Unique Middle Eastern Olive Oil Brands You Can Find Online
Updated: Jun 8, 2020
Olive oil has been a main ingredient for thousands of years. Dating back to 6,000 BC, this household necessity is bountiful with healthy monounsaturated fats, powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, all known to play a role in the prevention of diseases.
Aside from being used for cooking, you might be surprised to learn that olive oil is also used in cosmetics, beauty products, soap, and many other common products.
Middle Eastern olive oils and products are not given much priority, since it’s usually the Italian, Spanish and Greek oils that are commonly purchased and advertised at your local supermarket, but we’re here to help change that perspective!
Below you'll find information on olive oil health benefits, answers to common questions such as how long does olive oil last, what to look for in quality, and finally, our recommended brands of Moroccan, Turkish, and Tunisian olive oils that you can find online. For some of the best Lebanese olive oil brands, check our other article here.
What Olive Oil Characteristics Should I Look For?
Although people use olive oil in a variety of the foods they cook, they may not know what good olive oil is supposed to taste like. Here are some ways to find out whether the olive oil you are consuming is of quality or not.
To incorporate a healthy diet, all the ingredients in your food ought to be fresh,
thus the olive oil that you use should be of good quality as well. Certain ways of telling whether the olive oil in question is good or not is if it contains fruity notes. That fruitiness in the oil comes from ripe, or unripe (green) olives.
Another way of telling the quality of olive oil is its bitter taste. If it’s bitter, it’s good. Olives are naturally bitter, and the ripeness of the olive is directly attributed to the bitterness of it. Although this characteristic is totally dependent on the consumer, a balance between fruity and bitter notes should be looked for.
A good olive oil usually has a strong and robust flavor. You can feel it at the back of your throat when you consume it. This feeling goes away after a while, and doesn’t last very long. This taste shows the presence of antioxidants in the oil, and is another good sign of a quality brand.
Bad olive on the other hand, is easier to tell apart, and here’s how. If the oil smells odd or rancid it should be avoided. This smell is due to its quick fermentation process. Some have also stated that a bad oil can smell similar to wine or vinegar - this also has to do with the fermentation process as well.
Olive oil should also not be stored in a humid environment for very long, as that develops a layer of fungi and yeast over the oil. A metallic tasting oil is also oil that has gone bad.
The most common attribute of bad oil is its rancid taste. Similar to the taste of eating other bad fatty foods like nuts and crackers, this taste is easy to tell apart. Without knowing about what to look for, it's easy to think all these negative attributes that make oil bad are part of the original taste, yet we still end up using it. Now that you know what to look out for, go and taste test your olive oil and see if you notice any of the characteristics we just explained.
Here are three additional tips for buying olive oil by "America's Test Kitchen."
How Long Does Olive Oil Last?
Always remember to store your olive oil away from heat and light, as an unopened can last up to two (some have mentioned three) years if bottled. Once opened, it takes a few months for it to go bad.
What is Olive Oil Used for Besides Cooking?
Ever since ancient times, olive oil has been used on the body for better skin, and as a substitute for beauty products.
It is naturally full of anti-aging oxidants and also extremely helpful when used on the hair, skin and nails, making it an absolute necessity when it comes to any DIY beauty maven kit.
Olive Oil for Hair Treatment
Certain areas where olive oil is used are for hair treatment. This treatment has been used since the times of the Ancient Egyptians. Heat up the olive oil and apply it to the end of your hair and scalp for 10-20 minutes before you use your shampoo.
Olive Oil for Chapped Lips
Another good use is for chapped lips. Olive oil, mixed with a teaspoon of sugar and a tinge of lemon juice (for flavor) is a good solution to dry lips.
Other Unique Uses of Olive Oil Include
A remedy for ear wax - which just requires a few drops a night
Anti-bacterial balm
Cracked heel repair
What are the Health Benefits of Olive Oil?
Studies show that one of the most common causes of death in the world is heart disease. However, studies also show that heart disease is less common in Mediterranean countries. Is there a possible correlation with the use of olive oil?
