How to Store Olive Oil properly, so it doesn’t lose its Flavor and Benefits ~ Dr. Domenico Pratico', MD, FCPP
- Dr. Domenico Pratico
- 2 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Mentioned in the Bible and the Quran, since antiquity olive oil occupied a special place in human history. It was an essential part of everyday life used not only for cooking, but also fuel for lighting and ointment in public baths.
It was not without a good reason that it was considered a gift from the gods to humans, also sometimes called “liquid gold”.
In the kitchen you can drizzle it on salads, you can cook with it, or use it as a dip, or use it in so many other different ways, but rest assured of one thing: it will elevate the flavor of any dish while doing a lot of good things for your body and your mind!
However, there is a question that I hear very often regarding the proper way of storing olive oil after we bring it home from the store.
What is the best way to store olive oil in order to preserve its flavor, freshness, and importantly nutritional value at the highest?
Here are some useful tips, given in random order:
1. Avoid direct exposure to light. Keep it in a dark glass bottle or an opaque container and in a closed cupboard of the pantry. Light, especially sunlight, overtime can induce oxidation (transformation, breaking down) of some components of olive oil reducing its health benefits.
2. Keep it at room temperature, ideally between 14 and 21C (57-70F). No need for refrigeration unless the temperature in the room is significantly higher than the one recommended. However, avoid direct exposure or closeness to heat sources such as stovetops and ovens. The higher temperature can also induce oxidation of many components of olive oil reducing its health benefits.
3. After using it, avoid leaving the container open even for relatively short periods. Always close the container with its cap immediately after use. It is known that air exposure can also cause olive oil to oxidize like heat and light exposure. As a follow-up to this tip, avoid the popular and at time stylish decanters which are very often made of clear glass and unsealed.
4. If you buy olive oil in a bigger container (>1 liter) or in bulk, aliquot it by using smaller containers (500-750 mL). Avoid leaving the entire supply in one large container.
By doing so, you can significantly reduce the exposure of the main supply to light and air, limiting their consequences.
5. Fresher is always better, even for olive oil. While there is consensus that olive oil does not spoil like other food, as a general principle try to use it within the 2 years of the harvest. Because of this, always look at the date on the “best by…” and use it accordingly.
Final Thoughts
Besides giving an extra flavor to our meal, olive oil has many health benefits ranging from cardiovascular to brain health and for these reasons we should always incorporate it in our daily diet.
However, to get the maximum benefits from this food, its proper storage is very important. Fortunately, storing olive oil properly may require some attention but it is not a complicated task.
Keep in mind the 3 known enemies of olive oil:
light
heat
air
By keeping it cool, dark, and airtight, we will preserve the full flavor and the vast array of health benefits.
Treat your olive oil right, and it will reward you with every single drizzle!
If you are interested in reading more of my blogs:
Domenico Praticò, MD, holds the Scott Richards North Star Charitable Foundation Chair for Alzheimer’s Research and serves as a Professor and Founding Director of the Alzheimer’s Center at Temple, as well as a Professor of Neural Sciences at Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University.
For more information on the research conducted by Dr. Domenico Pratico, please visit this link.
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Stay updated with the work happening at Dr. Domenico Pratico's lab by visiting the Pratico Lab website.