What does olive oil being “virgin” or “extra virgin” mean?
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Extra virgin olive oil is typically the first oil extracted from the olive. Ideally, it’s preferred to be extracted by a cold press method because heating the oil during processing changes its characteristics and flavor.
Virgin oil would be extracted in much the same way after the extra virgin oil. From there, the processing method changes. Heat or steam can be added to help extract more oil but the resulting product doesn’t taste anything like its extra virgin counterpart. It’s used for a less expensive alternative to extra virgin olive oil, and also tends to be the oil of choice in commercial or industrial food production where it’s considered favorable to have “olive oil” listed as one of the ingredients on the label.
In short, extra virgin olive oil is the most naturally processed and least tampered with of the different olive oil grades and it tends to have more noticeable and complex flavors.
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