Light Olive Oil Vs Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Olive oil is the oil extracted from olive fruit which is commonly found in the Mediterranean region. It is used on large-scale all over the world for several purposes. It is used as a cooking medium, in preparation of soaps, cosmetics, in pharmaceuticals, and even for making lamps.

Olive Oil

There are various health benefits of olive oil. According to dietitians, olive oil is safe to consume as it contains a high amount of monounsaturated fats which helps in lowering the risk of heart diseases. Similarly olive oil helps in reducing chances of diabetes and certain forms of cancer. Extra virgin olive oil is found to help boost our immune system. There are several different types of olive oil, viz., virgin olive oil, extra virgin olive oil, light olive oil, etc. Among the several olive oil types, let us know more on light olive oil vs extra virgin olive oil.

Light Olive Oil vs Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Light olive oil, or refined olive oil, and extra virgin olive oil are two prominent varieties of olive oil. The differentiation between olive oil types is on based on the acid content in them. One should also remember that all olive oil types contain same amount of nutrients. When one uses the term light olive oil, they only refer to the color of the oil and not its calorie content. All the types of olive oil, including extra virgin and light, contain same calorie content. Here is the comparison between light olive vs extra virgin olive oil.

Properties	Extra Virgin Olive Oil	Light Olive Oil
Acid Content	Extra virgin olive oil contains very little amount of acid as compared to the other varieties. It contains as low as 1% acid content as it is extracted from first pressing.	Light olive oil has a slightly higher amount of acid content (up to 3%).
Chemical Processes	Extra virgin olive oil is the product of the first extraction, hence it does not undergo excess chemical processes. Cold pressed extra virgin olive oil may contain finer pieces of olives.	Light olive oil is filtered very finely, hence may undergo several chemical processes. Pieces of olives are completely absent in case of extra light olive oil.
Flavor	The extra virgin olive oil is far more superior than other olive types as it has a stronger aroma and flavor. Due to this feature, it is required in lesser amount.	Light olive oil has a very light flavor and taste.
Smoke Point	Extra virgin olive oil is not suitable for deep frying as it tends to burn or smoke when heated to higher temperature.	Light olive oil takes long time to get heated, i.e., it has a higher smoke point therefore, it is used only if one requires deep frying.
Long-Lasting	Extra virgin oil is of the most superior quality among all the olive oil types. It is also more long-lasting than the other varieties and easy to digest than the other types.	Light olive oil may come to a close second in this case.

When ending the discussion between light olive oil vs extra virgin olive oil, we can conclude that the extra virgin olive oil is simply the best and the highest grade olive oil you can buy. Hence, for obvious reasons, go for it if you want the best!