You’re staring at the crossword. 14-Across. Four letters. Or maybe it’s a long-form feature you’re reading over a Sunday bagel. Either way, the phrase olive oil has many of them nyt has been buzzing around digital circles lately, usually in the context of the New York Times’ relentless, and honestly quite justified, coverage of the liquid gold industry.
It’s about fatty acids. It’s about antioxidants. But mostly? It’s about the grades.
If you’ve ever felt like a fraud standing in the grocery aisle trying to decipher the difference between "Pure," "Extra Virgin," and "Light," you aren't alone. The NYT has spent years debunking the myths surrounding this pantry staple, often pointing out that the industry is, frankly, a bit of a mess.
What exactly are "them"?
When people search for olive oil has many of them nyt, they’re usually looking for one of two things: a crossword answer or the health components the Times frequently highlights. If it’s the crossword, you’re likely looking for "oleics" or "fats." But if we’re talking about the substance of the reporting, we’re talking about polyphenols.
Polyphenols are the magic.
They are the micronutrients that give high-quality oil its peppery kick at the back of your throat. If you cough when you taste it, that’s a good sign. It means the oil is alive with antioxidants. Most cheap, shelf-stable oils have had these processed right out of them. It’s sad, really. You’re paying for a health food but getting a hollowed-out version of what nature intended.
The NYT Investigation into Fraud
The New York Times has famously reported on the "Extra Virgin" lie. Back in 2014, they ran a massive interactive piece—which people still reference today—detailing how much of the "Italian" olive oil we buy is actually a blend of lower-quality oils from North Africa and Spain, shipped to Italy, bottled, and slapped with a deceptive flag.
It’s a global shell game.
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Tom Mueller, an author often cited by the NYT, wrote Extra Virginity, a book that blew the lid off the olive oil trade. He basically proved that if you’re buying a $6 bottle of "Extra Virgin" oil, you’re probably just buying flavored vegetable oil or, at best, a highly refined lampante oil that shouldn't even be on a salad.
Why the "Light" Label is a Total Scam
Don't buy light olive oil. Just don't.
People think "light" means lower calories. It doesn't. Olive oil is fat; fat has nine calories per gram. Period. "Light" refers to the color and flavor, which is achieved through high-heat processing and chemicals. You're stripping away the very things—those "many" beneficial compounds—that make olive oil worth eating in the first place.
If you want a neutral oil, buy avocado oil. At least that has a high smoke point. "Light" olive oil is basically the ghost of a dead olive.
Health Benefits: Beyond the Basics
Why does the NYT keep writing about this? Because the science keeps getting better. We used to just talk about monounsaturated fats. Now, we're looking at oleocanthal.
Oleocanthal is a specific polyphenol that acts similarly to ibuprofen. It’s an anti-inflammatory. Research suggests it might even help clear the amyloid-beta plaques associated with Alzheimer’s. This isn't just "health food" marketing; it's pharmacology disguised as a salad dressing.
But here’s the kicker: these compounds degrade.
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Light is the enemy. Heat is the enemy. Oxygen is the absolute worst.
If your olive oil is in a clear glass bottle, the manufacturer doesn't care about your health. They want you to see the pretty gold color so you'll buy it, even though the light hitting that bottle on the shelf is turning the oil rancid before you even twist the cap.
How to Actually Buy the Good Stuff
You need to look for a harvest date. Not an expiration date. An expiration date is just a guess. A harvest date tells you when the fruit was actually pressed. You want oil from the most recent harvest.
Also, look for third-party certifications. The California Olive Oil Council (COOC) or the North American Olive Oil Association (NAOOA) seals actually mean something. They aren't just stickers; they represent lab tests for purity.
- Look for dark glass or tin containers.
- Check for a specific estate name.
- Avoid anything labeled "bottled in Italy" without a "grown in" origin.
- Spend the extra ten bucks.
It’s weird to think of olive oil as a splurge, but when you realize that olive oil has many of them nyt (referring to the complex health benefits), the price starts to make sense. You’re buying a fresh fruit juice, not a shelf-stable condiment.
The Culinary Misconception: Can You Cook With It?
For years, "experts" told us never to cook with extra virgin olive oil because of the smoke point. They were mostly wrong.
High-quality EVOO has a smoke point around 375°F to 410°F. Most home cooking—sauteing, roasting, even some light frying—doesn't get much hotter than that. More importantly, the antioxidants in the oil actually protect it from oxidizing under heat.
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The New York Times Food section has covered this extensively. They’ve interviewed chefs who use EVOO for almost everything. The "burnt" flavor people fear usually only happens if you're using cheap oil that was already rancid to begin with.
Fresh oil stays stable.
Taste the Difference
Try this: Buy a cheap bottle of "store brand" oil and a $20 bottle of single-origin California or Greek oil. Pour a little of each into a glass. Sip them.
The cheap one will feel greasy and coat your mouth like wax. It might even taste like nothing, or worse, like old peanuts. The good one? It will zing. It will taste like fresh-cut grass, green tomatoes, or maybe even artichokes. It will make you cough.
That cough is the polyphenols. That’s the "many" things the NYT wants you to find.
Moving Toward Better Sourcing
If you really want to get serious, stop buying your oil at the supermarket. Find a local importer or a dedicated olive oil shop. These places allow you to taste before you buy, and they usually stock oils from the Southern Hemisphere (like Chile or Australia) in the spring and Northern Hemisphere (Italy, Greece, California) in the fall. This ensures you always have the freshest oil on the planet.
Understand that "Extra Virgin" is a legal standard, but it’s poorly enforced. In the US, the FDA doesn't really spend its time taste-testing olive oil. It’s up to the consumer to be the detective.
Actionable Next Steps for the Olive Oil Consumer:
- Purge your pantry: Smell your current oil. If it smells like crayons or old gym socks, it's rancid. Toss it. Rancid oil is pro-inflammatory, the opposite of what you want.
- Buy small: Unless you have a huge family, don't buy the giant jugs. Olive oil starts to degrade the moment it's opened. Aim to finish a bottle within 30 to 60 days.
- Store it right: Keep it in a cool, dark cupboard. Not next to the stove. The heat from your oven will kill the oil's benefits in weeks.
- Read the back label: Ignore the "Premium" or "Gourmet" marketing fluff. Look for the harvest year (e.g., 2024/2025) and the specific olive varietals used, like Koroneiki, Arbequina, or Picual.
- Use it liberally: Don't save the good stuff for "special occasions." The health benefits come from daily consumption. Drizzle it on eggs, oatmeal, or even vanilla ice cream with a pinch of sea salt.
Olive oil isn't just a fat; it's a complex, volatile, and incredibly healthy fruit juice. When you understand that olive oil has many of them nyt—the polyphenols, the flavors, and the history—you’ll never look at a supermarket shelf the same way again.