Olive oil
A staple oil from Mediterranean olives, used for millennia.
Olive oil is a vegetable oil obtained by pressing whole olives, the fruit of *Olea europaea*, a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin. It is commonly used in cooking for frying foods, as a condiment, or as a salad dressing, and also appears in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, soaps, and fuels for traditional oil lamps. The olive is one of three core food plants in Mediterranean cuisine, alongside wheat and grapes, and olive trees have been cultivated around the Mediterranean since the 8th millennium BC. The oil's composition varies depending on the cultivar, altitude, harvest time, and extraction method, consisting mainly of oleic acid (up to 83%), with smaller amounts of linoleic acid (up to 21%) and palmitic acid (up to 20%). Extra virgin olive oil is defined by having no more than 0.8% free acidity and is prized for its favorable flavor. Historically, olive oil has been a staple in Mediterranean diets, including ancient Greek and Roman cuisine, and was used for religious rituals, medicines, lamp fuel, soap-making, and skincare. The Spartans and other Greeks applied it during exercise, a cosmetic practice that spread across Hellenic city-states by the 7th century BC and persisted for nearly a thousand years. It was also employed as a form of birth control, as noted by Aristotle. The earliest surviving olive oil amphorae date to 3500 BC, though production likely began before 4000 BC. Olive cultivation spread from the eastern Mediterranean westward via the Phoenicians, reaching Greece, Carthage, and Libya by the 28th century BC, and later to Spain and the Roman Empire. In the 16th century, olive trees were introduced to the Americas, particularly Chile, Argentina, and California. In 2022, Spain was the world's largest producer, accounting for 24% of global output, followed by Italy, Greece, and Turkey, which together supplied 59% of the market.
- type
- Vegetable oil
- primary_use
- Cooking, condiment, salad dressing
- other_uses
- Cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, soaps, lamp fuel, religious rituals
- top_producer_2022
- Spain (39-40% of world total)
- other_major_producers
- Italy, Greece, Turkey (combined share significantly lower than 59%)
- key_component
- Oleic acid (up to 83%)
- earliest_cultivation
- 4th millennium BC
Lore & Background
Olive oil is a vegetable oil obtained by pressing whole olives, the fruit of *Olea europaea*, a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin. It is commonly used in cooking for frying, as a condiment, or in salad dressings, and also appears in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, soaps, and fuel for traditional oil lamps, with additional uses in some religions. The olive is one of three core food plants in Mediterranean cuisine, alongside wheat and grapes, and olive trees have been cultivated around the Mediterranean since the 8th millennium BC. In 2022, Spain was the world's largest producer, manufacturing 24% of the global total, with Italy, Greece, and Turkey collectively accounting for 59% of the market. The oil’s composition varies with cultivar, altitude, harvest time, and extraction process, consisting mainly of oleic acid (up to 83%), with smaller amounts of linoleic acid (up to 21%) and palmitic acid (up to 20%). Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) must have no more than 0.8% free acidity and is prized for its favorable flavor. Wild olives, originating in Asia Minor, were collected by Neolithic people as early as the 8th millennium BC. Beyond food, olive oil has been used for religious rituals, medicines, lamp fuel, soap-making, and skincare. The Spartans and other Greeks applied it while exercising in gymnasia, and its cosmetic use spread to all Hellenic city-states by the early 7th century BC, lasting nearly a thousand years despite high cost. Aristotle recommended a mixture of olive oil with cedar oil, lead ointment, or frankincense ointment as a contraceptive. Olive trees were introduced to the Americas in the 16th century, with cultivation in Chile, Argentina, and California.
Reader's Guide
It is one of three core food plants of the region, alongside wheat and grapes, and has been used not only for cooking but also in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, soaps, lamp fuel, and religious rituals. The oil's composition varies with cultivar, altitude, harvest time, and extraction process, consisting mainly of oleic acid (up to 83%). Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is required to have no more than 0.8% free acidity and is prized for its flavor. The olive tree has historically been a symbol of peace, and its cultivation spread from the Eastern Mediterranean through Phoenician, Greek, and Roman influence, eventually reaching the Americas in the 16th century. The exact domestication history remains uncertain, with genetic studies suggesting descent from multiple wild populations.
Did You Know?
- Olive trees have been cultivated around the Mediterranean since the 4th millennium BC.
- Extra virgin olive oil must have no more than 0.8% free acidity.
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