Olive oil is made by pressing the oil out of olives. Extra-virgin olive oil comes from the first cold-press of the fruit, is not processed with chemicals and is made with little heat. Virgin olive oil is also made with no chemicals and only little heat, but it comes from the second press or from olives that are lower in quality to the ones found in extra-virgin oil. "Pure" olive oil is made from what is left after the better oils are made, and is processed with heat, chemicals and other methods. It is then mixed with some virgin oil. Light and extra light olive oils come from the very last press and they are very processed. Since extra-virgin olive oil has the best quality olives and is the least processed, it has the most healthy nutrients.
Cholesterol
All types of olive oil are healthy due to the fact that they include monounsaturated fat, which is a healthier choice than saturated or trans fat. Monounsaturated fat can actually lower the amount of LDL cholesterol in your body, which is the negative type of cholesterol, and increase HDL cholesterol, which is good cholesterol. Saturated and trans fat do the opposite and increase LDL cholesterol. Therefore, olive oil is a smart choice as a replacement for saturated and trans fat, such as butter and margarine.
Heart Health
The MayoClinic cites the recommendation of the FDA, that consuming 2 tbs of olive oil per day could lower your chances of developing heart disease. Mayoclinic says extra-virgin olive oil is the healthiest for your heart, since it is less processed and has kept its heart-healthy nutrients, including antioxidants. The Better Health Channel cites studies showing that the Mediterranean diet, as well as olive oil in isolation, coincides with low rates of cardiovascular disease in the population consuming it. In other studies, olive oil has been found to lower levels of triglycerides, lower bad cholesterol and have other effects that positively affect the heart.
Antioxidants
A main healthy component in olive oil is the antioxidants it contains, called polyphenols. Since extra-virgin olive oil has been processed the least, it has more antioxidants than the other types of olive oil. These antioxidants have been found to reduce the risk of different types of cancer. Further, a 2008 study conducted in Spain found evidence that polyphenols from olive oil were fighting breast cancer once the woman already had it.
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