Since olive oil IS high in fat and calories, don’t just add it to your diet. Use it to replace saturated and/or polyunsaturated fats, such as butter and margarine. Olive oil should be stored in a dark, cool place, even in the refrigerator. It is best to use the purest and highest-quality olive oils.

Extra-virgin olive oil and virgin olive oil are terms used when the olives have been pressed to extract the oil without the use of any heat or chemicals to speed up the extraction process. Extra-virgin and virgin olive oil have the highest levels of antioxidants and are the most healthful forms of olive oil. Avoid olive oil products that say “made from refined olive oil,” which allows manufacturers to adjust taste and other product factors with added chemicals.