Is Your Olive Oil Real?

I recently read a few articles online about olive oil and how more than half of the olive oil sold in the US isn't even real olive oil, and it's the real stuff that has all the healthy benefits. There were also articles showing how to tell if your olive oil is real or not, but the fridge method isn't actually legit. A few brands that are suppose to be the real deal... California Olive Ranch, Cobram Estate, Lucini Italia, Kirkland Organic (be sure you get the Organic and not the Signature in this, and some are put off by its clear container and stating that it barely passed the FDA), Lurcero (Ascolano), Corto Olive, Trader Joe's California Estate, and McEvoy Ranch Organic. As for brands that failed the olive oil test... Pompeian, Filippo Berio, Bertolli (the light version was what I had been buying), Star, Carapelli, Mazzola, Mezzetta, Safeway, Whole Foods, Colavita, Newman's Own Organic, and Rachel Ray.

Shopping for Olive Oil at Martins

$6 on sale at Martins

I have also read that real olive oil does not come in clear containers, but rather in green containers (or perhaps just non-clear varieties), and Extra Virgin is apparently better/more-beneficial than plain Virgin varieties. Generally the cheapest olive oil on the shelf is not the best choice as olive oil is actually pricey to make. The bottle should have a harvest date and the oil should be consumed within 2 years of harvest so, don't trust "bottled" or "best by" dates, and olive oil quality does deteriorate over time. California olive oils actually have tested better quality than those overseas so look on the bottle from where the oil actually came from. Real olive oil also has layers of flavor (nothing neutral or greasy), and may be bitter or peppery at the back of the throat. Also be sure to check the COOC for updates on certified olive oils as these can change overtime (and the COOC list gets updated weekly).