus note with a peppery finish. Frantoio, one of the varieties in our Tuscan blend, yields more complex oils - herbaceous, with discernible artichoke notes and a long finish. Olive oil made from a single variety is called a monocultivar. A blend combines the profiles of several varieties: each contributes something different, and together they create a more multi-dimensional flavor.
Harvest time

Harvest time

Polyphenol content is highest in unripe olives, picked early in the season. Exactly when that is depends on the region - in the Northern Hemisphere, including Europe, the harvest usually runs from October to November, while in the Southern Hemisphere (Australia or Chile, for example) it falls six months later, from April to May. As olives ripen, polyphenols convert into sugars and fats, and the oil becomes milder but less biologically active.

Cooking

The conclusion from all of the above is that it's worth eating olive oil and celebrating meals with loved ones :) But to be clear, let's also discuss the myth that you shouldn't cook with olive oil.

What matters is the smoke point, the temperature at which fat starts to break down and release harmful compounds. For extra virgin olive oil, that's around 190–210°C. Most home cooking (frying eggs, sautéing vegetables, softening onions) happens below 180°C, so olive oil is more than suitable for it.

But that's not the whole story. A study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry by a team from Spain's Instituto de la Grasa looked at what happens to olive oil under prolonged heating: 36 hours at 180°C, conditions far more demanding than anything you'd encounter in home cooking. The result: oleic acid, sterols, and squalene remained almost unchanged. The reason: polyphenols and tocopherols act as a natural antioxidant shield, protecting the rest of the oil's composition from breaking down, even as they themselves lose potency over time. In practice, this means extra virgin olive oil is far more heat-resistant than most people assume.

And it's not just about cooking. Olson olive oil works where you'd expect it to (bread, feta, tomato) but also where you might not: drizzled over dark chocolate, spooned onto yogurt with fruit, stirred into hummus, or finished on top of a creamy soup to bring out the flavor. Good olive oil is an ingredient you can rely on, literally every day <3