Nutrition Facts Fruit and Vegetables Olive Oil: Nutrition Facts Calories in Olive Oil and Their Health Benefits By Barbie Cervoni MS, RD, CDCES, CDN facebook twitter linkedin instagram Barbie Cervoni MS, RD, CDCES, CDN, is a registered dietitian and certified diabetes care and education specialist. Learn about our editorial process Barbie Cervoni MS, RD, CDCES, CDN Reviewed by Reviewed by Marisa Moore, RDN, MBA on April 29, 2020 pinterest instagram Marisa Moore is a registered dietitian nutritionist with a BS in nutrition science and MBA in marketing. She is also the founder of Marisa Moore Nutrition. Learn about our Review Board Marisa Moore, RDN, MBA Updated on April 30, 2020 Print Verywell / Alexandra Shytsman Olive oil is an ancient food that has been used by people for thousands of years. Unusually, it is extracted from the fruit, rather than a seed, nut, or grain like most other oils. Olive oil is mostly produced in Europe (Spain, Italy, France and Greece) and a small amount is produced in California and North Africa. Olive oil is sometimes called sweet oil. Olive oil varies in color and flavoring depending on the ripeness of the olives, climate, type of soil and producers preferences. Color, which can vary from dark green to almost clear, depends on the refining process and is not a good indicator of flavor. A good quality olive oil will be thicker than refined products, but not too thick. Olive oil contains no carbohydrates or protein. All of its calories come from fat, mostly monounsaturated, making it an extremely heart healthy addition to your diet. Nutrition Facts The following nutrition information is provided by the USDA for one tablespoon (15g) of olive oil. Calories: 119Fat: 14gSodium: 0.3mgCarbohydrates: 0gFiber: 0gSugars: 0gProtein: 0g One tablespoon of olive oil contains about 119 calories and 14 grams of fat, making it a high calorie food product. The good news is that the fat is healthy, mostly monounsaturated, around 6.7 grams and polyunsaturated, 4.6 grams. A small amount of calories come from saturated fat. Although the fat is the healthy kind, you should still portion control your olive oil. Use it moderately in cooking and dressing food. And if you are using it in a single serving, note that one serving of fat is about one teaspoon of olive oil. Health Benefits Olive oil is rich in vitamin E, a fat soluble vitamin that supports normal nerve conduction and plays a role in immunity. It is also a good source of vitamin K, which is another fat soluble vitamin that is responsible for blood clotting. In addition, olive oil is high in monounsaturated fat, which has been shown to increase good cholesterol (HDL) and lower bad cholesterol (LDL). Some studies suggest that adding extra virgin olive oil to the diet, about one to two tablespoons per day, can have anti-inflammatory effects by reducing c-reactive protein. Another way olive oil may help to protect the heart is based on its content of polyphenols. Some of the polyphenols in olive oil can prevent blood platelets from clumping together, which is a cause of heart attacks. The FDA supports the claim that "eating 1 1/2 tablespoons (20 grams) of olive oil each day may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease." Other research suggests that consuming olive oil could protect us from cognitive decline, osteoporosis, and even improve the balance of bacteria in our guts. It is important to note that many of the healthy components of olive oil, such as phytonutrients, are present in high amounts only in virgin and extra-virgin olive oil. What Is Extra-Virgin Olive Oil? The label designations virgin, extra-virgin, and pure olive oil refer to the level of acidity of the oil as well as the extent of processing used to extract the oil. The general rule of thumb is the lower the acidity, the better. Virgin olive oil is 100% unadulterated olive oil, meaning it is not heated or chemically processed. Instead, it is extracted from the olives purely by mechanical means (either by pressing or spinning the olives after they are mashed into a paste). The most superior "extra virgin" has the most nutrition, a lower acidity than virgin olive oil, very low rancidity, and strongest olive flavor. Pure olive oil is processed from the pulp after the first pressing using heat and chemicals. It