Understanding the Truth: How healthy is Bertolli Extra Virgin Olive Oil?

October 6, 2025 •

4 min read

Extra virgin olive oil, a foundation of the Mediterranean diet, is celebrated for its heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and powerful antioxidants. However, as a major supermarket brand, many consumers question: How healthy is Bertolli Extra Virgin Olive Oil? The answer involves understanding the differences between commodity and artisanal products.

Quick Summary

This article explores the nutritional profile of Bertolli Extra Virgin Olive Oil, detailing its composition of monounsaturated fats and antioxidants. It explains how its mass-produced nature affects quality and compares its health benefits to premium alternatives. Consumers learn what to consider when evaluating any olive oil brand.

Key Points

Heart-Healthy Fats: Like all EVOOs, Bertolli is rich in monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) that support heart health and healthy cholesterol levels.
Antioxidant Benefits: Bertolli EVOO contains antioxidants and polyphenols, but potentially in lower concentrations than premium, fresher options.
Quality and Sourcing: As a mass-market, blended oil, Bertolli prioritizes consistency and affordability over the intense freshness and complex flavor found in artisanal EVOOs.
Not Top Tier: Independent taste tests and expert opinions suggest that Bertolli may lack the robust, fresh flavor profile of higher-quality extra virgin olive oils.
Everyday Cooking: Bertolli EVOO is a reliable and healthy option for general, everyday cooking, providing a stable fat source for moderate temperatures.
Informed Choices: To maximize health benefits, consumers should consider freshness, packaging, and specific sourcing information when selecting any olive oil.

The Health Benefits of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Before evaluating a specific brand, it is essential to understand why extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is a highly-regarded component of a healthy diet. The benefits are primarily derived from its unique nutritional makeup.

Monounsaturated Fats

EVOO is predominantly composed of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), with oleic acid making up the largest percentage, typically ranging from 60% to 80%. MUFAs are considered healthy fats that can help improve cholesterol levels by lowering LDL ('bad') cholesterol and increasing HDL ('good') cholesterol. This can help reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. These fats are also more resistant to oxidation from heat, which makes EVOO a stable option for cooking at moderate temperatures.

Antioxidants and Polyphenols

High-quality EVOO is rich in powerful antioxidants, primarily polyphenols, which give it its characteristic peppery flavor and stability. These compounds combat oxidative stress and inflammation, which are major contributors to many chronic diseases. The main antioxidants in EVOO include:

Oleocanthal: Acts similarly to ibuprofen, offering potent anti-inflammatory effects.
Hydroxytyrosol: A powerful antioxidant linked to benefits for heart health.
Vitamin E: An antioxidant that protects the body's cells from damage.
Oleuropein: A compound with potent antioxidant properties, abundant in unripe olives.

Bertolli Extra Virgin Olive Oil: A Closer Look

Bertolli is a household name, but its health profile is different from artisanal, single-origin EVOOs. As a mass-market product, it offers a consistent, affordable, and readily available option, but it comes with certain trade-offs.

Potential Concerns with Mass-Market EVOO

Expert reviews have sometimes given Bertolli's EVOO lower ratings for complexity and freshness compared to premium oils, suggesting that the oil may have a milder aroma and flavor profile.

Blending and Sourcing

To achieve consistent flavor and price, mass-market EVOOs like Bertolli often blend olive oils sourced from various countries, including Spain, Tunisia, and Greece. In the past, this practice has led to legal challenges regarding accurate labeling, particularly concerns over the 'Imported from Italy' claim when olives were sourced from elsewhere and only bottled in Italy. While labeling is now clearer, consumers seeking an authentic single-origin experience may prefer other options.

Polyphenol Content

Polyphenol levels are the primary marker of quality in EVOO, indicating freshness and antioxidant strength. The concentration of polyphenols can decrease over time and with exposure to light, heat, and air. While Bertolli's EVOO contains antioxidants, its lower price point and longer supply chain can mean a lower polyphenol content compared to freshly harvested, premium brands. A ConsumerLab.com test once rated Bertolli's EVOO as 'virgin' based on taste defects, suggesting a blend of oils of varying quality.

