How to Choose a High Polyphenol Olive Oil in the UK

Updated October 2026 · By Andalucian Olives, a UK olive oil business in Lytham St Annes

Quick answer: look for an extra virgin olive oil with a lab-tested polyphenol figure from the current harvest, made from early harvest olives of a naturally bitter variety, with a low stated acidity, a best before date well into the future, and dark glass or a tin. Then taste it: real high polyphenol oil is bitter and leaves a peppery catch in your throat.

"High polyphenol" is not a legally defined term, so two bottles with the same words on the front can be very different inside. Here is how to tell them apart.

1. Ask for a lab figure, with the harvest year

A trustworthy high polyphenol oil states a number, usually in mg/kg, measured by a laboratory. Check that the figure belongs to the oil in the bottle: polyphenols fall over time, so a result from an older harvest says little about a bottle from this one.

2. Check the harvest

Polyphenols are highest in olives picked green, early in the season. Words like "early harvest", a harvest month (October or November in Spain) or a harvest year on the label are good signs. The time between picking and milling matters too: the faster the olives are processed, the more polyphenols the oil keeps.

3. Look at the olive variety

Some varieties are naturally richer in polyphenols than others. Picual, Cornicabra and Coratina, for example, are known for robust, bitter oils, while Arbequina gives a gentler, fruitier oil that is often blended in for balance.

4. Read the rest of the label

• Grade: extra virgin, obtained directly from olives and solely by mechanical means

• Acidity: stated on the bottle and well below the 0.8% legal limit for extra virgin

• Origin: a single country, rather than a blend of oils from several

• Best before date: well into the future

• Packaging: dark glass or a tin, which protect the oil from light

5. Trust your taste

Bitterness on the tongue and a peppery catch at the back of the throat come from the polyphenols themselves. An oil that tastes flat or buttery is unlikely to be high in them, whatever the label says.

6. Store it well once you have it

Keep the bottle in a cool, dark cupboard away from the cooker and use it within 6–8 weeks of opening. Heat, light and air all reduce polyphenols.

Our high polyphenol oils

• Early Harvest: Cornicabra, Picual and Arbequina olives picked green in mid-October and cold-extracted within 4 hours. Over 500 mg/kg of polyphenols and 0.2% acidity. 250ml £11.50, 500ml £19.99.

• Master Miller: our everyday organic oil, fruitier and rounder, with over 400 mg/kg of polyphenols and 0.2% acidity. 250ml £11.99, 500ml £18.99.

Both are EU organic certified and bottled in Spain. The new harvest arrives in mid-November and you can pre-order now, with free UK delivery on orders of £50 or more.

Frequently asked questions

What counts as a high polyphenol olive oil?

There is no legal definition. As a rough guide, many producers use the term for oils with over 250 mg/kg of polyphenols, while typical supermarket extra virgin oils are often well below that.

Can I cook with high polyphenol olive oil?

Yes. Heat reduces polyphenols and softens the flavour, so many people keep their freshest, most peppery oil for drizzling and dressing, and use a milder oil for everyday cooking.

Is the most bitter oil always the best?

Not necessarily. Bitterness signals polyphenols, but a good oil should still be balanced and pleasant to eat. Choose one you enjoy enough to use every day.