80% Of Olive Oil Is Fake!

In the above video, Dr Berg explains that 80% of olive oils are fake. Fake in the sense that they aren't made with high quality olives that are picked and then quickly cold-pressed. These "olive oils" are made with diluted olive oils mixed with soybean oil or canola oil, and sometimes even solvents and preservatives are added.  

The video provides a way to taste-test your olive oil in order to determine if you're getting the real thing. Of note, most real olive oil is going to be in a glass bottle (not plastic) and will usually cost more than $10. There are exceptions to that. For example, I buy Simply Nature Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Aldi that costs about $5 for a 16.9 oz bottle. It has been certified by the North American Olive Oil Foundation since 2016. Click on the provided link to see a list of certified olive oils so you can be sure you're getting the real stuff. Or at least use the taste-test provided by Dr Berg in the video.

Here are some interesting FAQs from their website:

How does the AboutOliveOil.org Seal Program work?

Participants in the AboutOliveOil.org Seal Program must agree to have us randomly test their products, which we sample from store shelves, and submit the samples to certified independent laboratories. The oils are tested to ensure that they meet or exceed the physico-chemical standards set by the International Olive Council to ascertain purity and quality. Participants pay a fee to participate in the program and license the AboutOliveOil.org Seal for use on their packaging. It does not mean that we test every bottle or even every lot. However, the penalty for getting caught is severe. If we can confirm that a product we have tested is not authentic, the company is required to conduct a recall of the licensed products from all stores across North America. 

Do you test all brands?

No. We only test bottles of companies that agree to take part in the program. The program is currently only open to members of the North American Olive Oil Association.