If you are looking for Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO), you may have some health interest. Getting good quality EVOO in India is not very easy. It is expensive compared to other cooking oil in the Indian market. The report suggests more than 80% of olive oil available in the market is fake. (4) So the question is how to get the best olive oil brand in India?

You must have some basic knowledge before buying EVOO.  This blog will guide you to –

• know how to buy the best quality extra virgin olive oil in the Indian market
• find the best olive oil brands in India

There are many types of olive oil with various price ranges available in the market. Following these tips will help you to pick the best –

How to buy the best Extra Virgin Olive Oil in India?

The thumb rule to buying any product is to read the label carefully. Don’t get carried away by reading the front of the label. All the important information is often given at the back. So take time to read it thoroughly.

1. All olive oil is not EVOO – Check the type of oil you are buying

It is evident that olive oil is extremely healthy mainly because of two reasons – 

• Its fatty acid profile
• Antioxidant activity

This goodness largely varies with the type of olive oil you are buying. There is 4-5 variety of olive oil available in the Indian market. Check the table below for details –

Table 1: Type of olive oil & possible health benefits

Type of olive oil	What is it?	Possibility of health benefits
Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)  and virgin olive oil (VOO)	The best quality olive is pressed at room temperature for oil extraction.   Best in quality.   Ideal for salad dressing and seasoning (5)	Yes, because of the fatty acid profile and antioxidant content  (1)
Olive Pomace oil	Cheap in quality, Extracted from poor quality, and already pressed olive   Best for furniture polishing	The antioxidant content is doubtful but may have some health benefits for  its fatty acid profile (2)
Pure olive oil or Light olive oil	A mixture of refined olive oil with small EVOO/VOO. It is best for body massage	The antioxidant content is doubtful but may have some health benefits for  its fatty acid profile
Refined olive oil	Inferior in quality because of extensive processing under high temperature, pressure, and chemical treatment   Best for high-temperature cooking but not healthy.	The antioxidant content is doubtful but may have some health benefits for its fatty acid profile.  (3)

2. Look for a dark bottle or bottle with a box

Extra virgin olive oil is very sensitive to light, oxygen, and heat. A good quality EVOO should be packed in a dark color bottle to prevent exposure to light. There are also a few good brands that sell EVOO in transparent bottles but keep the product in a box for protection.

Avoid buying EVOO with a transparent bottle without any outer cover.

3. The origin of the EVOO should be mentioned

A good quality EVOO should be grown, pressed, and bottled in a single country. Most of the EVOO available in the Indian market are from Italy or Spain.

Please note, that mentions like “product of Spain” or “product of Italy” does not mean that the oil is manufactured in Italy or Spain. Mostly it means the product is only bottled in Italy. So be aware while reading the label.

A good quality EVOO bottle often mentions the product details like the name of the estate, harvest date, pressed on a date, etc. Check if the label mentions the country of origin and bottled information clearly.

4. Check the label for “cold-pressed”

As mentioned earlier, heat is one of the major enemies of EVOO. Heat treatment for oil extraction increases its yield but reduces the antioxidant and sensory properties significantly.

Therefore if you are looking for good quality EVOO, the term “cold-pressed” should be mentioned on the label. The oil is pressed at room temperature approx at 26 ^oC (80 ^oF.

5. Check the date ” best by”

A good bottle of EVOO should have a “best by” or “best before” date mentioned on the label. Don’t forget to check that.

Once bottled, EVOO can be kept for about 12 – 18 months; the oil generally goes rancid beyond that time. The color, flavor, and taste get altered and a little unpleasant beyond this period.

However, other olive oil can be stored fine for 12 -24 months.

It is best to buy olive oil as fresh as possible. Once purchased, it’s important to keep the bottle stored in a cool, dry, dark place and finish within 1-2 months once opened. Fresher the EVOO, the better the quality.

6. Notice the color of the oil if possible

The oil loses its natural color with processing. Therefore extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) should have the darkest color compared to olive pomace oil (light golden yellow) or pure olive oil (light golden yellow) or refined olive oil (light golden yellow to white).

The color of EVOO depends on the variety of olive, ripeness, post-oil extract handling, etc. EVOO can range in color from deep grassy green to bright golden yellow.

7. Flavor and taste

If you are not habituated to the taste and flavor of olive, it may take some time to develop. Fresh good quality EVOO has a pungent flavor and is a little bitter in taste due to its high polyphenol (antioxidants) count.

Experts say, Spanish olive oil generally has a nutty and rich fruity taste while Italian olive oil has an herbal and grassy flavor.