How Bertolli Stacks Up

To illustrate the difference, here is a comparison of Bertolli's EVOO and a hypothetical premium, single-origin EVOO.


Feature	Bertolli Extra Virgin Olive Oil	Premium Single-Origin EVOO
Sourcing	Olives are sourced from various countries and blended.	Olives are from a single, specified region and farm.
Freshness	Varies due to mass production and distribution timelines.	Often boasts recent harvest dates, maximizing freshness.
Flavor	Consistent, mild flavor profile.	Bold, complex flavors (peppery, grassy, fruity), often with a 'bite'.
Polyphenols	Present but often lower in quantity than premium oils.	Significantly higher, providing more antioxidant power.
Price	Affordable and accessible for everyday cooking.	Higher price point reflects quality, sourcing, and freshness.
Packaging	Often in dark glass or plastic bottles to protect from light.	Typically in dark glass bottles or tins to preserve quality.

Making the Healthiest Choice for You

While Bertolli EVOO provides the fundamental health benefits of olive oil—primarily the presence of healthy monounsaturated fats—it is not a top-tier performer in terms of antioxidant content or complex flavor profile when compared to fresher, single-origin products. It is a reliable and healthy option for everyday cooking, but for maximum nutritional punch, flavor, and freshness, more expensive artisanal EVOOs may be a better choice.

Here are some tips for choosing the best olive oil for your needs:

Prioritize Freshness: Look for a harvest date on the label. Unlike wine, olive oil is best when fresh.
Go for Dark Packaging: Dark glass bottles or tins protect the oil from light, which degrades its quality and reduces polyphenols.
Consider Origin: A specific country or region of origin is a good sign of quality and traceability.
Trust Your Senses: High-quality EVOO should have a fresh, vibrant aroma and a slightly pungent or peppery taste.

For a deeper understanding of how olive oil quality is assessed, consider reviewing resources from academic institutions. UC Davis Olive Center

Conclusion

Bertolli Extra Virgin Olive Oil is a decent, budget-friendly option for everyday cooking that offers the fundamental health benefits of monounsaturated fats. However, it does not match the peak antioxidant levels, fresh flavor, and premium quality of more expensive, single-origin EVOOs. The best olive oil for you depends on your priorities: affordability and consistency for everyday use or maximum flavor and antioxidant content for specific culinary applications. Regardless of brand, opting for extra virgin olive oil over other refined oils is a sound choice for a healthier diet.

Frequently Asked Questions

Bertolli's EVOO is generally considered legitimate, but as a mass-market product, it's a blend of oils from various countries. It meets industry standards, but in the past, there have been legal issues related to labeling that led to clearer country-of-origin disclosure.

Heating olive oil, including Bertolli EVOO, during normal cooking does not destroy all its health benefits. Its high monounsaturated fat content makes it resistant to moderate heat. For maximum polyphenol retention, it's best for low-heat cooking or as a finishing oil.

Bertolli EVOO is made from a blend of olives sourced from various countries, including Italy, Spain, Greece, and Tunisia. This is a common practice for large-scale producers to maintain a consistent product.

Bertolli is comparable to many other mass-market supermarket brands. These oils provide solid, basic health benefits but may offer less antioxidant potency and flavor complexity than smaller, higher-end brands due to blending and longer shelf life.

The main difference is in freshness and antioxidant content. Premium EVOOs are often from a single harvest and source, resulting in a more robust flavor and higher levels of beneficial polyphenols. Bertolli is a blend, prioritizing consistency over peak flavor and polyphenol content.

In some older tests, like one by ConsumerLab.com, tasters noted sensory defects that downgraded Bertolli's EVOO to the 'virgin' category. This does not mean it is harmful, but it indicates it did not meet the highest standard for flavor and aroma.

To preserve any olive oil's freshness and antioxidant content, store it in a cool, dark place away from light and heat. Tightly seal the cap to prevent oxygen exposure, which causes rancidity.