Olive oil is a versatile, delicious staple used in kitchens all over the world. Go into any supermarket and you’ll find dozens of bottles from various countries, and at very different price points. You’ll see words like virgin, unrefined and cold-pressed. Are there any nutritional differences between these varieties — and what type of olive oil is the healthiest? The way the oil is processed can impact the nutrients, experts say. Olive oil is a type of vegetable oil that comes from the fruit of fresh, ripe olives. These get crushed and the oil is extracted mechanically, then further filtered or refined and bottled. It has ancient roots in the Mediterranean region and people have been using it for thousands of years for culinary, medicinal and even cosmetic purposes. Today, olive oil is one of the most commonly-used cooking oils in the United States. In the nutrition world, olive oil is hailed for its high nutrient content and science-backed benefits — plus, it tastes pretty great. Diet Exercise Jun 16 If you eat eggs every day, this is the healthiest way to cook them, dietitian says Diet Exercise Jun 8 5 foods to lower cholesterol that a cardiologist eats every day Is olive oil good for you? “Olive oil is definitely healthy. We think of all fats that are liquid at room temperature as being good for us, especially for heart and brain health,” Dr. Nate Wood, a trained chef and the director of culinary medicine at Yale School of Medicine, tells TODAY.com. Fat is an essential nutrient that provides energy, insulates the organs and helps the body absorb vitamins. When oil is liquid at room temperature, that means it’s high in unsaturated fats. “Unsaturated fats are good for our blood cholesterol, lowering our LDL (“bad”) cholesterol compared to saturated fats,” says Wood. Saturated fats include butter, beef tallow, palm oil and coconut oil. Olive oil is especially rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, like oleic acid, which are essential in the human diet because the body can’t make them, Sibylle Kranz, Ph.D., dietitian and spokesperson for The Obesity Society, tells TODAY.com. A diet high in unsaturated fatty acids can help lower the risk of heart disease compared to one high in animal fats, says Kranz. Olive oil is also rich in antioxidants, but some varieties pack more of a punch. “Consumption of high quality olive oil has been found to have several beneficial health effects,” says Kranz. What is the healthiest type of olive oil? All olive oils are nutritious, but one stands out for its health benefits, says Wood: extra virgin olive oil (aka EVOO). Extra Virgin Olive Oil Extra virgin olive oil is considered the highest quality grade of olive oil. It’s made by cold-pressing fresh olives and mechanically extracting the oil instead of using heat or chemicals, says Wood. EVOO is unrefined or minimally processed, which means it retains more flavor and nutrients. Regular olive oils are either highly refined, or contain a mix of virgin and refined oils. All olive oils have similar macronutrient profiles. One serving or tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil has 119 calories and 14 grams of fat (10 grams monounsaturated, 1.5 grams polyunsaturated and 2 grams saturated.) What stands out about EVOO is the micronutrients and beneficial plant compounds. “Extra virgin olive oil is rich in antioxidants which can reduce oxidative stress and the body’s inflammation status,” Kranz notes. The cold-pressing process preserves most of the polyphenols. “Polyphenols are super-healthy plant compounds that also function as antioxidants and reduce inflammation,” says Wood. These include oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol, which shield the body’s cells from damaging free radicals. Over time, this damage leads to chronic inflammation, which can lead to chronic diseases like Type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s. Extra virgin olive oil is also loaded with vitamin E, which boosts immune function, protects the brain, and supports healthy skin and eyes. (The antioxidants in extra virgin olive oil also protect the oil itself from exposure to heat and light, aka oxidation, preserving the shelf life.) Virgin olive oil has fewer of these polyphenols, and regular refined olive oil has the fewest, says Wood. Extra virgin olive oil typically has a much stronger smell and taste than regular olive oil. It can be expensive, Kranz adds, but you don’t need to spend a lot of money to reap the benefits. Whether it’s from Spain, Italy, Greece or elsewhere, all EVOO is healthful and delicious. If you can’t afford olive oil, don’t sweat. “Any oil that is liquid at room temperature will do fine. It’s more about the unsaturated fats, anyway,” says Wood. The healthiest way to cook with EVOO Extra virgin olive oil is a trusty sidekick in the kitchen. It can be used for nearly all types of cooking: drizzle it as a finishing oil, whisk it into dressings, or use it to sauté and roast. However, it’s important to be mindful of the smoke point. “The smoke point is the point at which the oil starts to smoke, break down and taste bad — three things we don’t want,” says Wood. The smoke point of extra virgin olive oil is 375-410 degrees Fahrenheit, per the U.S. Department of Agriculture. “Most of the general (cooking) that we do on the stove doesn’t get any hotter than that,” says Wood. Plus, EVOO has the lowest oxidation rate of any oil, so the fats are more stable while heating, per the Cleveland Clinic. “Certainly, when no cooking is involved, like with salad dressings or a drizzle of olive oil on top of tomatoes, extra-virgin is going to be the best bet for both health and flavor,” says Wood. That said, EVOO is still healthy if you heat it. “It’s perfectly fine to use extra-virgin olive oil for sautéing, and probably healthiest to do so compared to using a virgin or refined olive oil,” he adds. Avoid Using EVOO for Frying You can use EVOO for just about anything, except frying and deep-frying. Heating extra virgin olive oil beyond its smoke point oxidizes the monounsaturated fats, Kranz notes, causing the oil to go rancid and lose its benefits. “Frying will require a more refined oil with a higher smoke point,” says Wood. The same refining process that removes nutrients also makes oils more heat-resistant. The healthiest oil for frying is avocado oil, but other top picks are refined olive oil, peanut oil and canola oil, says Wood. (Yes, that includes seed oils — which get a bad rap despite being high unsaturated fats with research-backed benefits). Tips for using extra virgin olive oil When cooking with oil, it can be tempting to drizzle or pour away without a measuring spoon in sight. However, moderation is important and you can have too much of a good thing. The serving size for oil is one tablespoon. Consuming more than that can drastically increase your fat and calorie intake, according to dietitian and TODAY nutrition editor Natalie Rizzo. All fats provide 9 calories per gram. Adults should limit their total fat intake to 30% of their daily calories, per the World Health Organization. People with heart disease or high cholesterol may need stricter limits. (If you’re unsure about your fat intake, talk to a doctor). Try to measure out EVOO when you can, or put the oil in a spray bottle to use less, the experts note. Always store extra virgin olive oil in a cool, dark place, away from the stove. “Exposure to warm temperatures and light can change the color and flavor of EVOO over time,” Kranz says. If you decant the oil into another bottle, make sure it’s opaque or dark glass. Pair olive oil with a variety of vegetables, legumes, pasta, lean meats, fish and sourdough bread for a balanced meal. This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY: What Is the best and worst time of day to eat fat? Dietitians weigh in 9 anti-inflammatory fruits to boost health with antioxidants and fiber This is the No. 1 healthiest plant-based protein powder, according to a dietitian ...read more read less