When the Mediterranean diet was looked into, it was discovered that the Middle Eastern people use olive oil as a key ingredient in almost every food they consume and that is one of the reason they some are less prone to heart disease issues.
Read more about the Mediterranean diet by learning all about what a Lebanese Mezze is!
Olive oil helps lower inflammation and prevents the oxidation of bad cholesterol, while simultaneously improving the lining of blood vessels, preventing blood clots.
Aside from heart disease, olive oil also plays a big role in the prevention of strokes. Strokes occur due to a disturbance in the flow of blood to the brain, and according to studies, the consumption of olive oil severely lessens the risk of getting a stroke. Studies also show that olive oil helps fight Alzheimer’s disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer and rheumatoid arthritis.
Read more about the study here: Olive oil intake and risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality in the PREDIMED Study[1]
[1] Guasch-Ferré M, Hu FB, MartÃnez-González MA, et al. Olive oil intake and risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality in the PREDIMED Study. BMC Med. 2014;12:78. Published 2014 May 13. doi:10.1186/1741-7015-12-78
Middle Eastern Olive Oil Brands To Try
Some popular brands of Middle Eastern olive oil that are available on the market include Mina, Domaine de Kalea, Marmarabirlik and Domaine Lachal. These unique recommended brands hail from Middle Eastern regions of Morocco, Turkey, and Tunisia.
Mina Extra Virgin Olive Oil
(Product of Morocco)
Mina is a Moroccan brand of high quality extra virgin olive oil, with the olives coming directly from a family owned farm. Their oil is fully natural with no GMO or pesticides. The acidity level of extra virgin olive oil should generally be less than 0.8% and Mina is proud to note that theirs is at a low 0.2% acidity level.
Mina olive oil is also cold-extracted and rich in antioxidants, you will taste hints of pepper, green fruit, and artichokes as you taste this extremely light, yet flavorful olive oil.
Product of Morocco
100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Cold Pressed
Family Owned Farm
No GMO, herbicides or pesticides
Currently priced around $15 for a 1 liter bottle.
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Domaine de Kalea Extra Virgin Olive Oil
(Product of Morocco)
Domaine de Kalea is also a Moroccan brand and has won the World’s Best Olive Oil Award. It uses 100% Picholine leaves and has an authentic Moroccan flavor. All the olives are hand picked one by one and then cold pressed to keep the healthiest part of the fruit. As you drizzle it on your salad, you will distinguish the spicy scent as well as fruity notes in your tongue.
Product of Morocco
100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Fist Cold Pressed
Award Winning
Take a look at their short 1 minute information video that quickly shows you their vineyards , picking process, and olive oil production facility.
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Marmarabilik Extra Virgin Olive Oil
(Product of Turkey)
A popular Turkish brand available on the market is Marmarabilik Extra Virgin Olive Oil and is loved across the world for its rich great smooth texture. Founded in 1954, Marmarabirlik has been one of the biggest players in the olive oil industry both locally and internationally. Marmarabirlik Naturel Sızma is another popular product of the same brand with a slight difference. While the first one is great for consuming cold like on salads and finishing, the latter is preferred in meals and tastes better when meets with heat.
Product of Turkey
Currently priced between $14 to $37 from 500ml to 3 liter sizes.
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Domaine Lachaal Extra Virgin Olive Oil
(Product of Tunisia)
A Tunisian brand that’s popular is Domaine Lachaal, which is also grown on a family estate. It is 100% virgin Olive Oil, with a balanced and flavorful taste. A must have ingredient for the passionate home chef; Domaine Lachaal is ideal for dipping, sautéing, finishing, and dressings. Just take a small bite of bread after dipping it into the olive oil, and you will soon distinguish hints of green apple, artichoke, and almond.
Product of Tunisia
100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil
First Cold Press
Family Owned Estate
Chemlali Tunisian Olives
Currently priced around $38 for a 3 liter container.
Read more about the best Lebanese olive oil brands here.
Have you tried any of these brands? Let us know what you think in the comments section below!