The Best Books on Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is a fascinating subject: part agriculture, part food science, part history, health and, of course, sensory pleasure. For anyone wanting to understand what makes a great EVOO, these five books are an excellent place to start.
1. Extra Virginity - Tom Mueller
Best for: understanding olive oil, authenticity and the industry
Tom Mueller’s Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil is one of the most engaging books ever written about extra virgin olive oil. Blending investigative journalism, history, food culture and stories from producers around the world, Mueller explores both the extraordinary qualities of genuine EVOO and the problems of fraud and misrepresentation within the industry.
Why read it? It will change the way you look at an olive oil label - and make you much more curious about what is actually inside the bottle.
2. The Olive Oil Diet - Dr Simon Poole & Judy Ridgway
Best for: olive oil, Mediterranean eating and health
Written by Dr Simon Poole and Judy Ridgway, The Olive Oil Diet explores the relationship between extra virgin olive oil, the Mediterranean diet and healthy eating. It combines an accessible discussion of the science with practical advice, food pairings and more than 100 recipes. The book also considers how olive varieties, growing conditions and production methods can influence both flavour and nutritional characteristics.
Why read it? A particularly good choice if you want to understand EVOO from a nutrition and everyday lifestyle perspective.
3. The Olive Oil Encyclopedia - Olive Oil Times Education Lab
Best for: learning the language of olive oil
The Olive Oil Encyclopedia is designed as an accessible reference for understanding the world of extra virgin olive oil. It covers the terminology, production, tasting and wider knowledge needed to become a more confident olive oil consumer.
Why read it? Ideal for beginners who want a practical foundation before diving deeper into the science or professional sensory evaluation.
4. Olives and Olive Oil in Health and Disease Prevention - Victor R. Preedy & Ronald Ross Watson
Best for: serious scientific research
For readers who want to go considerably deeper, this is the heavyweight choice. The second edition brings together research covering olive oil composition, polyphenols , nutrition, cardiovascular health, metabolic health, oxidative stress and numerous other areas of health research. It is aimed primarily at researchers, nutritionists, food scientists, physicians and students rather than casual readers.
Why read it? This is the book to turn to when you want the scientific literature behind olive oil rather than a popular introduction.
5. Olive Oil Sensory Science - Erminio Monteleone & Susan Langstaff
Best for: tasting and understanding flavour
Olive Oil Sensory Science takes a specialist look at how extra virgin olive oil is perceived through aroma, flavour and other sensory characteristics. It covers sensory evaluation, quality control, consumer research and culinary applications, as well as olive oils from major producing regions including Greece, Spain and Italy.
It is particularly valuable for anyone interested in olive oil tasting, sensory analysis and the relationship between production, chemistry and flavour.
Why read it? Because great olive oil is not simply something to analyse - it is something to taste.
Which olive oil book should you read?
It depends on what you want to discover:
| If you want to… | Start with… |
|---|---|
| Understand olive oil fraud and authenticity | Extra Virginity |
| Explore olive oil and Mediterranean health | The Olive Oil Diet |
| Learn the basics and terminology | The Olive Oil Encyclopedia |
| Dive into the science | Olives and Olive Oil in Health and Disease Prevention |
| Learn about tasting and sensory science | Olive Oil Sensory Science |
Our pick
If you are completely new to extra virgin olive oil, start with Extra Virginity. It is engaging, informative and gives you a fascinating introduction to the people, history and problems behind the oil.
Then, once you become curious about what makes one EVOO taste different from another, move on to Olive Oil Sensory Science.
And perhaps the most important lesson of all: read about olive oil, but taste it too. Compare different varieties, harvest dates and origins side by side. There is no better way to turn knowledge into understanding.
Ready to taste the difference yourself? Explore Classic Opus Oléa EVOO or our Organic Gold - independently lab-certified each harvest.