8. High price does not mean the best quality

Don’t fall for only fancy packaging and high price. It is a fact that good quality EVOO is very expensive because of its low yield. But the market is flooded with poor-quality heat-treated olive oil selling in the name of cold-pressed EVOO.

Read the label carefully and look for the information suggested above. Check the color, and flavor of the oil for further authentication.

Being accustomed to the Indian food palate, adjusting to the flavor and taste of good EVOO may not be easy.

What are the pros and cons of popular olive oil brands in India?

Popular Brand – Figaro and Borges

Type of Olive oil Products –  

• Extra virgin olive oil
• Classic Olive oil (Not mentioned the type in the ingredient list – pure or pomace or refined)

Pros –

• Dark green bottle for EVOO
• Best by date is mentioned
• Comparatively Pocket friendly
• Origin mentioned – Manufactured and packed in Spain

Cons –

• Details of the origin of the oil not mentioned for EVOO
• Not cold pressed
• The exact type of olive oil not mentioned
• Duplicate products are available

Popular Brand – Bartoli

Available Olive oil Products –

• Extra virgin olive oil
• Extra light/ Classic olive oil

Pros –

• Dark green bottle for EVOO
• “cold extracted” mentioned on the label
• Best by date is mentioned
• Comparatively Pocket friendly
• Origin mentioned – Manufactured and packed in Spain

Cons –

• Details of the origin of the oil not mentioned for EVOO
• The exact type of olive oil not mentioned for extra light/ classic olive oil
• Duplicate products are available

  Popular Brand – Del Monte

  Available Olive oil Products –

• Extra virgin olive oil
• Olive Pomace oil
• Pure /extra light olive oil

Pros –

• Best by date is mentioned
• Comparatively Pocket friendly
• Origin mentioned – Manufactured and packed in Italy

 Cons –

• Details of the origin of the oil not mentioned for EVOO
• Not cold pressed
• The exact type of olive oil not mentioned
• Transparent  bottle for EVOO

What are the 3 best olive oil brands in India?

Authentic, high-quality extra virgin olive oil is very hard to get in India. Indian market is extremely price-sensitive and good quality EVOO is very costly. This is a major bottleneck for the regular supply of good-quality products.

However, here are the 3 brands that I find relatively better than the lot.

Best olive oil brand in India – Colavita

Available Olive oil Products –

• Italian extra virgin olive oil
• Organic extra virgin olive oil
• Premium extra virgin olive oil
• Mediterranean extra virgin olive oil
• Pure olive oil
• Pomace olive oil

Pros –

• Dark bottle for EVOO
• “cold production” mentioned on the label
• Best by date is mentioned
• Origin mentioned – Manufactured and packed in Italy
• The exact type of olive oil mentioned
• Has distinct color and flavor of the oil

  Cons –

• Details of the origin of the oil not mentioned for EVOO
• Expensive

Want to buy Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil? Check these links –

Colavita Italian extra virgin olive oil

Colavita Organic extra virgin olive oil

Colavita Premium extra virgin olive oil

Colavita Mediterranean extra virgin olive oil

Best olive oil brand in India – Allegro

Available Olive oil Products –

       Extra virgin olive oil

Pros –

• Dark bottle for EVOO
• “First cold pressing” mentioned on the label
• Best by date is mentioned
• Origin mentioned – Manufactured and packed in Spain
• Has distinct color and flavor of the oil

 Cons –

• Details of the origin of the oil not mentioned for EVOO
• Expensive

 Want to buy Allegro Extra Virgin Olive Oil? Check these links –

   Allegro Extra virgin olive oil

Best olive oil brand in India – Dolce vita

Available Olive oil Products –

        Extra virgin olive oil

Pros –

• Dark bottle for EVOO
• “First cold-pressed” mentioned on the label
• Best by date is mentioned
• Origin mentioned – Manufactured and packed in Italy
• Has distinct color and flavor of the oil

   Cons –

• Details of the origin of the oil not mentioned for EVOO
• Expensive

  Want to buy Dolce Vita Extra Virgin Olive Oil? Check these links –

Dolce Vita Extra virgin olive oil

Bottom Line

If you are concerned with your health and want to make a positive change in diet- try having a good quality extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). Follow the guide before buying. Pick the best olive oil brand in India and use them in moderation in salad dressing and seasoning. Don’t make the mistake of using EVOO for frying or other high-temperature Indian cooking.

Instead of using the other types of olive oil, it is best to use locally available cold-pressed mustard oil, ground nut oil, sesame oil, or ghee for Indian cooking.