Is Olive Oil Good for You? What the Research Says

Olive oil is one of the most widely studied foods in nutrition research, largely because it sits at the centre of the traditional Mediterranean diet. What we can say plainly is what is in it: mostly monounsaturated fat, plus natural compounds called polyphenols. For advice about your own diet and health, speak to your GP or a registered dietitian.

What is olive oil actually made of?

Olive oil is the juice of the olive fruit, separated from water and solids. Like all oils, it is almost entirely fat, and it is energy-dense, at roughly 120 calories per tablespoon. What sets it apart is the type of fat. The main fatty acid in olive oil is oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat. It also contains smaller amounts of saturated and polyunsaturated fats.

Extra virgin olive oil, because it is made only by mechanical means and not refined, also keeps a range of minor compounds from the fruit. These include vitamin E, plant pigments, aroma compounds and polyphenols.

What are polyphenols?

Polyphenols are a large family of natural compounds found in plants, including olives, tea, coffee, berries and cocoa. In olive oil, the best known include hydroxytyrosol, tyrosol and oleocanthal. They are responsible for much of the bitterness and peppery catch in a good extra virgin oil.

Polyphenol levels vary a great deal. They depend on the olive variety, how ripe the fruit was when picked, how it was processed and how old the oil is. Refined olive oils contain very little, because refining strips them out. Fresh, early-picked extra virgin oils from varieties such as Coratina tend to contain much more. Our article on high-polyphenol olive oil explains how they are measured.

What does the research look at?

Much of the scientific interest in olive oil comes from studies of people who follow traditional Mediterranean eating patterns. Researchers have looked at olive oil both as part of that overall diet and as a source of particular fats and polyphenols. Some of the most widely reported studies have been large, long-term trials comparing Mediterranean-style diets with other diets.

It is worth reading headlines with care. Diet studies are complicated, the results depend on the whole pattern of eating rather than one ingredient, and findings are often more cautious than news coverage suggests. Health claims on food in the UK are also tightly regulated, and only specific, approved wordings may be used on packaging and in marketing. That is why we describe what is in our oil rather than what it might do.

Does the type of olive oil matter?

From a composition point of view, yes. All olive oils share a similar fat profile, but the minor compounds differ widely by grade:

• Extra virgin olive oil is unrefined and keeps the most polyphenols, vitamin E and flavour.
• Virgin olive oil is also unrefined but has minor defects, and usually fewer of these compounds.
• "Olive oil", "pure" or "light" olive oil is mostly refined oil, with a small amount of virgin oil added for flavour. Refining removes most of the polyphenols.

Freshness matters too. Polyphenols decline gradually over time and with exposure to light, heat and air, so how you store your oil makes a difference. If you want to be sure you are getting genuine extra virgin oil, our guide on how to spot fake olive oil is a good place to start.

How much olive oil do people in the Mediterranean use?

In traditional Mediterranean cooking, olive oil is the main cooking and dressing fat, used generously on vegetables, pulses, bread, fish and salads. It tends to replace other fats rather than being added on top of them. That context matters: olive oil is part of a way of eating built around vegetables, legumes, wholegrains and fish, not a supplement taken alongside an otherwise unchanged diet.

What's in our oil

We publish our numbers so you can see exactly what you are buying. Our extra virgin olive oil was independently analysed in January 2026 by Studio Analisi Chimiche e Ambientali, an ISO 9001-certified laboratory (report 2026.019-2). It measured polyphenols at 687 mg/kg using the Folin-Ciocalteu method, with free acidity of 0.36%, a peroxide value of 7.06, K232 of 1.44 and K270 of 0.1254, confirming it as extra virgin. The full report is on our lab results page.

The oil itself is Coratina-led, cold pressed, unfiltered and bottled at source on a single estate in the hills between Puglia and Basilicata. You can find it on our olive oil page.

Quick answers

Is extra virgin better than regular olive oil?
Extra virgin is unrefined and contains far more polyphenols and flavour than refined "olive oil". Their fat content is similar.

Can you make health claims about olive oil?
Only specific, legally approved claims may be used in the UK. We prefer to show you independent lab data on what is in the bottle.

Should I change my diet because of olive oil research?
Talk to your GP or a registered dietitian, who can advise you based on your own health.