Health Benefits of Olive Oil: Our 2021 Olio Nuovo Nutritional Analysis

Over the years, we’ve maintained the integrity of this precious product and stuck with traditional practices. We are committed to preserving the ancient varieties of olives used for our unique blend. That means, in a world where modern machinery is taking over traditional farming, and in this case, would destroy the ancient trees our olives come from, we refuse to stray from hand-harvesting our olives. If we used modern machinery instead, we’d have to uproot and replant all of these precious trees, which would put these unique, ancient varieties of olives at risk of extinction.

So few olive oil producers have avoided using modern machinery, putting many ancient varieties in extinction already, which is why we feel an extra responsibility to stick with Old World methods. We still press our oil immediately after harvesting to ensure we’re getting the freshest oil, the lowest acidity and the highest count of polyphenols possible. We transport our olives immediately after harvesting to the frantoi in crates to ensure airflow, which is important for avoiding fermentation. We grind and cold-press the olives in a way that prevents oxidation and preserves the polyphenol levels. There is never heat attached to the process, so as not to loose any nutrients. Sticking to tradition might take a little more work, but it delivers better quality and more health benefits, two things we’re on a mission to add more of in this world!

Olive oils with high polyphenol counts mean better flavor and better nutrition. Polyphenols are naturally occurring micronutrients found in certain plants and are known to have antioxidant properties. Research suggests that diets rich in foods containing polyphenols could potentially offer some protection from the development of heart disease, neurodegenerative disease, cancer, and diabetes. Here among the jovial family, we’ve always joked that Italians age so well and have the best skin because they consume lots of polyphenol-rich olive oil – but science actually backs that, too! A typical polyphenol count of 200 ppm is considered good, 300 ppm is typically considered great, and 400 is extra great. Our 2021 harvest was at 412.21 ppm!

Here is a nutritional analysis of the 2021 harvest:

In the past year, our olive oil has been featured in Saveur as the best oil for finishing and “garnishing lettuces, soups, and pasta”. It’s also been featured in countless posts on social media. We believe that a lot of our oil’s success comes from our loyal fans and word of mouth. And for that, we can’t thank you enough!

We also encourage you to check out our olive oil recipes, especially our Dairy-Free Olive Oil Chocolate Cake, a delicious cake that everyone will love!

If you didn’t pre-order the Olio Nuovo, you can still buy the oil on our site while supplies last! If you’re interested in getting oil from the first batch of the 2022 harvest – the freshest oil possible! – keep an eye out for our pre-order sale in the late fall this year! Learn more about the 2021 harvest here.
To learn more about the production of our unique oil and experience the dreamy landscapes of Italy where it comes from, we encourage you to check out our YouTube videos.