is lighter in flavor and less expensive. The benefit here is that it has a more neutral flavor and a higher smoke point. Virgin and extra virgin olive oil have lower smoke points and will start to break down when heated too high, yielding an off flavor. Picking and Storing Olive Oil The fats in olive oil make it susceptible to going rancid. Therefore, it is very important to protect it from light and heat. Once olive oil is opened, you should use it within six months. You know an oil is rancid when it smells or tastes off. To keep oil in the best condition: Purchase olive oil in dark glass bottles. Yellow and green glass blocks the damaging light rays that can cause an oil to go rancid.Avoid purchasing bottles of oil that are dusty or have been sitting on the shelves for months.Look to see if there is a date on the label, and try to get the freshest oil you can.Store olive oil in a dark, cool place or the refrigerator until ready to use. When refrigerated, don't be alarmed if the oil appears cloudy and thick. It will become a liquid again once it is at room temperature. If stored properly, olive oil will maintain its flavor and nutrition properties. Healthy Ways to Use Olive Oil Olive oil is a staple in Mediterranean and European cuisine. Use extra-virgin olive oil to drizzle vegetables, soups, stews, bean dishes, meats, fish, and poultry. Or, use it to make light sauté or your own, lower sodium salad dressing. If you are looking to cook at higher heats, such as grilling, you can use extra virgin olive oil. However, you are probably better off using vegetable oil, canola oil, virgin, or pure olive oil, due to their higher smoke points and more neutral flavor. Heating extra virgin olive oil too hot can cause it to lose the properties that make it extra virgin. But it is important to note that some of the alternative oils are processed. Avoid extremely high heat cooking altogether, such as frying, as this type of cooking is rich in calories and may produce carcinogenic compounds. Recipes With Olive Oil Classic Greek SaladBroccolini With Pine Nuts and GarlicRoasted Fish With Herb Citrus Dressing Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Get nutrition tips and advice to make healthy eating easier. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Uylaşer V, Yildiz G. The historical development and nutritional importance of olive and olive oil constituted an important part of the Mediterranean diet. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2014;54(8):1092-101. doi:10.1080/10408398.2011.626874 Schwingshackl L, Hoffmann G. Monounsaturated fatty acids, olive oil and health status: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies. Lipids Health Dis. 2014;13:154. doi:10.1186/1476-511X-13-154 Oil, olive, salad or cooking. FoodData Central. U.S. Department of Agriculture. Published April 1, 2019. Ulatowski L, Manor D. Vitamin E trafficking in neurologic health and disease. 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Extra-virgin olive oil for potential prevention of Alzheimer disease. Rev Neurol (Paris). 2019;175(10):705-723. doi:10.1016/j.neurol.2019.07.017 Liu H, Huang H, Li B, et al. Olive oil in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis after artificial menopause. Clin Interv Aging. 2014;9:2087-95. doi:10.2147/CIA.S72006 Martín‐Peláez S, Covas MI, Fitó M, Kušar A, Pravst I. Health effects of olive oil polyphenols: recent advances and possibilities for the use of health claims. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2013;57(5):760-71. doi:10.1002/mnfr.201200421 Navarro Soto J, Satorres Martínez S, Martínez Gila D, Gómez Ortega J, Gámez García J. Fast and reliable determination of virgin olive oil quality by fruit inspection using computer vision. Sensors (Basel). 2018;18(11). doi:10.3390/s18113826 Pristouri G, Badeka A, Kontominas MG. Effect of packaging material headspace, oxygen and light transmission, temperature and storage time on quality characteristics of extra virgin olive oil. Food Control. 2010;21(4):412-8. doi:10.1016/j.foodcont.2009.06.019 Additional Reading Lucas L, Russell A, Keast R. Molecular mechanisms of inflammation. Anti-inflammatory benefits of virgin olive oil and the phenolic compound oleocanthal. Curr Pharm Des. 2011;17(8):754-68. doi:10.2174/138161211795428911