At this point youve likely heard the hubbub regarding fake olive oils! As such, I went down a rabbit hole recently to find the best of the best olive oil. And I came back to my tried and true, favorite of all favorites- Kosterina.

Olive oil is super trendy right now, if such a thing can be said of a truly ancient food. 

Why is drizzling suddenly trendy!

Hot new brands have been popping up on social media with plenty of sponsored content. Their eye-catching bottles and cute names like Brightland “Awake” and Graza “Drizzle” show up on the shelves of celebrity chefs and line Whole Foods endcaps.

Suddenly it’s sexy to discover, drizzle, and bake with extra-virgin olive oil. 

These trend to drizzle sadly brought about the launch of lower quality olive oils. While they promise their oils are superior in flavor they often do not have traceability to their sources.

Here’s the interesting thing: these new trendier brands originated in three different countries and were made from three different olives.

What happens as a result… their aromas were enticing, but the flavor didn’t sustain that initial appeal, failing to build and bloom the way the traditional favorites had. As one taster put it online, these oils were: “Nice, but not particularly special.”  

Find the source

Traditional premium olive oils are single sourced and traceable. Kosterina is about “Ancient Ingredients. Modern Superpowers,” and its founder “discovered that the majority of the olive oils here in the US are not what they say they are.

Kosterina is known for its cold-pressed EVOO made from Koroneiki olives in Southern Greece.

Its all about the polyphenols!

I’ve long used their olive oil for it’s flavor.

But here’s the thing, a 2023 paper came out on the unbelievable benefits of the polyphenols in olive oil, I did an extremely deep dive on this very topic, reviewing the complete list of third-party certified, polyphenol-counted EVOOs on the market.

Coincidentally, at the end of that deep dive, all signs pointed to Kosterina being the very best option on the market, as their certifications are stringent and their polyphenol counts being extremely high.

Anti-oxidant rich, authentically Mediterranean, and rich in polyphenals. In fact,  Kosterina Original EVOO always has greater than 500 mg/kg, 8-10x more than your typical olive oil.

Flavor superiority

All of Kosterina‘s oils are great, nd I am partial to their flavored oils! It makes cooking a breeze! But they also recently launched an everyday olive oil.

This is also a brand that is great for gifting.This is an elegant bottle of olive oil! The packaging instantly makes my kitchen feel elevated.

Something I learned from Kosterina, is that the Koroneiki olive is the most popular varietal of olive grown in all of Greece!

The Kosterina olive oils are organic, which I believe is super important for something we cook with so often.

These herb-infused olive oils instantly upgrade any recipe and these are quality oils.

In order to be deemed extra virgin, an olive has to have at least 55 mg/kg of polyphenol content.

Kosterina also has a line of flavored vinegars and balsamic vinegars!I love using their chocolate balsamic vinegar, yum!

Head on over to Kosterina and Use code Heather for 10% off the entire site!

Sure drizzling may be trendy, but just buy yourself a squeeze bottle from Amazon and add your EVOO to it. Quality olive oil is a health food, and that is more important than trends!

Authentic Mediterranean essentials full of irresistibly good health benefits. Kosterina EVOO is ultra-premium extra virgin olive oil that comes directly from their olive groves to your front door. Anyone would love their luxurious gifts. Try the EVOO sets and their lovely balsamic vinegars.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How long does olive oil last? How long your olive oil will last depends largely on when the olives were harvested, so your first step should be looking for that date on your bottle. As a general rule of thumb, once bottled, olive oil has a shelf life of around 18 to 24 months. 
• What’s the difference between olive oil and extra virgin olive oil? Extra virgin olive oil is cold-pressed and the highest grade of olive oil on the market, making it the type you should shop for when seeking the best olive oil for your kitchen. Virgin olive oil, refined olive oil, and regular olive oil all refer to lower grades of oil made from lesser-quality olives, heat-pressed, and often boast an unpleasant taste and a higher level of fatty acids. 
• What’s the best way to store olive oil? Olive oil will maintain its nutritional value best if stored in a cool and dark place, like in your pantry or a kitchen cabinet. That said, many brands now bottle their olive oils in tinted glass bottles or tins to prevent light from damaging the oil’s antioxidant qualities.
• Can you keep olive oil in a squeeze bottle? Yes, we are talking about it! Yes, you can keep olive oil in a squeeze bottle. When possible, choose an opaque squeeze bottle to prevent light exposure and decant your oil into the bottle in small quantities to keep it as fresh as possible.
• How can I boost the shelf life of my olive oil? To keep your olive oil as fresh as possible, store it in a cool, dry location and buy an olive oil packaged in a tinted glass bottle. It can also be a good idea to purchase olive oil in smaller quantities, so you can guarantee you’re using it up while it’s still at peak freshness.
• What is light olive oil? Refined and light olive oil refers to lower grades of oil made from lesser-quality olives, heat-pressed, and often has an unpleasant taste and a higher level of fatty acids.