Americans have been informed for decades about the potential health benefits of olive oil. It’s a staple of the Mediterranean diet which is associated with longevity, and has a wide variety of culinary uses.
But what should consumers look for when choosing olive oil? What makes olive oil “enhanced”? Does Gundry MD Olive Oil contain compounds shown to promote optimal health? And how do real users rate and describe the effects of this product?
In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more, as we explain what consumers should look for when choosing a healthy olive oil.
We’ll explain what “enhanced” olive oil means, explain why we consider Gundry MD Olive Oil to be one of the healthiest options on the market, and feature unsponsored customer reviews of the product.
What to Look For in Olive Oil
Olive oil is a simple product category to qualify from a health perspective.
There are three criteria that we recommend health-conscious consumers look for when choosing an olive oil brand:
- No unhealthy additives
- Organic certification
- Extra virgin status
The first point is simple: some olive oil brands use unhealthy additives like flavoring agents, and some even “cut” their olive oil with cheaper oils like peanut oil.
The only ingredient in a high-quality olive oil should be the olive oil itself.
Organic certification is important because it can reduce potential toxin intake. A medical review published in the Environmental Research journal documented that switching conventionally-grown foods for organically-grown foods reduced urinary pesticide levels in both children and adults.
Extra virgin olive oil is a healthier choice than other types of olive oil, because it undergoes less processing, and tends to be higher in antioxidants and other health-promoting nutrients.
Based on research that we’ve surveyed, the vast majority of clinical studies on olive oil for promoting health used extra virgin olive oil rather than virgin olive oil.
A 2023 medical review reported that extra virgin olive oil was superior to all other fats examined in regard to its effects on optimizing blood pressure levels, cholesterol levels and weight.
What’s “Enhanced” Olive Oil?
Gundry MD Olive Oil is “enhanced,” meaning it’s sourced from olives that are clinically shown to contain higher levels of an antioxidant compound called hydroxytyrosol.
Early research suggests that hydroxytyrosol may be a primary driver for some of olive oil’s health benefits.
A medical review published in the Journal of Biotechnology reported that hydroxytyrosol supports cardiovascular health and is neuroprotective.
A 2023 clinical trial found that supplementation with hydroxytyrosol-enriched olive oil stimulated healthy endothelial function, healthy cholesterol levels, and various measures of cardiovascular function.
We consider any type of olive oil to be a healthy option, but olive oil that’s high in hydroxytyrosol may be considered a functional food.
Our Top Olive Oil Pick
Gundry MD Olive Oil is our top olive oil pick, because it satisfies all three criteria that make up a high-quality olive oil.
This product contains no unhealthy additives. Its only ingredient is extra virgin olive oil.
Gundry MD Olive Oil is USDA organic.
This olive oil is rich in hydroxytyrosol, containing up to 30x more than regular olive oil according to the brand.
