How to Use & Store Your Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Practical tips and FAQs to get the most flavor and freshness from your bottle.
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The Basics
What is extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)?
Extra virgin olive oil is the highest grade of olive oil — made from cold-extracted olives with no heat or chemicals.
It's fresh, rich in antioxidants like polyphenols, and delivers that signature peppery kick when it's truly high quality — like Valèvida.
Cold-extracted. No heat. No chemicals.
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Everyday Use
How should I use extra virgin olive oil?
Extra virgin olive oil is incredibly versatile. Use it to finish dishes like roasted vegetables, grilled fish, eggs, or soups.
It also works beautifully in salad dressings, marinades, yogurt, or simply drizzled over bread.
It's just as good for cooking as it is for finishing — sauté, roast, or bake with it too, not just drizzle it on at the end.
A little goes a long way — most people in the Mediterranean use it daily without measuring.
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Storage
How should I store my oil?
Keep One Out
Store a bottle wherever you'll actually reach for it. Countertop or table is fine, as long as it's out of direct sun and clear of direct stovetop heat. This is important to keep the oil's polyphenols and flavor intact — even in dark glass, direct heat or light will break them down over time.
Stock the Rest in the Dark
For backup bottles, a cool, dark cupboard keeps them at their best until you're ready to open one.
Reseal Tightly
Always reseal the bottle tightly after use.
No Fridge Needed
Refrigeration isn't necessary; clouding is harmless and clears at room temp.
Keep one within reach. Keep the rest in the dark.
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Shelf Life
How soon should I use my oil after opening?
For peak flavor and polyphenol content, enjoy your bottle within 2–3 months after opening.
With proper storage, oil can stay fresh up to 6 months, but taste and aroma shine brightest when enjoyed sooner.
Enjoy within 2–3 months for peak flavor.
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Freshness
How do I know how fresh my oil is?
We include the harvest date and best-before date on every bottle — so you know exactly when your oil was made.
At Valèvida, our olives are cold-extracted within hours of being harvested to capture peak flavor and antioxidants. After milling, the oil rests in stainless steel tanks to naturally settle and stabilize before bottling.
Cold-extracted the same day as harvest.
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Cooking
Can I cook with extra virgin olive oil?
Oxidative Stability
Mostly Monounsaturated
High in Antioxidants
Unrefined
Yes — and better than the smoke-point number suggests. Smoke point isn't actually a reliable measure of how an oil holds up to heat; what matters more is oxidative stability, fat composition, antioxidant content, and how minimally refined the oil is.
As biochemist María I. Tapia notes in her book, Guía práctica sobre el aceite de oliva y otros aceites vegetales, EVOO checks every one of those boxes. Many people still prefer it raw or at low–medium heat to preserve flavor — but there's no need to avoid the stovetop.
Backed by chemistry, not a smoke-point myth.
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The Olive
What are Grossal olives?
Grossal is a rare, local olive variety native to València, Spain. It's known for its thick skin and high oil yield, a rich, complex flavor, and naturally high polyphenol content.
We harvest them early in the season and cold-extract the oil within hours of picking, creating a bold, peppery oil that's both flavorful and distinctive.
Exclusively Valencian.
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Polyphenols
What makes Valèvida high in polyphenols?
Early Harvest
Concentrated antioxidants at picking time.
Extracted Within Hours
Cold-extracted within hours of harvest — before oxidation can set in.
Grossal Olives
Naturally polyphenol-rich by variety.
Dark Glass
Protects potency from light.
Polyphenols preserved from grove to glass.
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The Tingle
Why does it tingle in my throat?
That peppery kick comes from oleocanthal, a natural compound in high-quality extra virgin olive oil. It's a sign of freshness, not a flaw.
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Daily Use
How much extra virgin olive oil should I use daily?
A little goes a long way — most people in the Mediterranean use it daily without measuring.
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